25 Tips to help you Capitalize Intentionally on Days Where you Know there will be a lot of guests:

Jeff and Dale put together 25 thoughts to help you think about capitalizing on special days. We hope they are useful. Feel free to add your on in the comments section below.

• Put your best foot forward: Whatever that foot happens to be. Don’t put the mean guy in the pulpit to make announcements, lead a prayer, etc (if you don’t know what I mean by that, you are probably him).
• Wear name tags: This will help members occasionally to. In any group of more than 50 there will be those who don’t/can’t remember some of the names. I’d suggest you have people who write well AND large to fill out the name tags.
• Don’t single them out: Who wants to be singled out when they are in an unfamiliar environment. Don’t do it.
• Try to have some fun: You are trying to open their heart to the most important of decisions, don’t overdo it with humor, but nothing breaks down barriers like a little laugh.
• Strategically place your most engaging volunteers and have them on the lookout for guests - Have extra greeters and ushers. Simply put, be ready.
• Before they arrive, encourage your members to invite a guest to lunch: Even if they say “no” the invite will be remembered. You might even have folks volunteer to do this in advance and then you or ushers filter the guests in their direction. Do this comfortably and not creepily! 
• Do something special: For instance, forget the argument over Easter and what we ought to make of it or not make of it. The FACT is you will have guests that day. Make the most of it. Most of them will be there with family or as a family. Why not set up a photo background and offer to make or allow them to snap a picture. BONUS: If you take the pic, email them a copy, you can then use that email to send them a “thanks for being our guest” followup.
• Figure out a way to get their names and contact info: Offer to send them a copy of something helpful from the sermon, a link to a free book on parenting, an events calendar.
• Try to connect them with someone in the same life-stage or similar situation: Help connect people with people.
• Do nothing special: Every week is special for God’s People, but if you KNOW you are having guests at your home you do something special (mow the yard, put out a few flowers, tidy up, have a special meal, etc), learn from that.
• Don’t be mean: Why would we be mean, snarky, or condescending to guests? They may be lost. You WANT them saved! Be the right aroma. 
• Do not deal with Church Family Issues: This is not the Sunday to announce bad news, fire the associate, “deal with some pressing issue.” It can wait a week.
• Preach the Gospel: Remembering the Gospel is in-exorbitantly Good News, don’t let them leave without hearing that Good News.
• Tell what is next: Give them a reason to want to come back. An upcoming class, series, event.
• Clean up: You don’t see it. Junk is hard to see if you see it every week. Clean it up. 
• Check your signage: Is it up to date, clear, legible, helpful? 
• Check your language YOU: “This afternoon we will have a CIA meeting to get ready to go to L2L. And don’t forget PtP coming up in a few months.” YOUR GUESTS: “What have I stumbled into?” Try to imagine what it would be like to be a guest and hear what is said.
• Give a welcome: Preacher, even if you ‘go up firing’ right into your sermon, YOU find a time and a place and a way to be gracious and thank guests for coming.
• Ask them what you can pray about for them: We have found that people love to have others praying for them. Offer to pray, give them an outlet to share their prayer concerns
• Do something for kids: Few things make an impression like caring for kids in big and sincere ways. 
• Set up a Bible study!!! Every soul counts. Cleaning up, putting your best foot forward, caring for their kids, all the planning and welcoming: It’s sort of all a waste if at some point someone doesn’t offer them a chance to learn more.
• Sing songs that are either well known or easy to pick up on: On THAT Sunday sing at least one or two EVERYONE knows. Bring out Amazing Grace, Jesus Loves Me,” etc.
• Be intentional about follow up!