They showed up once. You’d love to see them again.

You’ve considered the concerns of first time guests from our last post, How to Turn First Time Guests into Only Time Guests. Now you want to offer guests every reason to feel welcome and return for subsequent visits.

Here are ten insights from happy first time church guests:

Someone asked me to sit with them. It’s a simple thing. And it may be the best thing you can do. Even though you’ve just met, they feel welcomed like they belong. Because they do.

People introduced themselves to me. A church worship service isn’t about you and your preferences. We gather to worship God with one another. It’s a joy to make new friends too.

They had clear signage. Consider walking into any public building for the first time. Where is the restroom? The children’s area? Does it even look like they are expecting guests?

There was an inviting welcome center. Clearly marked, not cluttered, with a friendly volunteer. A welcome center—even a small table—with a well-designed brochure is always welcome.

Our kids loved their children’s area. You always want your kids to have a good experience no matter where they are, but especially church. Effort here is noticed. So is the lack thereof.

The children’s area was clean and secure. You can have a great worship experience, but fail here never to see that first time guest family again. Make it safe. Keep it clean.

Guest parking was clearly visible. Right next to the accessible parking, the best parking spots should be set aside for guests. Note: “Guest Parking” feels better than “Visitor Parking.”

They didn’t make me stand up and greet people. This really friendly-if-you-belong practice is terrifying if you don’t. As we learned, it is the #1 complaint first time guests. Stop it.

The members weren’t pushy. Friendly, yes. Kind, yes. Welcoming, yes. But not pushy and definitely not creepy. You’ve got members with the right interpersonal skills and discernment.

The guest card was easy to complete. Nicely printed on card stock or well designed and accessed through an easy to find QR code. Contact info says they want to know more. That’s great!

80% of first time church guests are unhappy with their visit, but it doesn’t have to be that way. You just read how to make guests happy. You can read what makes guests unhappy. This post in another response to The Great Dechurching. Thanks to Thom Rainer for these research-based insights from his concise book, Becoming a Welcoming Church.

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You read that right. Research tells us 80% of first time church guests are unhappy with their visit. Their first time visiting your church may be their only time visiting your church if you aren’t aware of their top ten concerns.

This topic is one more response to The Great Dechurching—40 million Americans previously active in church no longer attending. When we invite dechurched family and friends to join us, how they experience their first return visit is crucial. Thom Rainer’s brief book, Becoming a Welcoming Church, lists ten concerns of first time guests.

Bad Website. You’ve got two types of potential first time guests: those invited by members and those who start with an internet search. If your website has outdated style or content, is hard to navigate, and full of insider language, those potential guests will go elsewhere.

Unfriendly Members. Ask the average church member about their church and they’ll say they are friendly and welcoming. Ask the average guest, and they have a different experience. Your members don’t speak to guests or make them feel welcome as much as they think.

Poor Signage. You know where everything is and if you don’t, you know who to ask. Your guests do not. Your lack of clear, engaging signage from the parking lot to hallways to sanctuary tells guests they are not welcome or even expected.

No Information Available. Your guests would love to see an information area. Put it in a visible location, clearly directed by signage, staffed with friendly people, free of clutter, and containing well-written, visually appealing material.

Unsafe and Unclean Children’s Areas. You think your children’s ministry is great—you know the loving leaders and precious kids. Your guest looks with new eyes—they see lack of safety protocol and your dingy, dusty, cluttered, outdated spaces.

Stand and Greet Time. You love it—you know the people. Your guests do not love it—they feel awkward or left out. Greet your friends before and after service leaving the worship time for prayer, praise, and proclamation. This is the biggest bother to your first time guests.

Insider Language. Listen to your announcements. Listen to your sermons. Listen to your songs. All of it is full of words that aren’t spoken outside of church. Yes, we need that language, but be mindful to add explanatory words or phrases for the sake of guests.

Boring or Bad Worship Services. Sure enough your guests are judging you based on performance from the platform as well. We know worship is not a performance, but guests are evaluating your service as consumers. Do your best. Then get better. Our Lord deserves it.

You’re in My Pew. Seriously?! In 2024 this still makes the list. You want guarantee no return visit and a bad Google review, make sure you have self-serving, clueless, unkind members with the arrogance to ask people to move out of “their” spot.

Dirty facilities. My mother-in-law says, “It’s one thing to be poor; it’s another thing to be dirty.” No matter how small your congregation is or how old your building is, there is not reason your facilities can not be spotless clean and fresh smelling. Old church is a smell; one that guests don’t like.

Unhappy guests will be only time guests. You can criticize them as judgmental or shallow, but their commitment to Jesus is not your commitment to Jesus. Will you make the effort to lead your church to remedy each of these concerns? Will you glorify God by prioritizing the dechurched and unchurched above your own preferences and comfort?

To subscribe to this Serving Churches blog via RSS, click here.

To read the first of The Great Dechurching posts, click here.

Please comment, like, and share this post. Thank you!