Church guest suggests ways to help newcomers

Baptist churches are not as visitor friendly as they like to think they are. If you doubt this, look at your church the way a total stranger sees it. I have looked at several churches that way recently and have come to the conclusion that we have some work to do.
   
I am a retired Southern Baptist missionary. Last year, when we returned to the United States on final stateside assignment, we stayed in a missionary residence for a time and were well-received by the nearest church. Then we moved several miles away to the residence we had purchased as our retirement home. We visited several churches during our search for a church home. After several weeks we made a trip across the United States visiting family and friends. Here are some things I observed in Alabama and across the country.
   
Churches often do not publish the times of their services. The sign out front usually doesn’t tell.
The ad in the phone book doesn’t say. Then there was the church that announced two morning services and their times in the phone book, but the Sunday we were there announced to those present that beginning next Sunday they would go on the “Summer Schedule” with one worship service at 10 a.m. instead of two at 9 and 11 a.m. How is the first-time visitor to know? Which door do we use?
   
At several of the churches we visited, there was no one in the parking lot to indicate which of the several visible doors to use. I know that FAITH teaches people to say to the person they have evangelized, “I’ll meet you in the parking lot next Sunday at such and such a time.”
   
That’s great, but what about the person who comes of his own initiative for the first time? Some churches have a sign that says “Welcome Center.” That helps if it is visible from the parking lot.
   
Once inside a door, the greeter often seemed unsure where to direct us to Sunday School classes.
   
I recognize that strict age grading is no longer the universally accepted method, but on several occasions we were taken to the class of the most senior adults. Yes, I’m 65 years old and I do have gray hair, but I don’t think I look as old as the folks in some of the classes they steered me to.
   
At one church, however, we had a card with a list of adult Sunday School classes showing the room number, the teacher’s name and the age range of each class.
   
She showed the card to my wife and asked, “Where do you find yourself on this?” She didn’t ask “How old are you?” Nor did she push my wife into a class that she might have found inappropriate.
   
At only one of the churches we visited did someone specifically choose to sit with us during the worship service. We sat alone in the sanctuary.
   
As Sunday School ended, a lady came by, recognized that we were visitors and stopped to talk with us. Then she sat next to my wife and introduced us to others. That was one of the best experiences we had.
   
Several of the churches sent us a letter of welcome, but the letters were rather “generic.” One had the typed word “Pastor” as the person who wrote the letter, but not the person’s name, and no signature. That didn’t sound as if they were happy with our visit.
   
In summary:
   
–Think about how a visitor would discover the times of your services. If you’re really visitor friendly, you might want to avoid changing the time lest you miss the visit of someone the Lord leads your way.
   
–Put the times of services on a clearly visible sign so that someone driving by can find it.
   
–Put up a “Welcome Center” sign. Train workers in the best ways to direct people to Sunday School classes.
   
Have people available to walk visitors to their classes; many of our churches are large and complicated for a visitor to find his way alone. A church member should sit with the visitor during worship. That might provide an opportunity to share Christ.
   
–A welcome letter sent my mail is a nice touch, but it shouldn’t look like a form letter. The pastor should certainly take time to sign the letters.