When my wife, Consuela, and I first started attending the church we’re at, we were just another face in the crowd. Seated in the back of the sanctuary with a couple of hundred other people, this interracial couple with a very young baby stopped by to check things out. We had been to other churches and tried them, but none of them seemed to be a good fit. This church was our last try before we settled. But something different happened. Something different than we had experienced at the other churches we visited. We connected, in a meaningful way, to people that fit into three distinct categories. And I believe that these three categories contain the key to retaining first time guests who are searching for a church home.
3 Relationships That Keep First Time Guests Attending Your Church
1. Another church-goer.
This is someone who attends the church and often fits in the same demographic as the first-time guest. They sit in the same row, attend the same service and/or are in the same life-stage. The value here is that the first-time guest knows that they will be accepted and that there’s the potential for friendships at your church.
For my wife and me, we connected with another interracial husband and wife who had a baby close to the same age as us. Now, six years later, we are still close friends with them and have been going through life together as friends. That friendship helped us feel accepted and led to other friendships later on.
2. A non-pastoral leader.
This could be a life group leader, a head usher or anyone who is in a leadership position (volunteer or paid) within the church. This is someone who can answer some questions about the church and point the way for first time guests to go deeper and get connected quicker. The non-pastoral leader is looked at as a person who represents the church in an official capacity.
