How to increase church attendance: 10 ideas

Your church attendance might appear to be thriving on a full Sunday and still be quietly dying.

The regulars could quietly leave, one by one, and no one would know until the building was half empty. If you're wondering how to increase church attendance, your first responsibility is to discover those people who are absent and discover why.

Attendance isn't a measure of faith, but it is a sign of who's still around.

Here are 10 ideas to start this month. Many can be begun with your own records and some honest conversations; they are not a new program. One of the most critical ideas is one many leaders avoid, and it costs nothing.

No suggestion here can ensure a larger attendance. People will shuffle, job hop, and hit rough patches, and a church can't influence all of that. You do have influence over whether anyone even notices when people start to drift and react.

Idea 1: Ask your last 20 visitors how they heard about you

This will show you which of your efforts bring people in, so you can do more of what works.

• Use your last 20 first-time visitors. If you have less than 20, use all of them.

• Ask every individual only one question: "How did you come to know about our church ?"

• Write down the responses. All you need is a notebook.

Once the information is collected, group them into a handful of categories: a friend, family, spouse; a passer-by; a church event; an internet search; a wedding or a funeral.

Next, follow what you find. If the majority of visitors were informed about your church by a member, give the members something easy to hand out: a very small card with your service times. If most visitors saw your building, check your signboard and ensure the service times are accurate.

One caution: People may have heard of your church from multiple places but mention the most recent or freshest in their memory. Consider these responses as indicators, not a score.

Idea 2: Ask five neighbours what would make your church useful to them

People are more likely to come to a church where they are already being helped with something real in their community.

• Select five shops or houses in the neighborhood of your building.

• First, you get to introduce yourselves, and then ask two questions: "What is the biggest problem about living here today?" and "Is there anything a church can help with?"

• Listen. Do not invite  them to a service while in a conversation.

Identify one need you have the capacity to fill. A church situated in an area with a school might provide their meeting hall for quiet study space during examination times. A church adjacent to a market might make available a small meeting room to local groups.

It won't fill your seats next Sunday. It's about building trust, and a lot of the time trust is what makes an invitation to come next time feel less pushy.

Idea 3: Check that your service language fits the people around you

A visitor who cannot keep up will be less likely to come back, regardless of how warm the welcome is.

In some towns, people in the same street use one language, and a different language at home. The younger generation might find it easier to speak English than the mother tongue of their grandparents. Your service might be particularly suitable for one group of people more than another, but you might not know. Different places have different mixes.

• List the languages which are spoken in the homes surrounding your church.

• Compare that list against the wording of your sermons, songs, and announcements.

• Ask newcomers which language they follow and are comfortable with. Do not make a guess.

If there are gaps, be modest and start small. Give a brief welcome in an additional language. Display the words of the song (or the heart of the song) in the language on screen or paper. Provide translation, or offer to interpret, if asked by a visitor. Conduct one of the children's classes in the language spoken by the children.

Idea 4: Add one gathering that fits shift workers and students

There are those who desire to attend church but are unable due to their job or studies being scheduled during your times of service.

• List some people who often miss: shift workers, nurses, drivers, away-from-home students, anyone who works Sundays.

• Ask them - don't just ask those who already attend, what time is a time that would work.

• Start one additional meeting for a trial period of six to eight weeks.

It could be a prayer night on a weekday evening, an early service on a Sunday night, or a link online for students who are studying in a different city.

Change your core service time only after consulting the congregation. Moving one segment of the population might alienate another, and you may not discover it until a person's seat is empty.

Maintain the additional gathering small. There is an entrance back in, not a second church to operate.

Idea 5: Start a simple ride roster for members who cannot get there

Distance, hills, wind, rain, and ill health may prevent members from going out when they wish to.

• Ask in a face-to-face context - even in announcements-who has difficulty coming to church.

• Ask who already travels past their area.

• Match them up and let both parties agree before you share a number.

A third person has the list and keeps tabs on it each month. Select a pickup spot and time and designate a backup driver for when someone is away.

Make it safe. Family members, especially children and seniors, should be accompanied by a family member when in a vehicle. Follow the pickup and drop-off plan with no additional stops.

Check with drivers and passengers on a monthly basis to see if the ride sharing agreement is still working for them.

Idea 6: Call five people who stopped coming and just listen

It can help you identify what's driving those you want to attract away. It lets them know you've realised they are no longer there.

