You can make your group welcoming to guests by preparing ahead of time, greeting newcomers warmly, giving them room to get comfortable, explaining what’s happening, and inviting them back. Attending a small group for the first time can be intimidating, so a little thoughtfulness goes a long way. When your group reflects the welcome Jesus has shown you, guests feel free to take a next step toward him.
Prepare Your Space Before Anyone Arrives
If your group is invitational, people will be dropping in, and their first few minutes will shape how they feel about the whole evening. So think ahead about anything that might make a guest feel awkward. If you have a dog or cat, put it in another room, since some people are allergic and others are uneasy around animals. Turn off the TV, tidy the areas people will use, and make sure the bathroom has toilet paper and soap.
Food helps too. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, but something to snack on helps people relax and gives them an easy way to start a conversation. Consider including a few healthy options. These small acts of hospitality say, “We were expecting you, and we’re glad you came.”
1 Peter 4:9-10 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
Hospitality is a way to serve, not a burden to put up with. Let different members use their gifts, whether that’s cooking, setting up chairs or simply being the friendly face at the door.
Greet Guests and Help Them Connect
It’s easy to walk right past a newcomer on the way to talk with an old friend. Instead, acknowledge a guest right away. Make eye contact, smile and introduce yourself. Ask a few simple, non-threatening questions, such as where they live, what they do for work or a little about their family. Then introduce them to others so no one is left standing alone.
Romans 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Jesus welcomed us before we had anything figured out. When your group welcomes people the same way, it points them to him. Every warm greeting is a small picture of the gospel.
Give Space, Explain What’s Happening and Invite Them Back
In a new setting, people need time to check things out. Don’t be pushy, and avoid questions that feel too personal or embarrassing. Steer clear of touchy subjects like politics, and don’t make a guest feel boxed in. For more on this, see these tips on avoiding a weird small group.
Every group also has its own routine that feels obvious to members but not to a newcomer. Take a minute to explain what’s coming: “We’ll snack for a few minutes, then sit down for our Bible study.” At the end of the night, make sure guests know you were glad they came and that you’d love to see them again.
Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Think about the last time you were the new person, like a first visit to a doctor’s office or your child’s first sports tryout. Remember what helped and what didn’t, and then treat your guests the way you wish you’d been treated.
The Takeaway
To make your group welcoming, prepare your space, greet guests warmly, give them room, explain what’s happening and invite them back. Simple hospitality, offered the way Christ welcomed us, helps newcomers feel at home and opens the door for them to keep pursuing God.
