Hotel/Motel Ministry

Florida Baptist Convention

"Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I  will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from  me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find  rest for your souls" (Matt. 11:28-29, NIV).

A hotel/motel ministry is a body of believers meeting the  spiritual, physical, and social needs of guests, employees  and management in hotels and motels primarily located in or  near a resort or leisure setting.

Why Minister?
A Christian presence in the motel setting helps to provide  a sense of conscience for travelers and employees alike.  Crisis is not unknown in this setting. A caring church  provides a place of response to crisis situations. The  traveler seeks ways to fill his time with meaningful  activity; the responsive church is present with the message  of Christ. Where people gather, the good news needs to be  shared.

Relating in the World
As in every area of life, relationships are important in  the leisure setting. The Christian must take the initiative  to build meaningful relationships here. A balanced  relationship with hotel personnel will open doors to  ministries and build good relations between the church and  community. As you approach management, relate to their needs. Seek to  gain an understanding of their goals and offer to help meet  these through the services you can provide to guests and  employees. Avoid "churchy" language and spiritual cliches;  speak their language so that a clear understanding exists.  For example, offer a children's day camp rather than  Backyard Bible Clubs or a service rather than a ministry.  Make a list of "church words" and translate them into  everyday language. Be honest, but in the language they will  understand. Be accepting, courteous, and appreciative.  Remember Christ's admonition to "love your neighbor as  yourself."

Steps in Beginning: 

• Elect a person, committee, or organization in the church  to take leadership in this ministry. 
• Survey the motels and hotels in your area noting size,  location, and amenities offered at each. 
• Talk with motel management to inquire if any type of  service is being provided for employees or guests. Ask what  needs he or she senses at the facility. 
• Meet with the committee to brainstorm ideas for  ministries to meet the needs. 
• Determine material, financial, and personnel resources  needed to carry out the ministry. 
• Write a ministry proposal describing the name of the  project, to whom it is directed, time allotment, and  responsibilities of the motel management and the church. 
• Make a personal visit with management to share the  project proposal. Be sure to contact two-to-three months  prior to the starting date for the ministry project. 
• Recruit and train volunteers for the ministry project.  Include witness training. Provide a list of Do's and  Don't's for the ministry. 
• Promote the ministry project at the hotel or motel with  fliers at the front desk, a nicely designed poster in a  location suggested by the management (this may be put on a  tripod the day before the event) and through word of mouth.  Promotional materials should reflect quality, telling what,  where, when, and by whom. 
• Carry out the ministry project as planned. Provide  supervision for the volunteers. Do everything that was  promised to the management. Be flexible and always maintain  a positive attitude. 
• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the ministry  project. Ask for feedback from the management and  volunteers. Follow-up on any professions of faith or  recommitments to Christ. 
• Write thank you notes to volunteers and management. 
• Make plans for the next ministry project.

Meeting the Needs

Chaplain-on-Call
Provide a trained (and certified, if possible) volunteer  chaplain (may be a layperson) to be on call in the event of  an emergency. Provide business cards or 5" x 7" fliers with  name and phone number. The motel will usually print these  to be placed in each room. Communicate that the chaplain is  available to both guests and employees.

Recreation
Structured activities for children, youth, or the family  may be provided one day per week during the busiest season.  The activity should begin with announcing the sponsoring  church and giving a one- or two-minute object lesson  relating some aspect of the game to the Christian life.  Following the activity, church members should initiate  conversations with participants in an effort to share their  faith.

Day Camp
One-to-three days each week during the busiest season  provide a children's daycamp program for two-to-three  hours. The camp should be kept on hotel or motel property  and be for guests only. Each camp should include games,  crafts, nature lesson, music, and a Bible story. The  children should always have something to take with them to  show their parents.

Entertainment
Once each week in the evening provide family entertainment  around the pool. Use puppets, clowns, illusion, and music.  Performances should be quality and 20-30 minutes in length.  At the beginning announce where the group is from, what to  expect, and length of performance. The content of the  program should be a mix of humor, patriotism, and spiritual  encouragement. Select pieces that are familiar to the  audience. Following the event, church members should  initiate conversations with members of the audience.

