Who is a Church Greeter

Well, everyone, of course. Romans 15:7 is quite clear about that.

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

The problem is that when it is everyone’s job, it is pretty much no one’s. Everyone else’s job, not mine, is probably closer to reality. Even worse, the longer you have been around or the higher up you are in the leadership hierarchy, the more likely this is your situation.

When someone comes to a church for the first time, they may have thought about it for as long as a year. Not only that, it is quite likely motivated by some sort of void in their life aching to be filled. Such a person is incredibly fragile. It would not take much to discourage them. They might be polite and not turn around immediately, but they are not likely to return. So what do you do to avoid that? Clearly, it can not be left to chance or whoever happens to be available.

Some stores (although motivated by Dollars) do this better than churches. A few steps inside, you are greeted with a cheerful “hello.” As soon as you get to the first aisle, someone immediately stops what they are doing and asks you if you need help with finding something. Not only that, they do not just point you in the right direction, they take you there and locates the item for you. They may even offer to help you carry it if it is a large or heavy item. Does that make you feel like you matter at that store? Of course it does.

Who is a greeter at your church? If your answer is “whoever is available,” chances are that no one really is. Wouldn’t it be true that everyone thinks someone else is more available than they are?

With that in mind, it might surprise you that I am here to tell you that everyone is a greeter. Yes, but not in the sense the world sees it. How does the Bible tell us to live our lives? Totally yielded to Him is the correct answer. Your remember Romans 15:7 mentioned above, don’t you?.

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

In other words, we do it, not for us or for them, but to glorify God.

The trouble is that we constantly get distracted and turn away from Him. Fortunately, He gives us two ways to prevent that from happening: His Word and prayer. Study the Bible daily and pray continually.

Church Greeters 101: Putting the Pieces Together for an Effective Greeting Team and Ministry

People who come to a new church for the first time, will typically have been contemplating it for as long as a year or more. Often, they are people with some sort of void in their lives. They may be very fragile, so when they finally work up the courage to come, they will decide within the first few minutes whether they are coming back or not. They may not turn around and walk away on the spot, but be polite and endure the experience for never to return.

Church greeters serve a critical role in deciding whether to return or not. There is a lot you can do to make it a favorable decision.