Becoming a Friendlier Church

Help visitors become members

Recognize what prevents visitors from feeling welcome. Discover methods to welcome new members into your church. Identify how you and your church can grow in hospitality.

In Becoming a Friendlier Church, Matthew D. Kim calls attention to the crisis of unfriendliness that prevents many churches from welcoming new people into their community. Using concrete examples, Kim shows how even churches that think themselves friendly can unintentionally communicate insularity, apathy, busyness, prejudice, and the pursuit of comfort. Instead, a welcoming church pursues open communication, gratitude, intentionality, hospitality, and celebration. Embracing these practices can help your community embrace new people and set them on a pathway of belonging and discipleship.