Church Workshop

Use this workshop in conjunction with the BTCS Welcome Training DVD

It would be advantageous if the Welcome Audit is completed before attending this workshop.

Suggested times are in brackets but to get the most out of this workshop it would be terrific to allow 3 hours to complete.

Section 1

Welcome

Congratulate everyone for taking part in this important training.

If necessary hand out paper for note taking.

Individual Reflection

Consider a time when you have felt distant from God or the church and/or a time when you did not feel welcome in church (or somewhere else in the community) Ask yourself the following questions:

• What was happening?
• Why was it happening?
• What did I need?
• Who and /or what assisted in my connection or caused my disconnection?
• What did I value or what was missing for me?

(10 minutes)

Share stories in small groups (5 minutes)

Prepare to bring back highlights to the whole group. (5 minutes)

Whole Group Discussion

What do we value about being welcomed in a church community?

(Leader to facilitate discussion and record responses on a whiteboard.) (10 minutes)

Small Group Discussion

In the following passages:

• Luke 15: 11-32
• Romans 12: 9-16
• Mark 9: 36-37
• Luke 14: 12-14
• 1 Peter 4:8-10

• Discuss what is the biblical model of welcome?
• What does the passage tell us about God’s character and how we ought to be?
• Is there a command or exhortation in the passage which applies to welcoming?
• How can we apply this teaching in the way our church welcomes others?

(15 minutes)

Whole Group Discussion

So......How do we need to BE and act towards people who have become disconnected from the church?

Record responses on a whiteboard (10 minutes)

Individual challenge

• Who will I personally invite?
• How will I do it? What words will I use?
• How will I manage to make him/her feel comfortable on the day?

(5 mins)

Break if needed 15 minutes

Section 2 Process

Take time to complete the Welcome Audit if you haven’t already done so. (15 minutes)

Group Discussion

Discuss the following and record on whiteboard:

• Areas where we are doing well
• Areas for improvement

(15 minutes)

Looking at areas for improvement, discuss the following:

• How can we improve the ‘Welcome’ in the church?
• What practical steps need to be taken for this improvement?
• What will we do specifically for Back to Church Sunday?

(30 minutes )

We suggest that you share your outcomes with your senior leaders if they were unable to be involved in this workshop.

Finish with prayer