Go in Peace (But Come Back Later)
A 5-step Guide To Getting Visitors To Show Up Again

By RaeAnn Slaybaugh

Of people who visit a church once, studies show 10 percent eventually become members. And once they've visited three times, they're nearly as likely to become members (45 percent do) as they are to walk away.

If you only get three weeks to establish a bond, you'd better know what you're doing. Obviously, the first step is to motivate people to show up the first time.

1. Picture the perfect media strategy and make it happen. According to the ELCA Education and Evangelism Team, newcomers often show up at a new church on Sunday because they found it in the Yellow Pages. It stands to reason, then, that the right ad can do wonders.

Ideally, a church ad provides enough information that visitors know when and where services are held. If it falls short, however, they might call the church office instead and speak with an attendant. If they do, it is important, first of all, that they do not get a busy signal. Plan ahead to have enough lines to accommodate every call. And make sure whoever answers the phone is friendly, professional and well trained. (Of course, potential visitors might call after-hours. If so, they should hear a recorded message and be able to jot down service times, stay on the line to hear a daily thought, devotion or prayer, then hang up even more anxious for Sunday.)

To get new faces in the pews, many pastors also learn to network with the local media. Often, this means designating a media relations coordinator, someone who makes it his mission to establish contacts at the local newspapers and radio stations. What's more, he already knows what stations and papers members like simply because he makes it a practice to ask.

As with any fruitful relationship, healthy church/media unions involve give and take. Plan the budget to accommodate modest annual display ads during Christmas, Holy Week and Vacation Bible School. For even better response, place these ads in sections other than the Religion page.

2. Pretend you're lost. Can you find your way back? Even hard-to-miss churches can make their campuses easier to find. The first step is placing distinctive, easy-to-read directional signs on all nearby major thoroughfares and intersections.

Once they get there, James W. Moss Sr., a seminar presenter and church consultant for New Life Ministries, has more advice. "I believe that welcoming begins in the parking lot," Moss says, and recommends marking several of the best spaces as visitor-only. He also suggests forming a team of parking lot greeters--preferably men and a women who enjoy meeting people.

It doesn't end here. As Moss adds, the building itself needs to offer clear signage directing visitors to the lobby. "I've visited churches [where] I tried three or four doors before I found one that wasn't locked," he says. "An unchurched person may not try that many doors before leaving."

3. Set up a Welcome Center. A Welcome Center is a well-oiled, full-service greeting machine. Joseph Miller, a development consultant for Discovering Life Ministries and publisher of the free e-mail newsletter E-TIPS (www.buildmychurch.com), breaks it down into steps. First, trained hosts and hostesses welcome visitors as they enter the church. After being recognized as visitors, they are directed to the Welcome Center. There, another host asks them to fill out a welcome card, on which they can indicate ministries of interest. Then, this host offers to sit with the visitors during the service, show them around the facility and so on. Soon after the service, their welcome cards are assigned to appropriate small groups for follow-up.

"Visit them on a Sunday afternoon. Take a gift. Invite them to a meal. Seek to determine their spiritual status, then plan appropriate follow-up," Miller says. "Take the initiative; don't simply give the initiative to them."

4. Look good on paper. Newsletters, bulletins, letterhead and more should be easy to follow. Each should be written assuming first-timers will read them. Call attention to an important, exciting upcoming event at the church on the cover and place the pastor's column on an inside page. One-page handouts should be folded only, and multiple-page offerings should be stapled but not folded.

Also obtain copyright permission to reproduce the liturgy in the bulletin. This makes it easy for visitors to follow along during worship. What's more, pastors and other worship leaders should orally give page numbers and directions during worship. This makes keeping up with the service extra simple.

5. Throw a party! Now that you know your visitors' names (and where to find them), a reception/lunch is a fantastic follow-up idea. One of the best times to host one of these events is after a Sunday service. Here, you might present a video presentation that covers your ministries and directs newcomers in their next step to church involvement.

Or, if the thought of coming on too strong with people who have been "out of the church circuit" for awhile worries you, invite them to a casual, non-threatening event.

Pastor Josh Hunt, who wrote a book on this subject--How to Get 90% of Your Visitors to Join Your Church--says one of the his most successful ideas was Friday night card games at his home. During these events, he and his wife discussed nothing about the church or even about religion. Hunt's approach resulted in 90 percent of the card-playing couples joining the church.

No matter what approaches you try, it is clear that you don't need to spend a lot of money to get people back again. It seems the most important thing you can do is to help them feel right at home right away.

Growth Is A Group Activity

By Dr. Wes Taylor

It is possible--very possible--for a mainline, urban/suburban church to grow.

I know. I've made it happen.

To begin, you must practice three uncomplicated, straightforward steps.

1. Pray. On the first day in your new church (or start tomorrow if you've been a pastor in your present church for awhile), pray for God's help, wisdom, guidance and enthusiasm.

2. Enlist. Enlist the help of those currently attending. In this week's worship bulletin, print the question, 'Who Are You Going to Invite to Worship Next Sunday?' Follow it up in next week's bulletin with these questions:

• Who can I invite to my church?
• How can I share about my church with others?
• How important is worship in my life?
• How can I help make our church more visible?
• What is Christ calling me to do now?
• How often will I pray for my church?
• What is the most urgent need or priority of my church?
• Should I join the Visioning Team my church is starting?

3. Announce. Announce the formation of the Visioning/Growth Team. It should include 12 to 15 people--long-time and new members, young and old, male and female and so on. Ask for volunteers, but reserve the responsibility to form the final team.

Remember that the Visioning/Growth Team will meet regularly for eight to 10 months, so this is a serious sign-up. It will take time, energy, commitment and insight, and it will be critical to the future of your church. This team will be expected to produce.

As pastor, may you also consider some other insightful dynamics.

Always be inviting. Practice dynamic worship. Give worshippers lots of music. Host Bible study. Provide an excellent nursery. Offer many small groups. Be an advocate for justice and missions.

Invite.

Care especially for singles, seniors and the newly married. Employ visionary staff and leaders. Provide lots of parking. Make use of marketing.

Invite.

Seek youth. Form spiritual growth classes and groups. Make your building clean, attractive and welcoming. Read Matthew 28:16-20. Study these words of Jesus. Read them. Believe them. Take them to heart.

Then, invite.

Encourage your members to do so also. Give them a better idea of what you mean by adding the following diagram to your bulletin:

You must be convinced that growth is possible and essential. Your role is to be the growth visionary. As teaching, discovery, learning and visioning happen, the congregation blossoms into a dynamic of growth and renewal.

Dr. Wes Taylor served as pastor of the Tigard UMC for 10 years, during which time membership doubled to exceed 800 people. Currently, he heads up 200-member Tualatin United Methodist in Tualatin, Ore. According to Taylor, membership at Tualatin UMC has already seen a large increase thanks to "readiness, enthusiasm and vision for growth throbbing through the church."