Why Do People Attend Church?

Will Mancini is the founder of the church vision coaching service Auxano and the author of the blog "Clarity Changes Everything". He writes that there are three reasons why people come to church for the first time:

Something is Missing. The seeming fullness of a life (full of appointments, responsibilities, comforts, distractions, opportunities, etc.) does not indicate a full and healthy spirit. People may have everything, but a life-event or a time of reflection leaves them wondering what is missing. Are all the accomplishments of career, health and relationship enough? Mancini asks, "How does your church equip believers to engage people who are missing something?"

I would suggest that we engage others most effectively and with integrity when we tell our own stories. The stories of the faith are most compelling when we own them. What would be missing from our lives if we did not have faith in Jesus Christ?

We may not be able to accuse a friend, colleague or family member of having an "empty life" (how can we really know?), but we can talk clearly about what makes our life full. How does faith inform our purpose in life?

Something is Broken. It is my experience that when I move to serve a new congregation it takes two to three years to hear the real hurts of congregation members. I will minister to the public pain, illness and death, but the deep hurts stay buried until there is a level of trust. Many people come to church hurting. The hurt might be a dull ache from life regrets or the sharp pain of a marriage that is falling apart. Mancini asks, "Whether people are overtly hurting or trafficking in hidden hurt, how is your church poised to connect with them? Do you have an atmosphere that is conductive to restoration and where it is safe to be 'messed up'?"

These are insightful questions. I believe that the majority of church attenders desire with all their hearts that church be a safe and restorative place for healing. And yet, church cannot be that kind of place without congregation members willing to be vulnerable themselves. A church that is safe for those whose lives are "messed up" is a church where a good number of those present understand that "messed up" is a typical state of being.

One of the greatest tools I've been given in my service as a pastor is permission to refer those who are hurting to those who have gone through the same struggles. I have seen people experience death of a loved one, chronic pain, recovery from addiction or bankruptcy, then minister to others from those broken places. It is humbling and it makes faith real.

As the Body of Christ, we depend on all the "parts" of the body to lead a full life. We know that God does not desire that we go it alone. How can we demonstrate in our worship, our small groups and classes, and in our mission efforts a vulnerability, an acceptance of our own brokenness that will help others?

Something is New. Another reason that people attend church for the first time is because something new is happening in their lives: a new marriage, a new home, a new baby, a new job in a new location, new friends. Mancini challenges the church, "What does your church do to leverage the 'new zones' that people in your community are going through?"

This is a very real reason why people attend Brighton First for the first time. They may be sending their first child to preschool at First Steps Preschool on our church's campus. They may be new residents in the Brighton area or be newly married. They may have a new baby and are seeking a church home in which to raise their children. They may even be new to the Christian faith.

Is our church prepared to welcome people at new stages? Can we make any assumptions about the people who choose to visit Brighton First?

We cannot simply be prepared to be "us" and expect new attenders to figure out how to fit in. Whether people attend to explore what's missing from their lives, to find healing in brokenness or to make a new start, it is the responsibility of the congregation of Brighton First to meet people where they are with a welcoming spirit.