Be Our Guest
Whether you are a volunteer in your church’s guest services ministry, or thinking about serving alongside ushers, greeters, welcome desk hosts, and parking lot attendants at your church, the Hospitality Ministry Volunteer Handbook is for you!
How does a member of community see your church? When they hear your church’s name, what is their initial reaction? We want any individual who steps foot onto our church campus to immediately feel Christ’s love through our actions toward them—the question is, are we doing a good job at accomplishing that mission?
We might not think of customer service and church hospitality in the same vein, but this book shows how a service mentality can make life-changing first impressions on newcomers. It’s filled with specific, practical strategies and tools to help the hospitality ministry team show the love of Christ to every visitor.
Join author Greg Atkinson as he helps identify ways your church can increase its hospitality to the community around you, and, ultimately, reach those people for the Kingdom of God.
Table of Content
CONTENTS
Dedication 6
Acknowledgements 7
Introduction to the Outreach Ministry Guide Series 8
Introduction to the Hospitality Ministry Volunteer Handbook 10
Section 1: Hospitality Matters!
Chapter 1 The Ministry of Hospitality 13
Chapter 2 The History of Hospitality 16
Chapter 3 Your Mission and the Importance of
First Impressions 21
Chapter 4 Best Practices 29
Chapter 5 Hospitality Ministries Are for Every Church 37
Section 2: The “Who” of Hospitality Ministry
Chapter 6 Meet Our Guests 40
Chapter 7 Hospitality Starts in the Parking Lot 42
Chapter 8 Greeters and Guides 48
Chapter 9 Ushers 54
Chapter 10 Section Hosts 58
Chapter 11 After the Service and Welcome Desk Hosts 62
Section 3: Hospitality Ministry Tools
Chapter 12 The Preservice Huddle 68
Chapter 13 Hospitality Ministry Job Descriptions 71
Chapter 14 How to Remember Names 90
Chapter 15 Hospitality Scriptures 91
Chapter 16 Dos and Don’ts 97
Chapter 17 Basic Etiquette and Appearance 99
Chapter 18 Six Keys to Success 101
Chapter 19 Eight Tips from a Secret Shopper 103
Chapter 20 Five Tips to Help Your Team Get Ready
for Big Weekends 107
Chapter 21 Equipment and Supplies 109
Chapter 22 Fourteen Guest Gift Ideas 112
Chapter 23 In Case of Emergency 113
Chapter 24 Questions for Personal Reflection 126
Chapter 25 Discussion Questions 129
Chapter 26 Hospitality Has an Impact! 134
Chapter 27 Caught in the Act of Serving 136
Chapter 28 Recommended Resources 137
About the Contributors 138
