What questions do you have when you visit a new place for the first time? How will I find my way around? Will it be so crowded that I have trouble finding a seat? Should I wear formal or casual clothes? Will the atmosphere be stuffy or relaxed? Will people be happy to see me? Will anyone say hello?

If your first visit goes well, you’re likely to come back. If not, you’ll probably never visit again—and you may even warn other people about your bad experience.

Now think back to the first time you visited the class you’re teaching now. What was the setting? (Were there a few people sitting in the back of the sanctuary? Or maybe the group met in a small room and someone had to find an extra chair for you?) How did people interact with you? When you left the church building that day, did you feel like you had been welcomed?

As a teacher, you have the most influence in whether your discipleship class is welcoming or not. Hospitality is just a fancy word for making people feel welcome and comfortable. This doesn’t just happen naturally. But with a little bit of planning and teamwork, you can make guests feel welcomed and valued, which means they’re much more likely to come back next week. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind:

Develop a team. While you set the tone in your classroom, you shouldn’t be responsible for hospitality on your own. Even if you have a small number of students, at least one person probably comes to mind when you try to choose someone who is especially welcoming and friendly. Ask that person to head up the hospitality team for your group and station them at the door to greet students as they enter the room.

When a guest arrives, the greeter should say hello and introduce themselves. Next, they should make guests aware of any food or drinks that are available, provide them with a copy of the Adult Student Guide or Adult Lesson Folder, and then hand them off by introducing them to someone else in the class. This individual or couple can get to know more details about the guest.

Consider the environment. What impression might your meeting space have on someone who is walking into the room for the first time? Is it somewhere you would want to spend an hour every week?

You may have limited control over the setup of your meeting space, but you can make sure the room is neat and well-organized. You don’t have to do this alone! There is probably someone in your group who enjoys keeping things tidy and organized. Ask them to come a few minutes early each week to make sure the classroom is welcoming and fully stocked with basic supplies like pens, paper, and dry erase markers.

Commemorate special days. Be mindful of holidays when guests are most likely to attend, such as Christmas, Easter, and Mother’s Day. Take a few extra steps so your class is ready to welcome new people on these days.

Have everyone wear a name tag. Ask each person to write their name by hand so it’s more personal. Leave a sample by the stack of blank name tags, so people don’t have to guess whether they should write their first name only or first and last names. If available, use lanyards or clips, since some people are hesitant to put anything sticky on their clothes. If you sit at tables, consider asking people to write their names on table tents (4 x 6 note cards folded in half) instead of name tags.

Have extra supplies available. Make sure you have plenty of Bibles, student guides or lesson folders, worksheets, and pens. Don’t forget to set out extra chairs!

Give extra guidance. Regular attenders are familiar with the normal flow of your class. But guests may be a little anxious about what will happen next and what might be expected of them. Imagine you’re driving with someone following you, and make sure you use your turn signals. For example, you might say, “We’re going to receive prayer requests. Then I’ve asked Whitney to lead us in prayer.”

Don’t put guests on the spot. Nothing will drive an introverted person away more quickly than singling them out during class. Be sensitive. Don’t ask guests to address the entire group, stand to be recognized, or read aloud during class. Instead, allow them to focus on experiencing the group dynamic, learning from God’s Word, and starting to feel like they’re part of the family.

In some ways, hospitality is simply obeying the Golden Rule. You’re treating others the way you would want to be treated if you were the guest. Ideally, your kindness will lead guests to return to your class and become stronger disciples of Jesus.

RICHARD BENNETT is senior editor for Radiant Life adult curriculum.