By Matt Tullos
Special assistant to the executive director
I absolutely believe that most churches long to be welcoming to first-time guests and new attendees. But there is a gaping chasm between having a desire to reach people and doing the things that must be done to reach people.
Here is a deacon dare, if you will: Ask yourself these 14 questions. Some of them are hard to answer, especially for a longtime member. When you’re a part of one church culture for years, blind spots happen. These questions are laser surgery for culture cataracts.
1. How cluttered is your space?
It’s easy to overlook the useless items laying around your church. Whether it is a Christmas tree in late February unsuccessfully hidden behind a fundraising display that ended two weeks ago or a number of bulletins from past Sundays on your pews ready and willing to confuse the members and visitors alike, take a look around and cut out the clutter. [Read more…]


