On Monday, we had a faith formation open house at church. This event was on Facebook. Post cards and a small gift were handed out to all families who attended Christmas Eve. Information was available in our bulletin, in our newsletter and on our website. Despite being well advertised, we had no visitors.
And yet, I am not considering this a failure. I was ready and willing to greet guests and give tours that day. But, the truth is, I am ready and willing to share our ministries each and every day. The purpose of setting a date was to be able to advertise our faith formation opportunities to Christmas visitors. While no one visited on this particular date, past invitations have led to weekday tours. Meeting with individual families during the week allows me to give them undivided attention (something that is hard to do in the bustle of Sunday morning). I get to answer the questions they bring. I learn their names. They know what to expect when they arrive on Sunday, which makes the first worship service a bit more comfortable. (Click here for an encouraging invitation I wrote previously).
I believe that a growing number of people are interested in learning more about our church before they bring their children. Because of this, I will continue to host strategic open houses and invite families for a weekday visit on our website.
I’m curious; does your church invite people to visit outside of Sunday worship time? How do you do this? What have you learned?
Christine V Hides 
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