The DOORS Into Your Church

I believe this is a question we pastors and church leaders today need to think about more, and actually provide answers for. I liken the opportunity [and the potential threat] to doors in a building.

The Front Door

The FRONT DOOR is like the Sunday worship service at your church. It’s often the main door we promote on social media and our websites.

This is the door that can be seen best from the street out front (the public’s eye), but seems to me is the door less likely to be walked through today by the unchurched, unsaved, and maybe even other believers praying about leaving their current church in order to find a different one that better meets the needs of their family. To me, it seems people are less frequently coming to church on their own through the front door (Sunday worship service) first, because they don’t know what to expect.

QUESTION: Are people still coming to your church through the front door at a rate they used to?

The Side Doors

The SIDE DOORS (as in plural; hopefully many) of the building are the various ministries your church has that attract people from different walks of life. These side doors get people coming, attending, involved, plugged-in, and either served or serving.

These side doors are things like youth group, adult Bible studies, women’s or men’s ministries, Awana, and other wonderful ministries that serve people where they’re at.

QUESTION: Does your church have enough vibrant, attractive, Christ-centered ministries?

The Back Door

The BACK DOOR is where people leave (sometimes in an ugly or disgraceful public whirlwind and sometimes so quietly you never even notice).

They walk out and they’re gone. Sometimes forever.

Maybe they find a new church, maybe they don’t.

Maybe they go through the back door because they move away to a different community, or maybe they leave because the pastor never called on them, no one from the church reached out to them, they couldn’t make even one friend, or they just never got around to getting plugged in.

No doubt there are hundreds of reasons why people might leave through the back door and, therefore, leave our local church forever. But, if we don’t have someone standing by the back door to encourage people to stay a bit longer ...…. are we really all that concerned about the one lost sheep?

QUESTION: Does your church have a ministry for the back door? Maybe a follow up telephone call, or anything like that? If not, why not?

My “PS” Disclaimer

PS: I’m often speaking to myself in these posts. I know I need the reminder. But, if you also get convicted by the Holy Spirit about it, then praise the Lord!