The Top 20 Questions Church Searchers Ask When Looking for a Church

by William Cowles

You may have met many visitors at your church over the years and never had one ask you a single question. Not surprised. It takes courage to ask personal questions of complete strangers, and church searchers already are under the pressure of being new people in new places. But, even though they don’t ask, rest assured they have some serious information needs.

Ministry leaders, hospitality team members, and members need to be on the lookout (or is that “listen-out?”) for visitor questions asked and unasked. Churches that provide answers to questions before they have to be asked demonstrate a high level of hospitality and welcome. They quickly put strangers at ease and open up a great opportunity for positive connection.

From our experience being church searchers and interviewing church searchers, there are 20 key bits of information that test whether or not church searchers perceive their visits as possible, positive, and potentially leading to more visits.  

Answering the following key visitor questions lets your guests know that you’re thinking about their visit as much as they are.

Basic Hospitality…

Put your visitors at ease with good information and good directions. It’s as simple as answering these questions:

1.       What should I wear?

2.      Where should I park?

3.       What door should I enter?

4.      Where do I get information?

5.      Where should I sit?

Personal Stress Factors…

No one comes to a church looking for rejection, but we naturally guard against it when meeting new people. Consider how you communicate the answers to these questions to reduce the anxiety that comes with new people and places:

6.      Will they accept me as I am – even if I’m different?

7.       Will they judge me – blame me, shun me – for my past or present circumstances?

8.      Can I ask questions and express doubts without being rejected?

9.      Do I have to know what’s in the Bible?

10.   What if I don’t know how to pray?

11.   Will I be asked to stand up and identify myself as a visitor – or wear a special nametag?

12.   Am I expected to give money?

“What’s Next?” Questions…

Visitors want to know your church – your hopes, your dreams, your values, and your faith. They also want to know if these are compatible with their own hopes, dreams, values, and faith desires.  Like any healthy, thriving relationship, a firm foundation of trust is a must. So answer these questions for them right from the start:

13.   What is the church’s purpose?

14.   What makes this one different from other churches?

15.   What is their vision for the future?

16.   Do they believe what I believe?

17.   Do they have a way for me to connect with other people?

18.   How do they help me learn about God and Jesus?

19.   Are they well-managed or in financial trouble?

20.  Where did the pastor come from – what qualifies him/her?

So, how do you deliver all of the information visitors are seeking about your church without inundating them with volumes of material? In next week’s blog, we’ll answer this question with some practical tips on how to use seven key church communication tools.

Now, how about you? From your experience, what other questions are important to a church searcher?