Lexington—Most churches fail to make a good impression on visitors because they focus on the wrong things, according to a representative of the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board.

Speaking at a Super Saturday workshop Aug. 13, Thomas Hammond said pastors devote considerable time preparing Sunday morning sermons.

But he pointed to research that shows most visitors decide in the first 12 minutes—long before the sermon begins—whether to return to a church.

Visitors decide whether to return based on such factors as the building’s appearance and the friendliness of greeters, Hammond said.

The truth is most Christians aren’t prepared to be welcoming, he added.

“We tend to stop brotherly love within the four walls of the church,” said Hammond, director of missions for Metrolina Baptist Association in Charlotte, N.C.

“What if we treated everyone who came to our services this Sunday as an angel, a special guest?” asked Hammond, who formerly worked in the board’s evangelism department. “Not necessarily for what they’ve done to this point, but for their potential.”

A frequent speaker on the topic of making churches visitor friendly, Hammond developed his workshop after leaving the pastorate to work for NAMB in Atlanta.

Despite being lifelong Baptists, Hammond said that during church visits he and his wife were ignored, ostracized or treated like outsiders.

“We hear preaching on the Word of God but we don’t experience it,” he said.

One change that might create a more hospitable atmosphere is using the term “guest” instead of “visitor,” he said. Nobody wants to be labeled a visitor, Hammond said. While visitors don’t come back, you can’t keep guests away, he said.

Although church leaders know that churches can’t grow without guests who return, , most churches spend little time preparing for company, he added.

“How much time do you think the average church spends getting ready for people who don’t come to their church?” Hammond asked.

“Our focus on Sunday morning is on us,” the speaker said. “What would happen if we spent 30, 40 or 50 percent of our time getting ready for guests? Would their experience be different?”

Hammond said some necessary factors to create a good impression include:

An attractive church campus. This means a clean, well-maintained building that is landscaped outside, inviting cosmetically and has plenty of directional signs in the parking lot and for such key facilities as the nursery and the front entrance.

Guest parking. The parking lot should have an adequate number of guest spaces that are easy to identify and locate. Not only must they be the best spaces, it helps to have greeters in the parking lot in addition to the front door, Hammond said.

Friendly greeters. Greeters should wear name tags, escort guests to a welcome center and understand the importance of this first interaction with a church member, Hammond said.

Other steps are a well-stocked information center with information about the church’s ministries, classes and upcoming events; a clean, bright and secure nursery; and a post-service reception where guests can meet the pastor and staff.

“When people get focused on something besides themselves, their arms are open to whoever God brings to them,” Hammond said.

Look for more Super Saturday coverage in coming weeks