At our large urban church, we have a simple guide for recognizing visitors: look in the back 10 pews.
Then watch who leaves worship first. In our experience, visitors start in the back pews, then creep forward in several weeks as they feel more at home. Similarly, they leave quickly for the first Sundays, then start to linger a while. It might be quite different at your church. But wherever your visitors sit, you can be sure they are watching everything intently, looking for intuitive data about your congregation. Do they see people like themselves? Do people smile and seem engaged? Do the clergy seem to be getting along? Visitors rarely hear sermons or assess facilities. That comes later. For now, they are sensing a fit, a reason to return. You clergy and lay welcomers face two challenges. First, you must recognize who’s new, then respond in a confident and open way – no over-exuberance signaling desperation, no forcing visitors to stand up and introduce themselves. Then, before the visitor leaves, you must get the information you need for responding. Usually, that means name and e-mail address, maybe also telephone. With that information, you can write a short message of greeting and open your door to a visit. If you see constant turnover in the back pews but no one moving forward, you need to assess your follow-up. For a detailed look at membership development, you can join the Church Wellness Project at www.churchwellness.com. Start by asking for our free weekly newsletter. Tom Ehrich is a writer, church consultant and Episcopal priest based in New York. He is the author of “Just Wondering, Jesus,” and the founder of the Church Wellness Project.
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