How To Move People From Occasional Guests to Engaged Members

There is a group of people who come to your church very infrequently, and usually only for special occasions. Easter. Christmas. A baptism. A son or daughter being commissioned to serve in a particular role.

We're not talking about those who regularly attend other churches. These are folks who don't normally go to ANY church except on special occasions.

How do you move those people from very rare attendees to engaged members of your church?

This is a tricky question, and the answer isn't simple. Nevertheless, let's try to tackle it.

Why Don't People Attend Church?

Before you can convert a person from being an occasional guest to a person who actually wants to come to your church on a regular basis, you have to determine why they're not regularly going to church in the first place.

What is holding them back from being a committed church member?

It could be a number of things:

Not A Believer

To state the super obvious, if a person doesn't believe in Jesus Christ, there's a really good chance they won't go to church. Why would they? Church is just one gathering out of many, along with their pickleball team, softball league, or book club. Maybe they call themselves Christians, but only in a nominal sense.

To put it bluntly, God doesn't matter much to these folks. These people will often come to church on Easter and Christmas out of tradition or to be with family members.

Don't Prioritize The Church

There are also people who are definitely believers, but for some reason, they don't make church attendance a priority.

Maybe they don't see the importance of regularly attending church and being part of a community of people pursuing God. Maybe they have other commitments - sports, work, etc. - that keep them from attending. Or, just maybe, they believe that their personal relationship with God is sufficient for them.

Church Hurt

Unfortunately, church hurt is a real thing. People can have tremendously bad experiences in church that then sour them on the thought of attending. They might associate church with bad times in their childhood, or they may have suffered under the hands of a spiritually abusive spiritual leader. Church hurt takes many forms, and it's not always obvious what has happened. 

Lack of Connection

Some people don't have any connection to a local church. They may have just moved into town and don't have any Christian friends to go to church with. Or they may be new Christians who have never had any experience with a Christian community and don't know where to start. It's not that the person doesn't want to attend church; they just don't know how or where to begin.

They Find "Church" Elsewhere

There are individuals who say that they get their church in places other than traditional churches. They might say, "I find God out in nature" or "I feel closer to God when I'm rock climbing." They're not necessarily opposed to the overall idea of church, but they don't think they need to go to a certain place to experience church.

Connecting People to What’s Important

Each of these types of people requires different "connection" points to transition from infrequent attender to enthusiastic member. What do those connection points look like? Here are some ideas.

Preach The Gospel

If someone doesn't believe in Jesus Christ, what do they need most? The gospel. They need to hear the good news that Jesus died and rose again for their sins. If we want someone to become a church attender, they first need to become a believer. They need to hear the gospel, and the only way they're going to hear it is if we preach it.

As it says in Romans 10:14, "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?"

So, on those unique days when many come to church who wouldn't normally attend, share the gospel clearly and boldly. Sing the gospel, pray the gospel, and preach the gospel. Don't let a single person leave without knowing exactly what they need to do to receive the new life Jesus gives. Make the gospel an integral part of your service.

Create a “Welcome” Process

When someone does become a Christian, one of the first things they usually do is seek out other Christians to connect with. We need to be ready to welcome them with open arms and make them feel welcome and part of the church. We need to have processes already in place that will help these new believers find their place in the church and grow in their faith.

Romans 15:7 puts it this way, "Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God."

So when a baby Christian comes to your church, where can they get involved, and how quickly can it happen? From hosting a newcomer's lunch to having small groups or Bible studies available, create ways for new believers to connect and grow in their faith.

Highlight The Priority of the Church In Scripture

The Bible isn't quiet about the need for Christians to gather together with other Christians. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

In addition to the gospel, those who come only a few times per year also need to hear about the importance of being part of a local church. Use these verses and others to emphasize that being part of a church is essential for the growth of every believer. Help them see what they're missing out on by not coming to church regularly.

Build Easy Onramps For New People

Say a new person comes to your church, and they really love it and want to be more involved. You need to have a process in place that makes it easy for them to take their next steps.

You could have a "Next Steps" booth or table set up during your services where they can find out more information about the church and ways to get involved. You could also have a brief meet-and-greet after the service for anyone who wants to increase their involvement.

Additionally, provide clear, obvious communication channels where people can go to find out more. This might be your website, social media pages, or a designated email address. The key is to make it as easy as possible for new people to get connected and grow in their faith within your church.

Implement A Follow-Up Process

Don't let visitors come and go without ever hearing directly from you. Implement a clear, strong, repeatable follow-up process where you reach out to guests and thank them for coming. Maybe an email. Maybe a text or phone call. Maybe some combination of the three without being annoying.

A person or group needs to be responsible for going through this process with each new person who comes into the church.

Create A Culture of Fellowship

A person who only goes to church once or twice per year may be more open to attending smaller events put on by your church. If you don't already have them, consider creating events and spaces where new people can come and meet people from your church.

Small groups, Bible studies, and classic fellowship events like men's breakfasts can be safe spaces for people who don't go to church and offer a low-pressure way for them to return and get more involved.

Build A Welcoming, Outward Focused Church Culture

This one is something to do over time. Work toward a strong, welcoming culture in your church where members are always on the lookout for new people. This might look like creating a welcoming team that is near the entrance to the church and ready to greet anyone who walks in. It could also be as simple as encouraging members to reach out and invite friends, family, and neighbors to church events.

Pursue Excellence In Everything

This may seem obvious, but if you want people to return to your church, it's really important to pursue excellence in everything, including the little things. You should think about everything from the worship team to the children's ministry to the flavor of the coffee you serve your guests. It all matters. People notice everything. When you do things with excellence, it says that you really care about the guest experience. It says that you want people to come back.

Final Thoughts

You don't have to implement all these things at one time. In fact, you shouldn't. You'd spread yourself too thin trying to do too much and wouldn't do anything with excellence. Start with the main things. Preach the gospel and remind people of the central place the church plays in the life of the Christian. Move outward from there, keeping excellence as the standard you strive for.

And, of course, pray over everything. Because ultimately, it's going to be God who convinces a person to come back to church. 

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