The Big Front Door for Guests Just About Every Church Misses
Rainer on Leadership
Friendship Precedes Faith; Prioritize Connection
Thom and Sam discuss that friendship often leads to faith and encourage prioritizing connection before pushing conversion.
Most churches miss this front door, not because of a lack of awareness but because of a lack of effort. Over half of the unchurched believe church could be a great place to make friends, but nearly 60% say it’s too intimidating to visit alone. That’s a huge opportunity. Today’s episode highlights how friendship, follow-up, and one key ingredient—an invitation—can lower the barrier and open the door for gospel conversations. Thom and Sam discuss some key takeaways from their new research.
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- Don’t just invite—offer to sit with them.
- Make your church more relational than institutional.
- Hospitality teams should focus on emotional comfort, not just logistics.
- Friendship often precedes faith; prioritize connection over conversion.
Resources:
- “Surprising Insights from the Unchurched and Proven Ways to Reach Them” by Thom S. Rainer (affiliate link)
Episode Sponsors:
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