In Comeback Churches there is a section (p 129-130) on closing the back door of the church. Important reminders…
Comeback churches know that closing the back door helps them make a turnaround.
Often believers will bring a close friend or family member along with them in their own spiritual journey, inviting them to church, explaining the unfamiliar and introducing the lost person to the Christian experience. In order to reach these community-conscious seekers, churches need to remember these things we gleaned from our own experience and from the comeback churches:
- Friendliness is not enough — People are not looking for a friendly church, they are looking for friends. Many churches are not prepared to move visitors into relationships with others in the church.
- Christians and Christianity are peculiar — Who we are and what we do is different. If we’re doing it right, the “difference” will draw others to Christ. But, we can’t expect the unchurched to put the puzzle together by themselves.
- Closing the back door takes planning — In order to keep guests and new converts, churches need to work as hard as they would for a VBS, a large gathering or a church outreach. All of these are only effective to the extent that guests become new believers and active members.
Closing the back door is not easy. It requires connected, stable church members, who stay for the long haul.
Check out Comeback Churches.
This article originally appeared here.
