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Recently, we met a small church that inspired us with their big heart for their guests. Pastor Pat Lanman says Olive Branch Baptist Church has always been known as the “small church on the bend in the road.” Located in Dillsboro, Indiana, this rural church of 100 people has been sharing the love of Jesus for more than 170 years. Lately, their church family has been growing so they decided to invest fresh energy into their guest experience. Pat shares, 

As we began to grow, suddenly we were faced with several issues. We heard people say, ‘We'd love to come to your church but we understand that there's no place to sit and very little parking.'

Needless to say, parking and seating were top priorities on their list. These challenges also impacted everyday church life. When the congregation met for fellowship meals, it was standing-room only. People who were lucky enough to get a seat tried to eat quickly so those standing could take their place, which eliminated the chance for fellowship.

Fortunately, the church was able to build a Family Life Center, where they now hold worship services. Their next opportunity became improving their guest experience. To learn more, Pat attended a Center for Congregations workshop about the guest experience, which we had the pleasure of leading.

Pat notes, “The guest experience became something we knew we had to address but had very little background in specific ways to do it. That's where Jamie came in, at the Center for Congregations event I attended. She proved to be an incredible resource and confirmed that much of what we had already tried was going in the right direction."

Six simple ways that Olive Branch Baptist improved their guest experience:

1. Breakfast in the lobby
   One of their deacons loves preparing breakfast for everyone. However, with the food tucked away in the kitchen, guests were unsure if it was for them.
   
   “Visitors would walk in and smell the food, and they could see the food sitting in the kitchen. The problem was, they felt that the food must be there for other people. After listening to Jamie, we set a table up in the main lobby and moved cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, fresh fruit, bottled water, and a coffee pot out there. People have now begun to congregate in that area to visit prior to going into the worship area.”
2. Explaining insider language
   The church has started examining their everyday language through the eyes of a guest. They now avoid using terms like communion and VBS without accompanying explanations. It’s also expressed in simple ways like putting the words to the Doxology onscreen.
3. Parking hosts 
   Knowing that parking had become a barrier for guests, the church purchased a small piece of land across the road. “We have volunteers out in the lot before church to help people get parked, welcome them and point them in the right direction,” shares Pat. Since their original church building is still there, they want to make sure guests head to the right worship location in the Family Life Center. They also have volunteers in the lot following services. We love this!
4. Intentional interactions with guests
   “We also realized that just because someone has made it inside the building doesn't mean they know what to do next,” says Pat. Volunteers in the lobby greet and invite guests to the breakfast area, distribute bulletins and point out the restrooms. “We also tell them that they can sit anywhere they'd like - we have no reserved seats.” 
   
   One couple thanks guests for coming after service and invites them back. Pat hopes this makes the experience less stressful. “Traditionally the pastor ‘shakes everyone out’ but I have found it can make some people — especially a new person or family — nervous because they feel like they have to compliment the message or volunteer that they are coming back.”
5. Opening doors for community needs
   Olive Branch Baptist has a strong desire to be a community resource. They are using their new building to host outside events like exercise classes, gymnastics and a grief support group. Pat says their hope is to offer something each day.
6. Striving for approachability
   Pat also made a simple, personal change in the hopes of creating an atmosphere where everyone feels welcome. “I threw most of my neckties away. Whether we like it or not, we now live in a much more casual society. We are very welcoming for those families who are busy. You're likely to see parents in shorts with a child in a baseball or softball uniform, or people who have come from the campground. Or people who don't feel the need to dress up for church. In my mind, I'd rather have that baseball family there in shorts and uniforms than for them not to come at all.”

At its core, the value of the guest experience is both simple and biblical. Within the greatest commandment, Jesus directs us to love God and love others. When genuine love is at the core of your hospitality, your guests will experience it in practical ways and in the way they feel when they leave your campus.

What simple changes could you make on behalf of the guest you haven’t met yet? How can you encourage your congregation to embrace hospitality as everyone’s privilege and a responsibility?