10 Tips For Your Church Lobby

Take a moment and think about your church lobby… if it helps, go to it and look around. Try to view it as a church member and a guest.

Let’s talk about some important things to pay attention to- 

1. What do you see? 

It is important to recognize how we see and view our lobby. If something is not right to you, mention it to the person who handles First Impressions or your lobby area. Sometimes having multiple sets of eyes on an area is helpful- just remember that your First Impressions person needs to be aware of changes made or needing to be made.

2. Is there too much going on?

It is very easy to say yes to everyone and everything people want to add to the lobby space. Sometimes though we need to say no and maybe even ask for something to be removed. This of course needs to be done with grace, understanding, and love. Our goal is to point people to Jesus and help them connect. Is our lobby cluttered with things it shouldn’t be?

3. Do you have directional signs?

You know where the bathrooms are, but do your guests? Do people walk into your lobby and have more questions of where to go? For some churches this is not an issue, but I went to a church recently where the lobby was HUGE. Before I could ask where something was located, I saw signs pointing the way.

4. Is it welcoming?

This is one of the most important questions to ask about our lobbies. If your lobby doesn’t feel welcoming, make that a priority. For a guest, this is their first view and first impression of your church. The church we attend has a sofa, floor rug, and fireplace in the lobby with a sign over the sofa that says “Welcome Home”. It is one of my favorite spots in our church. You can go get a cup of coffee and sit and chat with a friend and I love that. 

5. Is it clean?

This is a BIG one. Is there dust? Dirt? Dried spills that need to be cleaned up? Trash left in trash cans? Sunday mornings, your lobby needs to be freshly cleaned and looking sharp. This seems like a no brainer, but I have walked into a church that had artificial flowers that had a nice thick layer of dust on them, spider webs in corners, paint falling off the wall, and dead bugs on the floor.

Let’s make sure our lobbies are clean.

6. Do you have too many tables?

This is a hard one, but is also a big one! When your guests walk in, the one table you want them to see and focus on is the welcome or guest table. Some churches have welcome tents outside, some have welcome areas in the lobbies. We should still have a table for guests in the lobby even if we have something outside. If a guest has a question once they sit down, it is easy for them to go to the lobby. I have experienced this at multiple churches and guests will always look for someone in the lobby. 

If there is a table for this and a table for that people will most likely walk past all of them. If you have multiple things going on and need space for all of them, find a creative way to display the need in a smaller area.

• Do you really need a 6ft or 4ft table or would a small high top table be more inviting and still serve the purpose? 

• Do you even need a table? Would displaying in a window or on a wall be just as effective and maybe even draw more people and attention? 

Get creative, but don’t get junky and clutter the lobby. If there is a real need for a table make sure it doesn’t distract from the welcome area, but most importantly you want it to serve its purpose. 

7. Is someone standing with the tables to answer questions or to connect with people? 

This goes along with the last question. If it’s important to have a table, it’s important to have a person. I know this can be a sticky one for some, but this should be a non negotiable one. You will get more interaction and make more connections when you have someone present at the table for your ministry, event, or sign up. 

8. Do you have people ready to welcome and connect with guests?

This should be TOP priority. If you have no one else serving in the lobby, this one spot can not be ignored. Our guests should never go to a kiosk or iPad and fill out information, grab their own gift and find their own way into the service. We need to make sure that we show we care enough to plan for and be present and ready to welcome our guests and answer any questions they may have. It is also very important for those serving at the welcome table to be in the know about upcoming activities, events, and about all the ministry areas in the church.

9. Do you have a kids check-in? Is someone there to connect with kids and parents?

Again, if it’s important to have a table it’s important to have a person. This is a missed opportunity for a lot of churches. When someone is there to greet the kids and assist in check in, kids get excited, parents can ask questions or let someone know if there is an issue. It makes such a positive impact when we have someone at kids check-ins in our church lobbies. When guest families come, it goes a long way when we have someone who can walk them through check-in and what to expect. This is especially important when you have elementary kids in the first part of the service and they get dismissed halfway through. As a guest, this can be confusing and hard for the kids and parents.

10. How does the lobby look after the service? 

When the service is over, the lobby should look the same as when people arrived. Tables with people, clean and tidy, and ready for connections. It is always amazing to me how this seems to get pushed aside. The only table that doesn’t need someone back at it would be kids check in, everything else should be the same as before church. We want to be careful not to send the message that we just want to get to lunch or that questions and connections are meant for before service. The reality is that most connections are actually made after the service than before.