In time, every group will turn inward. My friend, and former Lifeway Sunday School Director, David Francis, said it this way: “The natural momentum of any group is to turn inward.” Why, you ask? Because over time after praying together, studying the Bible together, serving together, and growing in relationship together, groups think less and less about people who our outside the group. But there are some ways to have an outwardly-facing group as you fight against the tendency to turn inward.

1. Pray for spiritually lost persons. Leading your group to pray for people who need the lord is a powerful way to communicate that your group exists to reach others.
2. Invite guests to every fun activity. Guests like to have fun, too, so assigning them to people in your group who will contact them and invite them to your group’s movie night, hamburger cookout, or Saturday road trip will keep your group members mindful that there’s still room for more people.
3. Wear name tags. The “Hello, My Name Is…” name tags should be worn weekly in your group. When guests arrive and put one on, everyone in the group is able to call them by name, which helps the guest (and you) build relationships quickly. The name tags also serve as a visible reminder that although your group members probably know one another’s names, you’re expecting new people every time the group meets.
4. Enlist a group Greeter. This person’s job is to watch for new people to come into the group weekly, and when they do, he or she takes on the job of personally welcoming them and introducing them to other people in the group. Relationships are key to helping new people “stick” in your group, and that’s what group Greeters do.
5. Make hospitality everyone’s job. Although you have enlisted a group Greeter (#4 above), be sure that your group members know that hospitality is their job, too. Speaking to every guest, engaging them in meaningful conversation, inviting them to come to the group again, offering to sit with them in worship, and inviting them to lunch (Dutch treat!) can create a more hospitable environment.

If you’ll begin working on these 5 options, you’ll be on your way to making your group more outwardly-facing. Pick one or two, do those well, then add a third and fourth, and finally the fifth one. Don’t feel that you have to do all five right now, but if you can, go for it! In time, you’ll have a more outwardly-facing group, and that’s great for them, great for the people you’ll reach, and great for your church.

If you want to continue learning about how to be more welcoming, I recommend that you read Tom Rainer’s book, How to be a Welcoming Church. It’s short on purpose! You can read it in one sitting, then add his thoughts to mine in this post, and you’ll have multiple ways to help your group be more welcoming and mindful of newcomers.