Churches want to be places that are open for people outside the congregation to visit. But are they perceived as such by those who aren’t Christian or who don’t currently have a church home? Understanding the external perceptions and expectations of church buildings can be key to outreach and mission.
In Making Space for Church Visitors, a Barna briefing produced in partnership with Aspen Group, we look at seven insights that shine light on the significance of the design and function of today’s churches, and how this impacts a church community’s ability to welcome visitors.
In this excerpt, we’ll highlight two of the seven insights featured in the briefing. Be sure to subscribe to Barna Access Plus so you can be one of the first to read the full release.
Visitors to Your Church Might Feel More Comfortable in Honest, Safe Spaces
To make space for potential church visitors is to make space for trust, transparency and safety. Barna’s Spiritually Open project repeatedly highlights how the general population today, including those outside the Church, are eager for honest faith. In fact, nearly one in three unchurched teens and adults (31%) tells Barna they would be “very comfortable” attending a Christian church where the pastor or priest openly discusses their doubts about Christianity as a manifestation of authenticity. In Making Space research, we also see that U.S. adults, including the churched and unchurched, seem to gravitate to what feels “authentic” versus “professional,” by wide margins.
