A31 Helping people back to church

Basics we often overlook

First published on this website in August 2013 and last updated in July 2023

Synopsis

Why not have a 'back to church' attitude every week of the year? If so this article considers basic thinking we often overlook.

Presence in your local community
A recommended strategy to help people know your building and have a good impression of it, know some of your people and feel they might fit in with them, and know something of what your people do in your building and find that interesting.

Let me in!
Four vital steps to help people locate the site, reach the building, find the door and get inside. It sounds so obvious but often is not.

Speaking without words
Nine messages your buildings and equipment ought to communicate: from “I want you to feel at ease” through “cleanliness is next to godliness” to “everyone is welcome here”.

The article has a number of case studies running through it.

The human welcome matters most of all, but fail to consider these three issues and your ‘back to churcher’ may not get as far as that.

This article was updated in July 2023 with minor amendments to the text and layout.