What attracts people at church?
Well, there have been many things used through the years to entice people to come to church.
But what keeps them there?
That’s probably the more important question.
Whatever it takes to reach them is what it will take to keep them.
In Future Church, Will Mancini equates church involvement to a two-story house. There is a certain few things that get people through the front door, but there is one thing that will move them upstairs. One thing that helps them decide to take off their shoes and stay a while.
Why People Come
Why do people come to a church? Mancini gives four main reasons:
- Place – Whether it’s the proximity, location, or aesthetics of a building, some come because of exterior or interior physical attractiveness.
- Personality – Some people are drawn to the personality of a leader, preacher, staff person, and it encourages them to come.
- Programs – Name your program, but there are certain events for different types of ages that draw people into a curiosity about a church’s offerings.
- People – Many people will come because of friends, family, or existing relationships.
All those things are good. They aren’t inherently bad. I think we often make them sound as evil reasons, but they aren’t evil, they are just incomplete. They will get someone in the door, but they won’t keep them around.
As you can see, any of those four items could change or a superior substitute could replace it one day.
Yes, make those four as top-notch as you can make them, but if the church revolving door has taught us anything, it is that it isn’t enough.
That may be why they come, but why do some stay?
Why People Stay
Why do people stay at a church? While those four categories may have brought them here, the purpose is what keeps them here.
When people make a church their family it is because they have bought into the unique disciple-making vision.
It’s what makes guest turn into family members.
So, what is the vision? What is the purpose? Why do you do what you do?
At some point, we have to communicate that and get people to commit to it.
Trying times in our society have revealed who is truly connected to a church and those who want to be associated with it.
Maybe you have people in the front door, but are they hanging around?
In your attempt to make the front door pop out there, don’t neglect to make sure that what you are doing in the home is worth hanging around for.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
You must be logged in to post a comment.