Feb

Go The Extra Mile for Ministry Guests

Your Ministry Helper has posted several articles about hosting ministry guests. While you know that your staff and volunteers should be friendly to your guests, you can go the extra mile with a little lagniappe – a little something extra! When that something extra is unexpected, it’s even better.

Hotels and restaurants are in the hospitality business. Their standard operating procedures are based on Biblical principles. There is no justifiable reason that secular entities should be more hospitable than the church.

Some of these suggestions are primarily for guests that you bring in from out of town. Some of them can be applied to any guest that you invite to your church – local or out of town.

When you invite a guest speaker or singer to your church, there are some things they expect:

an honorarium
to be picked up from the airport on time
to be picked up in a clean car
to be put up at a decent hotel
to arrive safely at the hotel/church
and they hope their hosts will be friendly

When you go the extra mile and add a little something extra it makes your ministry more memorable. It helps you stand out from the crowd. So what are the kinds of things that help you stand out from the crowd? Most of these are very simple and easy things to incorporate into your ministry.

Contact the Guests Office Before Their Visit

You can do this with a phone call or by providing a form that will give you the following information:
What your guest prefers to drink before, during and after ministering
What temperature they prefer for their beverages: cold, with ice or room temperature
Food preferences: chicken, fish, beef . . .
Known food allergies
Dietary restrictions (low sodium, no pork . . . )
Favorite snacks

A Nice Hospitality Basket

A hospitality basket is a nice gift especially if your guest will be with you for a few days. These baskets come in very handy when your guests is a little hungry but doesn’t want a meal. It saves them a trip to the hotel gift shop or vending machine. They are also welcomed for a late night snack.

If you do your homework and speak with someone from your guest’s office you can find out what kind of snacks your guests prefers. Some people like healthy snacks like fruit, juice and granola bars; some people like chips, sodas, chocolate and cookies. Two things to include in either type basket are few bottles of water and some fruit.

If there is someone on your staff or in your ministry who can make a professional looking basket that’s great. If not, order a basket to your specifications.

Meals at the Church

If your ministry provides meals at the church like lunch during a conference or dinner after an evening service, make sure it is food that your guest prefers. For instance, our church had a guest to preach a three day conference at our church. I found out from his office that he loves sweet potatoes and anything with pineapples. So, our dinner menu included candied yams and pineapple pound cake for dessert. It made quite an impression.

Also pay attention to known food allergies and dietary restrictions.

These are just a few things that can make a memorable visit and help your ministry stand out from the crowd. A little lagniappe goes a long way. These suggestions are a loose interpretation of Biblical principles of hospitality. Going the extra mile was not something extra, it was expected.

Suggested Reading:

10 Ways to Help Out of Town Speakers Feel Welcome at Your Church

How to Host A Guest Speaker