Former pastor and church insider Shaun King recently shared a list of 10 honest thoughts as a church outsider. We shared it on Twitter, but it’s too good to let it disappear into the fog of social media. Here are the high points:
- Church nurseries smell. Empty the diaper pail and get some air freshener.
- Adults who love a church will leave if their kids don’t like it. Children’s ministry matters.
- Make the announcements short and sweet.
- “The sermons are rarely memorable.” Make that sermon tweetable.
- Church shouldn’t feel like a time warp.
- Churches have no idea how to use people’s skills. Find a meaningful way to put people to work where they work best.
- “I’ve gotten lost in every church I’ve ever attended.” Get some interior signage to point the way.
Read Shaun’s original blog post for more details and the rest of the list.
Kristy
April 10, 2013
I love all of your points and recently wrote something very similar!
The last point is so relevant about getting lost. I have found that this is much more than a signage issue (even though I totally agree!). People are getting lost in the crowd and leaving because no one ever “sees” them. Developing a system to welcome, direct and love on guests is key!