Engaging worship and intentional follow-up processes are important, but what compels guests to return to our churches is the warmth of our welcome and hospitality that goes beyond their expectations. The Art of Hospitality, a new comprehensive program developed by hospitality experts from the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, promises to guide a local church in exactly what the program’s title implies: the artform of creating radical hospitality that infiltrates the heart and culture of the entire church. Complete with techniques and strategic planning throughout, The Art of Hospitality will effectively change how you do church, leaving guests surprised, delighted, and eager to return. Complementing the program study for leaders is a companion guide meant to prepare the congregations’ hearts and minds for a new way of doing church with radical hospitality. Broken into three chapters, this study is designed to coincide with pastor sermons and provide further reading and learning away from the pews. Free downloadable sermon starters will be available online (and in the Implementation Guide) for pastors as they design their sermon series. The three chapters are divided into the following: Biblical Hospitality The Ministry of Notice Three Questions: Why do people need Jesus?; Why do people need the Church?; Why do people need this church? Additional components purchased separately include: The Art of Hospitality: A Practical Guide for a Ministry of Radical Welcome Book: A foundational guide targeting pastors, staff, and lay leaders across all ministry areas of a church. The Art of Hospitality: Implementation Guide: Includes step-by-step implementation strategies for leadership teams tasked with developing and leading hospitality ministry. The Art of Hospitality: Implementation DVD: A supplemental DVD to accompany Implementation with visual training in all areas of hospitality. This compelling and practical program has been created by two hospitality leaders with credentials to claim their expertise: Debi Nixon is the Executive Director of ShareChurch, and Yvonne Gentile is the Senior Director of Guest Connections at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection—the largest United Methodist Church in the United States with more than 22,000 members and 13,000 average weekly attendees across its campuses.
