Fast Facts: Jan/Feb 06

On an average Sunday, about two percent of Nazarene worshipers consider themselves visitors. Some are guests who regularly attend other churches, but about one in three are not currently attending anywhere else. For a church averaging 100 in worship attendance, this means that approximately one new family is checking out the church every month. What can a church do to make these people want to return? The U.S. Congregational Life Survey conducted in 2001 asked Nazarenes to describe what they liked about the churches they attend. Those who were "formerly unchurched," the people who had not been religiously involved before but were attracted to their current church, gave some interesting responses. Participants were asked to choose three things they personally valued most about a church. This is how they responded:

• Preaching, sermons, or homilies     43%
• Bible study, prayer groups, and other discussion groups     28%
• Ministry for children or youth     25%
• Contemporary music in worship service     25%
• Traditional music in worship service     24%

Based on the last two items, we can assume that music is important, but that musical tastes vary as much among the unchurched as they do among any other group of people. Another key finding is that 64% of the formerly unchurched have at least some close friends in the congregation. This supports the idea that a follow-up visit by a minister may be expected, but meeting laypeople from the church is essential to connecting new people to the congregation.

 

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