What Is Radical Hospitality?

What makes people want to come back to church when they visit? I hear people all the time tell me that they visited a church, and no one spoke to them. How is this possible?

Radical hospitality is when we welcome guests with a warmth and openness that exceeds expectations. Radical hospitality creates a feeling of being comfortable, accepted and valued – a moment that people want to repeat. Maya Angelou says, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Guests don’t come back to our churches because of what we do but because of how we make them feel. The difference between friendliness and radical hospitality is intentionality.

I help teach New Song 101 at my son’s church. Newcomers are invited to come and meet with us after church once a month. I was excited last week to talk to a new family and asked them why they want to become a member. They quickly said, “On our first Sunday, it was raining, and someone met us at our car with an umbrella. We were welcomed at the door and several more times before we were ushered to a seat. Before we departed, we were welcomed by dozens of people.” This is what I call radical hospitality.

People come to visit and come back when they receive personal attention. Some of the things that show personal attention are:

• Introducing yourself and learning people’s names
• Wearing name tags
• Practicing the 10-foot rule and the 3-minute rule (Take responsibility for those seated or standing within 10 feet of you and spend at least 3 minutes before and after church talking to someone you don’t know very well.)
• Introducing the people you meet to others
• Anticipating and fulfilling guests’ needs.

A retired pastor I know told me he and his wife had gone to several churches because they were new in the neighborhood. To their surprise no one spoke to them or tried to find out anything about them. At the church they attended a second time, they received a note from the pastor, welcoming them. It made all the difference. They felt like they could be part of that congregation.

When we practice radical hospitality, we give people a taste of the kingdom of God. When a visitor feels welcomed, they will return and want to be active. When hospitality is done well, it changes lives.

By the Rev. Tommy Herndon, VP of Legacy Giving & Stewardship Development
Image: Belinda Fewings & Samsung UK, courtesy Unsplash