Team Visit to Another Church
Over a period of thirteen Sundays, send four teams of three people each from your congregation to visit the worship services of effective and growing churches in your area. Sense what it's like to be a guest (an outsider). Pick up helpful ideas and evaluate how you might improve your own welcoming and including system.
BEST SUITED FOR: Any Size Congregation
WHAT'S INVOLVED?
 | Select some Sundays (possibly four) over a period of three months, and then at the end have all "visitors" share together their experiences. |
| Evaluate on the basis of your visits what you can do to be more sensitive to the needs of first- and second-time visitors to your congregation. |
DO'S AND DON'TS
| DO......select people on the teams who vary in respect to outgoingness/shyness. Learn how different people experience it. |
| DO......recruit adults who will take their children with them. |
| DO......attend churches that vary in size. |
| DO......keep a written record (short notes that you can jot down unobtrusively) of your visit. |
| DON'T......have all visitors stick together, but separate in order to pick up different reactions. |
| DON'T......initiate greeting or talking to people, but observe how the "home-folk" accommodate and greet you, the visitor, on their turf. |
RESOURCES NEEDED
| Make copies of the Visitor Evaluation Form for each person visiting other churches in order to jot down notes. |
| See resources for increasing hospitality at your church. |
COST: Transportation costs to area churches
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