Attracting New People

How can we attract people to our church? Pastors are regularly told that first impressions are important, so the church building must be attractive, the restrooms clean and working, and the church family friendly. New disciples can only be made if new people join us.

Typically, two percent of the worshipping public is new to a church each week. That means a church with 100 in worship can expect eight new people to show up sometime each month. A church running 25 in worship would expect about one new couple every month. Of course, some churches exceed that figure, and some times of the year (back to school, Easter, Christmas) tend to have more guests.

Word of mouth is still the strongest attraction for first-time guests. (The term "visitors" may imply a one-time drop-in.) If the people within the church are growing spiritually, their friends and family will notice. If the people within the church are excited about their discipleship, they will naturally invite the people they care about. And even casual contacts by enthusiastic church members can encourage new people to attend.

Advertising is also important. Our small church, located in a residential area three blocks from the nearest major street, has managed to attract several people through advertising. A notice in the newspaper about revival services brought in a nearby family that hadn't known we existed. A large yard sign for our "One Nation under God" service has brought in two new neighborhood families each year. Flyers distributed in advance of Vacation Bible School net several new families each summer. And we not only keep our web site updated, but we make sure the address is accurate on community and denominational church lists.

Web sites are especially important when reaching younger age groups or more upscale neighborhoods. We normally had a hundred or so visits each month on our web pages. Then we advertised a once-amonth activity for young adults. Our web visits doubled immediately. Outdated pages or generic schedules are not likely to attract savvy web users. They want to know what's happening, when, and why they should care.

Retaining New People

Once people have attended, how do they become part of the congregation? The church is supposed to make disciples. One visit does not make a disciple. How do people decide that our church is the place where they can grow spiritually?

Of course, everything mentioned above about the church facilities is important. If they found the restrooms dirty, or saw the front garden full of weeds, or suspected that no one had cleaned the pews for a month, they will be reluctant to come back. But if the church looks good and everything seems to work (whether the sound system or the water fountain), the next concern is the experience itself.

Was the message (whether from a preacher or a teacher, if they attended a small group or Sunday School class) clear and relevant? People say that they are looking for spiritual truths. But if they haven't had a strong background in theology, they need the truths explained in common English. If the teacher read the lesson without making practical applications, or if the preacher used technical terms without explaining them, then the guests will wonder whether this church can help them grow spiritually.

Not every congregation can provide a full backup band for the worship team, but a little practice could keep the team together on rhythm. Not every congregation can afford the latest media presentations, but whatever is used should work. Poor presentations can make a person reluctant to commit to a church for spiritual development.

Friendliness of the congregation is even more important than a contact by the pastor. The pastor's interest is important, of course, but did the people in the next pew at least speak to them? Did anyone ask about their interests or their concerns? Did a layperson find a way to connect with them during the next few days? Even an e-mail contact or a phone call shows some interest. And the studies indicate that the first 48 hours are most crucial. Talking to them on Monday means that somebody cared about them during the week as well.

Why New People Come Back

What's next on the church calendar? When a guest attends, is there something special you can invite them to? An upcoming fellowship event, a special speaker, or even a midweek Bible study would give a reason to stay in touch.

This does not mean a special event every week, although larger churches will naturally have something going on more often. But a smaller church can plan for a monthly fellowship activity where recent guests and other prospective disciples can be invited "just for fun." That way, there is a natural reason for the person who sat next to the guests last week to check on them this week, inviting them to the Game Night or the Hot Dog Cookout or whatever is coming up.

What other ministries does the church offer? Updated posters or handouts should mention compassionate ministry opportunities, involvement in community outreach, or other examples of actual applied ministry. Involvement in ministry is attractive to potential disciples, and a clear indication of what the church is about.

—prepared by Dale E. Jones, Kenneth Crow, and Richard Houseal