We’ve been in Madison for a couple of months and I’ve been amazed at how difficult it is to find a church. Really amazed. After 11 years of vocational ministry I’d forgotten what it’s like to be in a new area looking for community and connection. But after 11 years of vocation ministry I also still look at churches through the lens of “been there, done that”. So it’s a weird blend.
Being new means you don’t know the code words, you don’t know where the bathrooms are, you don’t know the parking guy’s secret hand signals. You just don’t know.
I would say that if you’ve been part of a church for a year or more, you have no idea how your church looks to first time guests. You’ve forgotten what it’s like to not know when to sit, when to stand, or when to leave. And mostly you’ve forgotten what it’s like to be sitting in a large group of people and NO ONE acknowledge that you’re there. I’m telling you, the 10 minutes before a service begins is the most awkward time. Everybody around you is talking and laughing like old friends while you and your family are ignored. At least one church ran some good stuff on the screen so you had something do other than count the ceiling tiles.
Anyway, here’s some of my observations and I’d love to talk with any church leaders who want to do better. I don’t know much but I do how to make a church more inviting and do a service that looks like everybody on the platform gives a crap.
1. New faces are mostly ignored.
2. Greeting teams do not great.
3. Only a few churches know how to move large numbers of cars on/off property.
4. Every pastor says they have professional level musicians and singer but most don’t.
5. If you don’t know the bible when you come in, you’ll have a difficult time following most sermons.
6. Everybody has a projector but very few really know how to use them effectively.
7. Sermon intro videos rock.
8. Most church PA’s aren’t eq’d properly and are not turned up loud enough.
9. Way too much dead air in the average church service.
10. Church signage sucks! Not enough of it and what’s there look like Interstate Signs
11. Please, Please, Please, do not put a new worship leader on the stage unless you’ve worked with him before hand.
12. Worship leaders: you’re not singing a solo, you’re supposed to be leading people. Leave the vocal gymnastics for your CD.
13. Video announcements before the service are the way to go.
14. If churches are going to invest money in lighting fixtures, spend a few more for training. Lighting a stage is an art.
15. Sadly, there aren’t a lot of great communicators out there.
16. Vocalist giving the soundboard guy dirty looks because their monitors aren’t right is a huge distraction. Here’s a hint: once the service starts you are stuck with what you’ve got. Deal with it.
There are lots more observations (or complaints) but there’s one thing missing in most church services that would wipe out any list of negatives: a “hello” and a handshake from several people. Most churches are only friendly to the ones already there.
Every pastor has probably told the people in their church to be friendly but telling them one time won’t do it. You’re gonna have to pound the drum over and over and over again. It’s THE thing that will bring people back. I’ve never seen a church that didn’t describe themselves as friendly but I’ve seen very few who actually are.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO True!!!!!!!!!
and let me add that every church you “shop” thinks their programs are the best out there.
No one coming in has a clue how to do anything in ministry as well as the ones already there and no matter how many years of training and service you have in a ministry – sister or brother so and so – is invariably in line to lead because she’s been there longer than you.
( got……….to……………stop……………………….now…………………)
I see. Churches are about sound systems, entertainment teams, projectors, etc., etc and friendliness.
Or maybe all this is incidental an we should be seeking to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” Our affections should revolve around seeing Christ more clearly and sharing him through his work in us. If this is our passion then seeing Christ in others should cause rejoicing. As a result I believe we will rejoice in the proposition of another who also treasures him visiting with us and adding to the glow.
I think this is the point of 1John 4:20-21 “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”
Ps 105:4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
Jonathan,
Thanks for your comments. One thing about me that may make my comments make more sense is I am really intentional about reaching the unchurched. That means I look at Sunday mornings more through the lens of someone who doesn’t got to church than the already convinced.
Hey, thanks for responding. I should likewise temper my response with the context that I have a growing conviction that the church needs a better knowledge of its composition and function. That is not at all to disparage your thoughts here. I was responding to what is too often mistaken for church qualities that I see as all but irrelevant. Irrelevant like my van is irrelevant on Sunday morning. It is of great value but only in a small utilitarian way.
Taking your site into consideration I expect that you have put significant thought into the church and its interface with unbelievers. From that aspect I would be curious what weaknesses you see with some thoughts I am contemplating.
I think that the church is by definition a meeting or gathering of believers, those who are profoundly aware of their sinfulness and the full satisfaction that is in Christ, both for the believer and for God whose holiness they have offended. From this reality grows a unity and humility that should characterize every interaction. Not only that, but having come to know the “glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” they see him as worthy of sharing clearly despite the apathy of many and rejoice to see others converted from self-worshipers to make Christ their treasure.
From that basis I think is makes the most sense and agrees most with the biblical model for the church to be an extroverted entity rather than one introverted. We should “make disciples” and bring them to meeting rather than bring the lost to meeting and let the pastor make them disciples.
Thinking…
I hope this is not too much. I am encouraged to see someone who is concerned with the shape of the church.
Jonathan,
I don’t see it as an either/or proposition, to me it’s both/and. Now remember my context is the buckle of the bible belt Alabama. Here most unchurched folks are going to show up on a Sunday morning and most Christians are going to invite their friends on Sundays. Sooo, that’s why we should really pay attention to what we do and how we do it. I guess the best phrase to describe what I try to help churches do is “de-weird” Sundays. Get rid of as many insider phrases and customs as possible.
I also agree that Jesus most certainly modeled a “make disciple” model of getting the word out. But I also think this can take place in more settings than Sundays on a church campus.
We need Christians authentically worshiping on a Sunday which is great of unbelievers to see. We also need Christians doing more than getting their tickets punched on Sunday. We need everything working together to get the word out.
Thanks for taking the time to interact. You have an interesting site.
I agree that it is not an either/or proposition but I do think that we should be leaning the other way regardless of context (Bible belt or otherwise).
I think the concept of de-weirding if that means digging through cliches so that even the regular attenders can remember what we are supposed to mean by “saved”, “Gospel”, and a host of other terms that get over-used and under-understood.
I agree with removing many customs as well; not pragmatically, but biblically. I do think that the church would be well served to drop back to only those things that are specifically called for in the Bible (singing, preaching, teaching, baptism, exhorting one another, meeting together, the Lord’s supper, etc.) and then add things back (buildings, programs, PA systems, etc.) as it helps to gain our purpose of building up believers to function as a body and as individuals.
I also agree on the need for authentic worship. Too much of what is called worship has little to do with God. I judge this to be the case by the way that it is recognized (professional music, entertainment value, being centered around the enjoyment of the visitor or the regular attender) as opposed to what should characterize it. A display of the character of God, as found in scripture ,should define our worship and drive it. In so far as our worship is not a display of His character, it is a display of our character and there is no hope or power in that.
Enough for now. I love the topic.
I wish you well in your efforts to edify the church at large.