The Importance of a Welcoming Church Environment for Newcomers

Church members make newcomers feel like a part of the family.

In Spring 2016, I had the opportunity to work on a research study that looked at effectively evangelistic churches. Using data from my own interviews as well as those from fellow research team members, I wanted to understand what activities help a previously unchurched person become part of a church. The research revealed a number of different answers.

Based on the interviews, however, the first and most important activity of effectively evangelistic churches is to offer a welcoming, inclusive environment most importantly on a Sunday morning, but extending into all of the endeavors of the church.

The majority of the answers from previously unchurched participants centered on feeling that the church community genuinely wanted to include them. Ten of eleven of those interviewed highlighted their amazement at being welcomed rather than encountering judgment and prejudice. Read More