Welcoming in the Ones, with Sarah Cole | S05.E08

This week on The Intentional Churches podcast, Doug and Erin sit down with Mission Church’s Sarah Cole. Sarah serves as the Ventura, CA church’s welcome team lead—focusing on creating a volunteer culture that welcomes in everyone and anyone. Why is creating that culture of hospitality important to The Great Commission? How do we recruit and inspire leaders with the “why” behind welcoming new people? The three dive into these questions and more in today’s conversation! 

In her time at Mission, Sarah has seen her volunteer team grow from the low numbers of the COVID-19 pandemic to over 200 individuals passionate about serving those new to the church. Together, Erin and Doug invite Sarah to share the biggest challenges—and biggest victories—behind leading such a large volunteer team, how she communicates the “why” behind the work they’re doing on a Sunday morning, and how creating that welcoming environment has led to more and more people coming to know Christ. 

Hospitality in our church environments and on our welcome teams may not seem like a huge priority to some, but in reality it’s essential to inviting in and continuing to build a relationship with those who don’t know Jesus. Don’t miss this super practical, encouraging episode! 

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https://www.intentionalchurches.com/podcast. 

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CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Radical Alignment
02:55 Sarah Cole's Journey and Context
06:12 Mobilizing Teams for the Great Commission
12:00 Recruitment Strategies and Team Care
18:03 Creating a Welcoming Environment
24:00 Building a Welcoming Culture
30:02 Conclusion and Key Takeaways