Worship
Begin a satellite worship center at the motel site. The  service should be accessible, possibly outdoors by the  pool. The time for the service will vary but 8:00 or 8:30  a.m. is recommended. The length should be 30-45 minutes.  The service should include hymns/choruses, welcome, prayer,  scripture reading, and devotional. Audience participation  is encouraged through responsive readings, testimonies, or  saying the Lord's Prayer together. The devotional content  should focus on the Christian life. Provide song sheets and  Bibles. Do not solicit an offering. Give an invitation for  individual counseling rather than an altar call. The  service must be nondenominational in nature.

Child Care
Offer a Parents' Night Out by caring for toddlers and  children. Utilize preschool and children's Sunday School  materials to provide a learning atmosphere. The church  nursery may be utilized if located near the motel or hotel.  A minimal charge/child (rather than per hour) may be  requested to cover expenses for materials and refreshments.  Set a specific time for the services, for example 6:00-9:00  p.m. on Fridays.

Information Guide
Provide a brochure for the motel rack with information on  your church or churches in the association. The brochure  should give the name of the church, full address, phone  number, times of services and any special events—such as an  Easter pageant or specific ministries offered by the  church. If the brochure is for one church, include a map  with directions on the back. Communicate that everyone is  welcome. Always place a scripture verse on the brochure.

Transportation
Provide a shuttle service from the hotel or motel to the  church for Sunday morning services and for special events  at the church musicals, plays, etc. Be sure the pick-up  time, return time, and location is well advertised.

Counseling
Provide free counseling services one day each week for  motel employees. Schedule according to the changing shifts.  For example, most new shifts arrive at 3:00 p.m., so the  counseling may be from 1:30-4:30 p.m. A conference room or  empty office at the motel should be set aside for this  purpose.

Employee Devotionals
Provide two 15-minute devotionals for employees on Sundays  prior to and after a shift change. For example, if shifts  change at 3:00 p.m., the devotional may be at 2:40 and  3:10. The devotional may include introductions, a time to  express prayer concerns, instruction from the scripture on  living a Christian life and closing song. Provide  refreshments free of charge. A donation cup may be made  available if necessary. Do not solicit funds. Always  conclude on time. This should never interfere with the  employees' work schedule.

Evangelism
The heart of leisure missions is evangelism. The leisure  setting is secular. People's understanding of reality is  what they can see and touch. Leisure evangelism is  communicating the message of the gospel in common language  to secular society. This requires an understanding of the  hearer's thought patterns. Our words are interpreted  according to his existing frame of reference.

Leisure evangelism involves being sensitive to the leading  of the Holy Spirit and earning the right to be heard.  Tourists or hotel employees must realize that we as  Christians care before they will be open to the gospel.  Personal openness, common interests, and a listening ear  help build trust in relationships. The first step in building a witnessing relationship is to  be friendly and sincerely care. Secondly, the Christian  must be at ease or "laid back." Next, the Christian should  listen to where the person is coming from—what do they  believe and why? Once we have taken time to truly listen,  the right to be heard has been earned. Then with a balance  between urgency and sensitivity, the Christian shares his  personal testimony. The task is to get the gospel to all  who do not know Christ, recognizing not every person is at  the same level of preparedness. In obedience, we share the  gospel, and the outcome is left to God.

Summary Prayerfully determine available resources and immediate  needs in the setting. Do not be afraid to start small. It  is of utmost importance that integrity is always  maintained. Whatever is promised must be fulfilled. Be  careful to find the balance of all that can be done and  done well. Good planning is a key to success. Be  overprepared, anticipating all that might occur. Remember,  limitations exist only in lack of imagination and  creativity. Pray for open eyes to see—then do it.

"Again Jesus said, 'Peace be with you! As the Father has  sent me, I am sending you'" (John 20:21, NIV).

Adapted from Resort Missions: A resource for the local  church published by the Florida Baptist Convention, Vol. 1,  No. 5 — Hotel/Motel Ministry Copyright © 1989 by Florida  Baptist Convention. All rights reserved. Used by  permission.