How Does a Hospitable Culture Apply to the Stage?
We’re in an ongoing series called Hospitable Culture. The big question is this: What if hospitality isn’t something we do, it’s simply who we are? In other words, what if we could bump hospitality beyond the borders of an official team, and work it into every crevice of the church?
Outside of children’s ministry, there is perhaps no area in the church more under the spotlight (pun intended) than the platform in the auditorium.
Think about it: it’s the sanctuary stage that gets the most concentration of eyes and ears each week. When a bully pulpit meets a captive audience, it can be a place of great connection, grace, encouragement, healing, and hope from the gospel. Or if we fail to recognize the needs of the congregation (and fail to know who’s in the room), it can be a place of frustration and confusion.
Think about the first-time guest who is already walking in with a sky-high level of apprehension and discomfort. The Guest Services Team can do a lot before the service, but they’ll pale in comparison to the impact from the stage during the service. My friend Curtis Andrusko says, “It’s the ‘up front’ peoples’ jobs to figuratively take guests by the hand, look them in the eye, and instill confidence in them by posture, speech, and tone: ‘You’re not alone. Stick with me and you’ll be okay. I’ll guide you every step of the way.‘”
This is important for every pastor, worship leader, scripture reader, and announcement maker to think about. So how do we think about it?
Here are five things to think about when you think about hospitality from the stage:
1. Know who’s there … and who you’re there for.
In nearly every weekend gathering, you’ll have Christians and non-Christians in the room. And in those two camps, there are a dozen different areas where they may land on a sliding scale. Christians can be biblically literate or in need of remedial help. They can posture as self-sufficient or signal their desperation for grace. Non-Christians might be cynical or searching, hostile to religion or open to the gospel.
The balance is in ministering to both camps, and every individual tent in the crowd. The goal is to get every eye in the room to look towards Jesus…whether they believe they’re too far gone from him or so holy they think (incorrectly, I should note) they’ve moved past him. Some weeks we may lean heavier towards the believer, and some weeks we may dig in with the unbeliever. But all weeks, we need to acknowledge both. (This article by my pastor does a great job of exploring this point further.)
2. Acknowledge the outsider (but don’t call ’em out).
First-time guests, newcomers to the church, and explorers of the faith should feel like you know they’re there. But they should never feel like they’re on display. I’m horrified when I hear stories of churches who ask first-timers to stand and introduce themselves. I expect that when the story is circa 1978, but nope…these things happen currently in far too many churches.
So think about the times you should talk to your guests, and those times that you shouldn’t talk to your guests. Rethink the “turn and greet your neighbor” time. Don’t let the excitement of a new face in the crowd overtake common sense, good manners, and an emotional awareness of what’s helpful (or high-anxiety) to others.
3. Explain everything.
Most churches have a bent towards insider knowledge. I have no issue with that. The long and winding story of scripture, the mystery of the sacraments, and even the institutional understanding of a service flow or a congregation’s history are things to be celebrated, not scorned.
But we don’t do our congregation any favors when we assume that everyone knows everything. So as we plan weekend services, the right question to ask – often – is this: “What would a newcomer need to know to navigate this moment?” That one question will often dictate how you set up a song, break down an announcement, or apply a sermon point. When we fail to explain ourselves, we fail to draw guests into a shared experience.
(And by the way: this doesn’t mean that every experience is for every guest. Explaining that communion is only for believers, for example, fences the table and offers clarity as a kindness.)
4. Give clear next steps.
One wise communicator once said that in every presentation (whether that’s a sales meeting or a church gathering), there are both “So what?” and “Now what?” moments. As the gospel is proclaimed, the goal is that you answer so what?…how the gospel is real and relevant and changes everything about our lives.
But we have to pair that with the now what?…now that I know it, what do I do with it? That question should point to an immediate next step. That might be a conversation after the service, or signing up for a small group, or grabbing a resource at the Next Steps table. Most (not all) application points from the stage should be supplemented by an action step in the seats.
5. Get down off the stage.
Anyone on stage should guard against staying on stage (or backstage, or in the green room, or huddled in a fetal position in their office). This should be a no-brainer, but I’m surprised at how quickly we’re prone to preach and run. Walking slowly through the crowd de-elevates us, humanizes us, and helps us know who we’re ministering to.
Our pastor often encourages our entire staff team to abide by the “seven before” rule: seven minutes before each service, you should walk the aisles, having multiple conversations with as many people as possible. And I should note he’s a devoted practitioner of the “15+ after” rule: he lingers at the stage for as long as he possibly can to pray with and meet people who come forward.
And by the way, our Worship Pastor Kyle Wilkinson reminds us that “get down off the stage” works both literally and figuratively. Even when you’re on stage, fight like crazy to make a connection with the congregation. Look people in the eye. Keep a humble posture. Seek to serve as you lead. Don’t try to impress people or put on a show. And when you do literally step down off of the stage, seek to be the same person with the same voice, and the same humble, kind, helpful, approachable, and consistent posture.
Leaders, let’s steward the stage well. Our congregation and our hospitality culture will be better for it.
Special thanks to my friends and co-workers Curtis Andrusko, Clayton Greene, and Kyle Wilkinson, who added depth and content to this post. These guys consistently and faithfully live out the points above.
