(By Carey Nieuwhof) It’s hard to believe, but according to people who study these things, first-time guests to your church make up their minds whether they’re coming back or not in the first 10 minutes of their visit. Think about that. Before they hear the first note of music, before they hear the first word of a sermon or before anyone stands up and says “welcome” in the service, most first-time guests have already made a conscious or subconscious decision about whether they’re coming back.
What might be hanging in the balance is someone’s opportunity to embrace Jesus. Recently, on Episode 132 of my Leadership Podcast, I had a far-ranging conversation on a guest’s first 10 minutes at a church with Greg Atkinson, author of Secrets of a Secret Church Shopper. You can listen in the player below, or better yet, subscribe to my podcast for free on: READ MORE
