The Come Back Effect By Jason Young And Jonathan MalmSample

Day Three

A Step Toward Knowing Jesus

Scripture: Hebrews 13:2

Clint Jenkin, vice president of Barna Research, once told me, “The guest is more concerned with being comfortable than knowing we’re glad they’re here.” Every church is glad that a first-time guest chose to visit. Not every church is able to make that guest feel comfortable when they are there. And that’s what a first-time guest truly values. 

Of course, this can feel like consumerism. After all, Jesus didn’t die on the cross so we could be comfortable coming to church. But at the same time, that doesn’t mean we need to make people feel uncomfortable when they enter our doorways. 

When we meet our guests where they are, we can surprise them with our knowledge of their expectations. We can provide what they’re looking for, then avoid the things they’re hoping they don’t experience.

Here are a few questions you can ask your team members and guests after a service or event:

• What worked well and made sense for the guest? 
• What’s wrong? Where did we miss the mark? 
• What’s missing? Was the guest expecting something that we didn’t anticipate? Coffee? Signage? 
• What’s confusing? What questions do we consistently answer? And what questions take the longest to answer? 

If 90 percent of people say the same thing consistently, there’s a good chance you need to do something about it. Also look for the why or the motive behind the feedback: “Why do you like this?” or “Why don’t you like this?” Often these individual stories will relate to a single personal experience. It might remind them of a good experience they had growing up in another church. Or they might have a different family background that made certain social taboos acceptable to them. Never make knee-jerk reactions to stories or single opinions. Always keep the big picture in mind. 

Know the guest, and the guest will want to know you. Remember that how you feel about a guest coming in will be reflected in how they feel about you going out. When you know the guest and they feel it, they’ll feel valued. But more than that, it is a step toward them knowing Jesus—all because you took the time to get to know them. 

What is the most consistent feedback you hear about the logistical elements of your church—signage, parking, childcare, Web site?