Gabe Kolstad here – multi-time Advanced Coaching Alumni with Nelson and Senior Pastor of Westside Community Church in Beaverton, Oregon.

Everyone’s welcome, but not everyone is equally interested.  You love everyone, but you can’t help everyone equally.  Depending on the “draw” of your church certain people will be more likely to show up and stick.

Three ways to attract the people you’ll best reach:

1) INVEST IN YOUR WEBSITE.  Your home page is the front door of your church.  It’s the first taste of what you have to offer.

Keep it simple, clean, and focused on turning online guests into Sunday guests.  Use a “welcome” or “what to expect” video to showcase the live experience and introduce yourself personally.

At our church, our Sunday guest numbers skyrocketed when we finally took this step (don’t put it off like we did!).

2) PICK A STYLE.  Style determines who shows up.

In our setting we realize we can best reach unchurched young families.  So we try to remove barriers & help this crowd connect to Jesus.  For us, this means we…

• Play secular music before & after the service
• Don’t dress up
• Use everyday language
• Laugh at ourselves
• Show clips from movies & TV shows in our messages
• And anything else we can do to relate

The people who like it end up inviting their unchurched friends – and we attract more of the people we can best help.

And the people who don’t like it simply don’t come back!

3) TELL A GOOD STORY.  When people walk into your church they look for someone they can relate to.

Even more than our music or sermons, sharing people’s experiences can create a sticking point for those you can best serve.

People relate with other people who have a similar struggle, and when you share from the stage it gives everyone in the audience permission to be honest and engage in the journey.

Once this catches on, you’ll have friends bringing friends because they know they’ll be able to relate.

Gabe

P.S. I just heard that Nelson is RETIRING from his Live Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network after the Feb 2013 Network!

Don’t miss this FINAL opportunity to partner with Nelson for 12 months for maximum personal and church growth…

Click the link below to learn more and sign up today:

www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/telecoaching

© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.