How To Get More People In Church

How to increase church attendance: Look at the numbers

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It’s no secret that church attendance is not increasing. If you are a pastor or church leader, you may have noticed a decline in your community. You’re not alone. A 2018 survey from Statista found that only 22% of Americans go to church each week. Even more surprising, 28% say they never go. If you’ve offered inspirational sermon series, quality children’s and youth ministries, and exciting volunteer opportunities, you may find yourself wondering where you’re missing the mark. Before you start to doubt your services, you should ask yourself two questions. (Don’t worry, we’ll give you the answer too.)

Why do people go to church in the first place?

Experts at the Pew Research Center asked more than 4,000 Americans. The main reason people regularly go to church or another house of worship is to feel closer to God. 81% of people said this reason was important to their attendance. Other top reasons to go to church include: Read: how to get more people to church

to give children a moral foundation
to become a better person
to find comfort in difficult times

Why don’t people attend church?

The majority of survey respondents said they left church because they practiced their faith in other ways. The survey also found that 12% said lack of time was the most important reason why they didn’t attend. Others said they didn’t feel welcome or that they hadn’t found a church or house of worship they liked.

6 Ideas To Increase Church Attendance

With answers to both of these questions, let’s explore some ways to boost your engagement — and not just on Sundays! These are proven strategies from growing churches.

1. Make newcomers feel welcome

Read more: how to do music blur As we’ve covered above, there are many reasons why someone hasn’t been to church in a while. They may be an unbeliever, or maybe life has gotten in the way. Regardless of the reason, returning to church after a long absence can be intimidating. Do everything you can to make new guests feel comfortable. Understand that they may want to slowly return to religion. Ask for their email and phone number so you can give them resources and more information. Remember, one of the most important keys to growing church attendance is membership retention, and that starts with the first visit.

2. Shorten your lecture

12% of people say they don’t go to church because they don’t have time. And they may be right! Think of it this way: when you’re busy, you’d rather watch a movie or an episode of a show. Maybe later. Try offering more services and lectures, but make them shorter. Each lesson should not exceed 30 to 45 minutes and focus on only one topic. This way, everyone can join a quick 30-minute lecture. And just like people who start an episode of a show, then binge on the entire series, they’re likely to keep watching for more!

3. Ask your community for feedback

Sometimes leaders are too close to their church services to identify opportunities for improvement. Instead, try asking your parishioners for help! Send out a survey to both longtime church members and first-time visitors to ask them about their experience. Find out if your lectures could be refreshing or if you should offer better volunteer opportunities. Do they want to see other leaders preach? The fastest way to find out what your church attendees want is to ask them. And if you’re looking for a simple way to send out questionnaires, consider using SMS surveys.

4. Encourage Church members to bring friends

It can be difficult for members of your church to attract more followers. Asking friends who may be skeptical, or non-religious, is even harder. Make it as easy as possible for people to share their faith. Consider turning one day of the week into a “friendship day.” This will encourage group participation and make new visitors less fearful, because they will know that there will be plenty of other fresh faces.

5. Share videos on social media

Read more: Euro Nymphing Explained Did you watch the movie without seeing the trailer? We, too. Many first-time visitors feel similar to their first visit to a church. Give potential members a preview of what they can expect by posting short, inspirational videos from your lectures on social media. No need to have a professional crew to do this! Place iPhone on a tripod, trim your favorite clips, then post. This will help spread your mission and information about your church.

6. Invite people by text message

At SimpleTexting, we’ve seen both churches large and small achieve success with text message invitations. It’s important to keep in mind that you should never assume someone will attend. Even if someone has been a part of your parish for many years, you cannot treat them as if they will always be there. Don’t just tell people about your next bible study or worship service. Invite them. Create your message so the person really feels welcome. Hi Alexa, this Thursday at 7 o’clock we will talk about how to draw closer to God through prayer. We would love to see you there! Ready to try texting at your ministry? Sign up for a free trial of SimpleTexting and start viewing the full queues on non-special occasions. Our support team is always available to help with your church growth and communication. Just chat with us by tapping the blue bubble in the corner of the screen and we’ll get you started using our church messaging service right away. Top Q&A