In a world where houses double as impenetrable castles and most shopping is done online, serving as a greeter is countercultural. Greeters reflect an otherworldly gospel. They hold the church doors open for everyone, regardless of status—welcoming all, whether rich or poor, to the gathering of God’s people. Greeters reflect the unity believers have in Christ, a unity that transcends all worldly bonds. Pastor, have the greeters in your church been shown the importance of their task? Have you trained them in how to build a hospitable culture each Sunday? Value of Greeters Some assume only the most extroverted can be faithful servants on a church’s greeting team. That’s a false assumption. And a more damaging assumption is that it doesn’t take spiritual maturity to be a greeter. It does. In a world where houses double as impenetrable castles and most shopping is done online, serving as a greeter is countercultural. Among the qualifications for eldership listed in Titus 1 and in 1 Timothy 3, we find that elders must be hospitable. One way a man can reflect this call to hospitality is by opening his home. But another tangible way that benefits his church is by standing at the door and shaking hands with each person who walks into his spiritual home. When he does, an elder (or elder candidate) can maturely reflect the biblical priority of hospitality. Moreover, when greeters—men or women, ordained or not—are willing to shake hands with visitors, they’ll have even more opportunities to show hospitality. Greeters strike up conversations, ask good questions, and connect visitors with the person at the church best suited to serve and love them. The best greeters pray for visitors and remember them if they come back the next week. Have the greeters in your church been asked to do that? How to Build a Hospitable Culture Your church doesn’t need warm bodies at the front door merely checking boxes with their handshakes. God’s people need a fresh reminder each week that we serve a hospitable God. Jesus was the most hospitable human who has ever lived. In his death, he made the most hospitable sacrifice that’s ever been made. In Christ’s work on the cross, “he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Heb. 10:14). In this way, Jesus opens the door to heaven and welcomes believers into God’s presence. We have “confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus” (v. 19). That confidence compels us to draw near both to our faithful Savior and to one another in acts of hospitality and worship (vv. 22–24). How can church leaders grow a culture of gospel-seasoned hospitality? 1. Model the Way When you invite a family over to your house, who opens the door when they arrive? The most likely answer is you. Similarly, it’s hospitable for pastors to open the door and welcome people into our church homes. Even if you’re preaching on Sunday, know that warmly greeting your congregation and welcoming them into the church gathering can make your sermon better. Why? Because when you’re greeting, you’re also giving the people God brought to hear the Word an opportunity to connect with you before you stand in front of them to preach. Moreover, when pastors model the way in greeting, we show our people we value hospitality. 2. Encourage Boldness If a greeter doesn’t know a new family walking into church, he shouldn’t just shake hands and move on. Challenge your greeters to be bold: to introduce themselves, start real conversations, answer any questions about the church, and leave their post to usher new families into the sanctuary or off to a Sunday school class. Call your greeters to embrace the stranger, to step out in faith and show them Christ’s love. To do this well, your church might need more greeters scheduled each week, and you’ll certainly need clear training for greeters on how to answer frequently asked questions. Trust your greeters to do more than say, “Good morning.” When you do, you’ll help them develop godly boldness. 3. Involve Men God calls elders to hospitality, and that means more than having a hospitable wife. So if you want more leaders in your church, you need more men who are greeters. Men who serve in this role can grow in their personal practice of hospitality and their practical love of others. And if one of these men is an elder candidate in the future, serving publicly as a greeter is one way he might gain the credibility and rapport with the congregation necessary for eldership. Call your greeters to embrace the stranger, to step out in faith and show them Christ’s love. Pastor, see the ministry of greeting as an opportunity for church members to reflect Christ’s character. When you do, men who aspire to godly leadership will be drawn to greeting. Some of those men might be at your church’s front door shaking hands already. Maybe they aren’t yet theologically sharp or attending seminary. But if they’ve prioritized welcoming Christ’s flock, you can be certain they’re welcome in heaven’s economy.