How To Welcome New Attendees To Keep Them Coming Back

New visitors are crucial to growing your church. However, the way you welcome new attendees determines how likely they are to become members. With the right welcome plan, it’s easy to learn more about your new guests and even follow-up with them later on. After all, making an effort to connect is a great way to show visitors you care about them. The one thing to always remember is to make every new attendee feel special and like a welcome part of the community from their very first visit.

Have A Welcome Team

Every church, no matter how big or small, needs a welcome team. Sometimes new attendees have questions about where to go and if no one’s there to greet them, they might think your church isn’t interested in new members right now. Ask your church members to volunteer to welcome new attendees at all entrances. They could even wear a badge or vest to identify them. Plus, your welcome team will help with all the other tips on this list.

Collect Visitor Information

This is one of the most important things you should to do welcome new attendees and keep them coming back. This post from Grow A Healthy Church shows just how important a sign-up list actually is to retaining new attendees. The writer posed as a sort of mystery shopper at a new church. Not only was he made to feel like a stranger, but no one took the time to get any contact information. At no one point was he made to feel valuable. Ensure your welcome team has visitor cards to get the contact details of new attendees. You can also make an announcement during the service to ask any new visitors to provide their details if they’d like. Get a name, phone number, email address and/or an address. The idea is to have information in order to contact them later.

Provide A Welcome Packet

Outside of attending one service, what do visitors actually know about your church? Welcome new attendees with a welcome packet. This could be a pamphlet or just a single sheet of paper with details about services, church website, social media accounts, contact information, volunteer opportunities, church programs and more. It’s something simple, but highly effective in letting new attendees see if your church is right for them.

Encourage Members To Introduce Themselves

Thom S. Rainer addresses reasons why new visitors don’t come back and the top two reasons were:

1. Having a stand-up and greet one another time in the worship service.
2. Unfriendly church members.

While it’s important to welcome new attendees, it’s uncomfortable to be asked to stand up in front of a large group of people. It’s just as awkward if church members never even acknowledge new visitors. Instead, encourage members to go up to new attendees and welcome them to the church. They could even ask the visitors if they have any questions. It’s more personable and doesn’t put the visitors in the spotlight.

Follow Up With New Attendees, But Don’t Pressure

It’s important to send a follow-up to welcome new attendees. This is why you want to get their contact details. For instance, send a “thank you for attending” text or an email with details about the church. Encourage them to return or contact you if they have any questions. While you may want them to become members, remember that it’s possible that your new attendees just aren’t the right fit for your church and vice versa. Only send a few messages during the first month. After that, only send out messages about special events. Always offer a way to opt out of receiving additional emails, texts or snail mail. It’s a way to offer a friendly reminder to come back without pressuring anyone.

Include A Welcome Area On Your Website

Finally, welcome new attendees on your website. Some attendees might sneak out quickly before you’re able to talk them or get any contact information. However, they might look up your church online to learn more. Include a special welcome page for new visitors. This page should also include a form to sign up for emails and contact details for the church.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make new church visitors feel welcome?

Make every new attendee feel special from their very first visit. Start with a welcome team at every entrance so no one walks in confused or ignored. Encourage members to introduce themselves personally rather than spotlighting visitors in front of the whole room. The goal is to make a first-timer feel like part of the family right away.

Why do first-time visitors not come back?

Two of the biggest reasons are unfriendly members and an awkward stand-up-and-greet moment during the service. Visitors also walk away when no one bothers to get their contact information or make them feel valued. A mystery-shopper experiment at one church found the visitor was treated like a stranger and never followed up with at all — and that’s exactly how you lose people.

Should you ask new visitors for their contact information?

Yes — it’s one of the most important steps for keeping visitors coming back. Have your welcome team use visitor cards, or make a gentle announcement inviting new guests to share their details. A name plus a phone number, email, or address gives you a way to follow up later. Without contact info, a great first visit can quietly turn into a last one.

How do you follow up with new attendees without being pushy?

Send a simple “thank you for attending” text or email, encourage them to return, and invite them to reach out with questions. Keep it light — only a few messages in the first month, then stick to special events. Always offer an easy way to opt out. Remember, not every visitor is the right fit, and that’s okay.

What should a church welcome packet include?

Keep it simple — even a single sheet works. Cover the basics a newcomer needs: service times, your website, social media accounts, contact information, volunteer opportunities, and an overview of church programs. It’s a small touch that helps new attendees decide whether your church is the right fit for them.

Eager to start welcoming new attendees and gaining new members? Start with adding a welcome page to your website today.