Items that Hinder Church Growth: Lack of Properly Trained Greeters and Ushers

I sat with a pastor in his office as he shared some of difficulties he faced in growing the traditional church.  He told me that some of their guest had shared with him that the church was just not friendly.  As we talked, I asked him if all the church members were unfriendly. He acknowledged that they had eight to twelve people who were friendly and outgoing.  I challenged him to appoint each of them as greeters to seek out guest and welcome them with a smile, handshake or hug, and thank them for coming to worship.  He had never considered appointing happy and friendly people to seek out new faces.  I call these people greeters.

The word "greet" implies to meet, receive, welcome, cherish, embrace, salute, address, or acknowledge a person in a specified way.  Very early in church history members of the church practiced greeting one another.  In fact, the Greek verb "aspazomai" occurs about sixty times in the New Testament and echoes concern for the well-being of the other person. 

The practice of greeting arriving guests can be found in Mark 9:15, and upon the parting of company in Acts 21:1. Every church should train competent greeters to welcome people as they arrive and to thank them as they depart for every service and event.  The team of greeters should have a Head Greeter to organize the greeters and to make sure that the needed number of greeters will be present for each service, properly located in key areas of the parking lot and at all entrances.  Men, women, and youth can all participate in this “customer friendly” ministry. 

Greeters should be the first to smile and to speak.  Greeters should call members by name, notice guests, and give special attention to the guests.  Remember, a smile says a lot.  Your words of welcome will not be effective if you look unhappy to see them.  The greeter should be one of the first people to smile and express a customary welcome.

Remember to be very polite, open doors, and give directions to the place there are trying to find – worship center, nursery, etc.  Greeters need to offer other assistance to the people as they arrive. This may be opening a car door, helping an elderly person out of a vehicle, or perhaps carrying the diaper bag for the parent of a young child who is struggling.  When it is raining, be prepared to meet people as they arrive with a large umbrella.

Greeters need to be constantly aware of the parking needs and the needs of the attendees while outside the building.  If people seem to need help finding a parking spot, the Greeter should direct the person to an area where parking is available.  If a person has a flat tire or trouble starting the vehicle, offer the appropriate assistance.

Greeters are the first impression of your church.  If you are friendly and knowledgeable, neat and well groomed, and polite and well mannered, you make a good impression. 

Here are a couple of things a Greeter should not do.  Greeters should avoid antisocial behavioral norms.  For example, in most areas, Greeters should not smoke.  Some people have strong feelings about smoking, and you may turn them away from our church - treat all church grounds and facilities as a smoke free area.  Greeters should not be walking around drinking a beverage.  If you are holding something in your hand, or have something in your mouth, you cannot do the things needed to represent Christ and our church in an impressionable way.

Like the Greeter, the Usher is a very important individual.  Ushers represents Christ at all times, impressing attendees with sincere and genuine hospitality.  The Usher's primary task centers on the worship services.  Ushers must always smile and speak a friendly word to others anywhere in the building.  The Usher is to the worship service what Greeter is to the arriving attendees.

The Head Usher should organize the team and make sure that the correct number of ushers are present for each service, properly stationed just inside of all entrances, and that both male and female ushers are used for each service. 

The Usher is to hold worshippers who arrive late until an appropriate time for them to enter the Worship Center, such as during a song, to prevent multiple interruptions of the service.  Ushers should be cheerful and polite when welcoming, seating, and instructing guest. 

Occasionally the unexpected will happen.  When it does happen, the Usher must remain calm and act in a polite and thoughtful manner.  A good usher will think ahead concerning what to do if a certain situation arises.  A good Usher will plan for and know how to handle falls, fainting, and sudden sickness.  He will know how to call for an ambulance, fire department, or police. The question is not if these things will happen, but when these things will happen.

It is the Usher's responsibility to see that worship progresses smoothly and that the worship leaders are not interrupted.  If someone faints, it is not the pastor's job to handle the situation.  It is the Usher’s job and they should know how to handle the situation.  The pastor and worship leaders are to lead the congregation in worship, few things are more important than the worship of God.  There are very few, if any, reason an Usher should ever interrupt the leaders of worship or the flow of the service.

One emergency, which few churches are prepared to handle, is fire.  Ushers should know how to evacuate the building.  Have a plan in place in case a fire should erupt. It seems that when I travel, the hotel I am staying in always have a fire alarm either during the night or early morning. During a stay at a resort in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the fire alarm was triggered.  The resort was well prepared and I was greatly impressed by their preparation and evacuation procedure.  I feel better about this particular resort and I have highly recommended it to other people.  It was nice to know that they were prepared and knew how to help their customers exit the fifteen story building safely.  Churches must be equally prepared.  We cannot assume that since we are at church only a few hours each week that we do not need to prepare.

The one item Ushers normally know about is the receiving of the tithes and offerings, and yet it is often done awkwardly.  The pastor should teach the Ushers how to receive the Offering and explain the time in the service where the offering will be received.  He should be sure to reflect any change in the normal routine.  The pastor and Ushers should develop the best procedure possible to receive the tithes and offerings in an orderly manner as quickly as possible.  Sometimes it helps to rehearse the procedure.  This should always be done with new Ushers.

At the close of service, the Ushers should open the doors at the appropriate time - usually at the close of the benediction.  The Ushers should locate themselves at each exit in order to share verbal appreciation to the worshippers for attending.  Let the worshippers know that you are happy that they came to worship God.  The usher is God's mouthpiece to say "thank you!"

The Greeter and the Usher represent three individuals.  First, you represent yourself, and you should desire to make a good impression upon others.  Secondly, you represent the church.  The church you serve expects you to represent them well, and if you do not, they are disappointed.  Third and most importantly, you represent Christ.  The greeter’s and the usher’s friendliness represents the smile and touch of Jesus and makes the worshipper feel the love of Christ.

The Greeter and the Usher both assist the pastor by allowing him and the other worship leaders to lead God's people in worship with the peace of mind that whatever unexpected thing occurs, there are well prepared capable Greeters and Ushers to handle the task.  These are extremely important jobs.  Do not take them lightly.