Former Megachurch Pastor Goes Church Hopping as a Newcomer

Geoff Surratt Says Churches Need to Be Friendlier, Navigable Like 'Target'

When finally given the opportunity to simply attend, and not preside or preach at a given church on Sunday, two notable Christian leaders found out just how difficult it was to fit into and connect to a new church today.

Having no current pastoral obligations, Geoff and Sherry Surratt, who have both served extensively at churches like Seacoast and Saddleback, visited over the past few months nine different churches, attending as anonymous visitors.

"It has been an eye-opening experience," Geoff Surratt shared on ChurchLeaders.com. Discovering firsthand the obstacles of connecting with a new church, the former Seacoast Church executive pastor shared a few pointers on how to "make your church stickier" and retain visitors.

"None of these ideas are new or revolutionary, but I bet you think your church is a lot better at each one than you really are," the father of two noted. "Trust me on this; they're not."

For example, though most churches thought they were a friendly and welcoming group, in actuality, they had minimal contact with newcomers outside of the front door greeting.

From an outsider's perspective, a church could come off cold and unwelcoming because more often than not their greetings were never extended beyond the initial exchange. Keep reading