While only about 18 percent of the population may be found attending worship on any given Sunday, Lifeway research  suggests 91% of the population celebrates Christmas in some way. That number soars to 97% when you are talking about self-proclaimed Christians. This seems to be the one time of year that the majority of folks are speaking the same language.

This provides a unique evangelism opportunity: if you ask 10 people to come to church with you for Christmas, you will likely (statistically speaking) end up bringing five guests with you.

While you are encouraging people to extend an invitation, please don't forget to prepare the house for guests. You wouldn't throw a dinner party without some intentional preparation, so why would we treat special Christmas services any differently?

1. Have ample, joyful greeters who are stationed curbside, at all doors people could possibly enter and who remember to pay special attention to guests before and after services.
2. Cleanup the spaces that guests use including entry ways, bathrooms, children's spaces and the walkways between those spaces. Don't allow any piles of old materials, storage items and/or dust bunnies or grime to allow guests to think that you don't care.
3. Do a signage audit to ensure guests don't get lost or confused.
4. Prepare the hearts of regulars for being hospitable and for some inconvenience if your church tends to get a bit crowded. You may even want to do some teaching from the pulpit on how you want folks to behave using Jim Ozier's 10-5-link approach which is included in his book, Clip-In.
5. Promote a follow-up event or sermon series that would be easy to invite guests to as a next step.
6. Think through the experience you want children and their families to have. Learn more.
7. Have a clear plan for guest follow-up starting with collecting contact information and including the content and owner of the first and second touches after they leave. Learn more.
8. Pray for guests before they even arrive.

Here are some more articles you may find useful:

• Six Steps to the Best Christmas Eve Ever

• 10 Tips for Christmas and New Years Planning

• Church Christmas Ideas for Communicators

• 10 Ways Your Church Can Have a Social Media Christmas

• 7 Ways to Welcome Visitors on Christmas Eve

• Prepare Your Church for Christmas Visitors: Hospitality Review
• Find worship and other resources for Advent and Christmas