Every week you hope to have new people at your church.
But there’s a world of difference between reaching the unchurched and attracting serial church shoppers.
I’m fortunate to be part of a church where we’ve had first-time guests every single weekend since we launched eight years ago.
While it’s easy to think of a visitor as simply a ‘visitor,’ not all visitors are the same.
Like many of you, our goal is to reach the unchurched. And in nearly every community, there’s a growing number of unchurched people to reach.
But there’s another group entirely that shows up at your church regularly: church shoppers.
Serial church shoppers are not the same as the family that moved and is looking for a church in their new community who might try five churches before settling. Nor are they the same as a family that is leaving a church they’ve been part of for years, has exited well (here are some thoughts on how to do that) and is looking for a new place to call home for a long time.
Families moving to your community and Christians who transfer well out of another church can be welcome additions to any local church.
But serial church shoppers are different. They’re consumers.
If you end up facing a true church shopper, you might discover that they’ve been to five different churches in the last 10 years, and will soon have another one (that’s not yours). Or you might discover they’ve never settled down anywhere and have three churches they sample regularly, when it’s convenient.
As a leader, being aware of the difference between church shoppers and who you truly want to reach is critical.
I have seen far too many church leaders waste time and energy trying to please church shoppers, to no avail. Do it regularly, and it will take you completely off mission.
Trying to appease a serial church shopper is an exercise in pleasing the unpleasable.
Here are five key differences between church shoppers and the unchurched every church leader should know to ensure your church stays on mission.
1. Church shoppers think their job is to evaluate; the unchurched are looking to learn.
A church shopper comes into every church with an evaluation mindset.
Is this my kind of music?
Is the preaching good?
Did the people notice me?
Do I like this place?
It’s not that unchurched people don’t ask the same questions. They do. And be honest. To some extent, we all do.
But a church shopper thinks the church exists to please them. After all, that’s why they left the last eight churches.
An unchurched person might start with evaluation, but they ultimately don’t stay there. They want to learn. They want to grow. They want to challenge and explore, and most are very open to a much deeper journey than one that starts and ends with evaluation.
Church shoppers ask, “Did I like it?” And the moment they don’t, they’re done.
If you really boil it down, serial church shoppers think their mission is to criticize, not contribute.