• Choose five people who came often before.

• Have a friend you trust make the call. It doesn't need to be the pastor.

• Mainly ask three questions: "What would you say has changed for you?" "Is there anything that we could have done differently?" "Is there anything you would like us to know?"

One principle comes before any of the questions. Listen; do not stand up for the church. Say thank you if someone speaks out with something painful.

Don't ask them to return to this call. Take notes on what you heard afterwards.

Five conversations won't tell your entire church story; take them as a clue to help you rectify the problem.

Idea 7: Make the first Sunday back easy after a long gap

Someone who has been away for months is staring down the value of coming back. One disastrous conversation can turn that decision into an easier choice to make.

They might not have a good reason to tell you, but reasons they don't want to talk about: death, divorce, financial problems, silent treatment. Make it easy for them to come back to you without an explanation.

What helps:

• Ask for them by their first name, the same way you do every other day.

• Let them sit anywhere.

• Invite them for tea afterward; nonetheless, no spotlight.

• Drop a quick line during the week: "Glad to see you on Sunday."

What does not:

• Where have you been?

• "We missed you at the last event."

• Announcing that they are back.

• Giving them a job straight away.

A note to your greeters and ushers before Sunday. They will be the first people to make a personal connection with your guest.

Idea 8: Give volunteers planned rest weeks so people can keep serving

A tired volunteer makes a very 'easy' target; often they retreat from the entire church environment, not just the ministry.

• Write down who is serving each week. The same few names are likely to keep popping up.

• Create a rota so every few weeks everyone is scheduled for a day off.

• Nominate a sub for each of the main roles e.g., sound desk, children's class, or the door.

• Consult  each volunteer on how you could make it easier for them to serve.

Say thank you without committing to a new task in the same breath.

Missing a Sunday doesn't mean you're burnt out. However, the ones carrying the most may be the ones who you immediately notice have been missing. Planning rest and responsibilities ensures a more planned, sustainable ministry.

Idea 9: Sort absences before you follow up

We tested our "we missed you" message in a bunch of different scenarios. It backfired if someone has been away for a reason: Sorting first makes sure we use the right message.

Come to an agreement on a follow-up trigger as a group - for instance, a specified number of weeks in a row. (your church might choose a different number of weeks depending on your standard attendance level) If a regular passes it, add them in one group:

If you are unsure where someone falls, reach out respectfully or, if relevant, consult a close contact. Waiting for a week is better than guessing wrong.

This follow-up must also be assigned to someone. And for a broader perspective on how churches allocate roles like this, read What Is Church Management: A Guide.

Idea 10: Track people and households, then review attendance for 5 minutes a month

You cannot  help people who are drifting if you don't know that they are drifting. Records bring it out early.

Log who attends each service and which household they belonged to. Count both. Headcount shows you who turned up. The household view will let you spot when a whole household has stopped.

Keep it small:

• Name, household, date, and present or absent

• A notebook or a spreadsheet or a church management system like Tabernacle -the program your team will actually use

• Information communicated only to the necessary few

Below is a synthetic example of a household sheet:

Household B never even gets noticed. The very first thing you see on a household sheet is it.

Next, allocate five minutes for a brief huddle at your monthly leadership meeting. Observe the pattern in the room. Designate an individual to discreetly follow up when there is a pattern that requires attention.

These are examples-not set limits. Compare them to your own church.

Look at every month of this year versus the same month of last year. If people are gradually leaving each August, you don't have to be surprised; you can make that work. If you are switching from paper to digital records, here's a guide to how to digitize church records.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can a church increase attendance?

Understanding reasons for departure makes new people feel welcome to reduce obstacles such as transport and engaging with the community. Take small, feasible steps and monitor progress.

Why do people stop attending church?

Here are the causes for leaving church: change of working time, illnesses, move away, problems, not feeling integrated into the church. The best way is to ask the people why and what is happening, and not jump to conclusions directly

How should a church track attendance?

Track attendance at every service - with a checklist on paper or a spreadsheet or your church management software. Review the figures monthly and look at trend lines, and let folks know when those who normally attend every week are missing.

When does an occasional dip turn into a genuine slide?

Compare attendance to the same months of previous years. If attendance usually increases after a seasonal downturn but drops further, then it could be down to other things.