Guest AuthorI’m going to lay all of my cards on the table right here at the beginning: I wholeheartedly, unreservedly, and unashamedly believe that every church should have a plan in place to care for its guests.
Ryan NelsonChurch growth and church visitors go together. After all, how does your church grow if not by adding new people? Most churches follow one of these two approaches—but which is better in the long run? Approach #1: Full speed ahead Suppose...
Jennifer GrishamChurch advertising? Isn’t that a bit . . . commercial? I felt that way when I first started using Facebook ads for my church. But then I saw who was liking my church’s ad. Far from the usual suspects, dozens of people I’d never seen at our church...
This is a guest post from Paul Fleming, former pastor and president of ChurchINK.com. Sparkling lights. Wonderful smiles. Familiar smells. Family traditions. These are some of the things we think of when the Christmas season rolls around. But, for...
Robert ElmerAll too often, the job of making visitors feel welcome in your church is relegated to a couple of faithful volunteers who stand by the entry each Sunday morning, extending the right hand of fellowship with a friendly smile. You know who I’m talking...
Anyone who has ever missed a week of school knows what it feels like to be a church visitor walking in on the end of a sermon series. They look around the room and wonder, “Does everyone else know what he’s talking about? Am I the only...
Your church is people, not a place. Your community is not defined by the buildings you gather within, or the spaces you inhabit. When people visit your church, every interaction they have with your members shapes how they feel about your church as a...
People don’t walk through the door of your church with a big tag that says “Visitor” on it. And hopefully, you aren’t handing those out when they get inside. Especially in a big church, it’s hard to tell newcomers from...
Your follow-up plan for visitors isn’t a biannual program you turn on before Christmas and Easter. Those are obviously the weekends you can expect the most newcomers, but your church should always be refining the journey from visitors to...