Thinking like a guest

I read a great post by Dawn Nicole Baldwin over at the Connect blog. Dawn writes about "seeing through new eyes [again]." It has really bothered me, and so I've been trying to think about what would most add value to the experience of a guest at our weekend service. Don't get me wrong... the most important thing that can happen is for a person to be confronted with the furious love of Jesus and to find out that the Gospel story is his or her story.

But while that may be our intent on every weekend, how often do our methods become barriers to that event occurring?

So I've tried to put myself in the place of a guest... a guest unfamiliar with typical church environments, and I've made a list of what I believe would most impact a guest on a typical weekend at Crossroads, or any other church for that matter. Here's the list:

1. Quality signage at entrance to parking lot.
2. Close parking spots clearly marked as reserved for visitors.
3. Helpful, friendly greeter opening door; offering help.
4. Second layer of reception coupled with helpful lobby signage.
5. Helpful, friendly, confidence inspiring helpers registering children for class. Someone offering tours of children's ministry rooms.
6. Friendly, helpful usher prepared to confidently help find the right seat.
7. Seating that helps a guest feel close to others (not isolated on a row) but not too close (no one really likes someone they don't know in the adjacent seat).
8. Activity in the auditorium that is easy to understand and capable of keeping an outsider's interest. (like the trivia questions at a cinema before the feature)
9. A service that is engaging, easily followed by a novice, and not full of elements that are too cryptic or understandable only to insiders.
10. Not too long... leave them wanting more, not dreaming of the door.
11. Give them a reason to leave slowly... Encourage conversation and connection following the service.
    
12. Friendly, knowledgeable greeters thanking them for coming and ready to answer questions or inform about possible next steps.
13. Let them leave with something in their hands that they appreciate and that reminds them of Crossroads.
14. Polite, respectful, warm follow-up, giving them a reason to want to come back.

What do you think of my list. What did I leave out? What is off-base? I'd love to have your feedback in the comments section of this post.