Two Doors of the Church

There are two doors at the church that we need to watch. The first one is the front door---the main entrance where people usually enter. We gauge how things are going by counting the number of people who show up. We put much effort into getting people through that door. We make announcements, distribute bulletins or newsletters, and put up signs on the church lawn or along the road to attract people to the front door. Few people searching for a church nowadays rely on these methods to find their way in the front door. Churches need to consider where people are in this digital age in regards to their social media and websites. According to pew research, a whopping ninety-two per cent of people use the internet, and seven out of ten are active on social media. Thus, I challenge you to look for your church online and on social media. Is it easy to find the location, service times, and other basic information that will lead them to the front door? When I tried to locate many of our churches during my first year as AMS, I found very little information available online to guide me to the front door. It's crucial that we present ourselves well online as that's our new church sign.

Now, let's examine the second door we must watch---the back door. We often neglect to keep track of how many people are leaving through this door. They're walking away from the church, and we need to figure out why and take the necessary steps to fix it. Small groups and Sunday School are vital in preventing people from slipping out the back door. Properly ministering to large groups can only be done effectively within the context of smaller groups. Some churches experience a constant stream of new members and believers coming in through the front door while at the same time many are slipping out through the back door. This usually indicates a lack of strategic, disciple-making. Both doors are equally important, and we need to give them equal attention.