A church should foster the spiritual development of all who visit, attend, and call it home. As a pastor or ministry leader, you may wonder how to promote church growth so your congregation can thrive. Improving attendance creates community and connects people to your mission. Consider ways to make people of all ages feel welcome in your church, including young families with children.

Youth and children’s programs are vital to your church’s mission because they develop the leaders of the next generation. Explore some of the reasons why installing an indoor playground at your church can help attract families and meet the needs of your broader community.

THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPROVING CHURCH ATTENDANCE

Attendance connects visitors and members to the mission of your church. A healthy worship experience includes ministries that inspire faith and build community. The key in your church growth strategies is to promote engagement rather than focusing on the number of people who attend.

Take your congregation’s worship experience to the next level by transforming attendees into people passionate about their faith. Rather than creating a church that simply meets the needs of the community, you want everyone to be involved to develop a sense of belonging and encourage faithful attendance.

Engaged attendees are more likely to participate in ministries and invite their friends to a worship service. They live the mission of their church and help others see their unique vision. Having passionate members can make your church grow naturally.

TIPS TO INCREASE CHURCH ATTENDANCE

You can encourage people in your local community to visit your place of worship by following these tips:

1. Create a welcoming church environment

Give guests a great first impression of your place of worship when they walk through the front door. Newcomers or those who haven’t been to church in a while often have doubts about where they belong. If you make everyone feel included, they will be more likely to come back.

Try to understand how newcomers feel so they feel as comfortable as possible. Make an effort to ask for their names and obtain their contact information to send them resources about your church’s programs. You can also have someone send them a follow-up note after the service. A family can invite them to dinner to get to know them better. Having excellent follow-up and welcome methods humanizes your church and establishes fellowship among your congregation.

Seating quality and comfort for your congregation is also very important. Church chairs with foams and arms are more comfortable than wooden pews and are now more and more popular for worship centers. It is a good alternative for congregations to worship for hours.

2. Offer online services

Expecting congregation members to attend church each week can make them feel isolated and guilty. Between health issues, work obligations, or family commitments, they may have to miss an in-person Sunday gathering. Offer your church members and newcomers the opportunity to view your services online so they can be part of the worship experience from home, work, or on vacation.

Even when physically removed from the church community, members can connect through online worship and learning. New families can find out if your church is a good fit for them by looking online before committing to an in-person service.

3. Ask your congregation for feedback

Sometimes, between administrative tasks and sermon preparation, it is difficult for church leaders to see the big picture of meeting the needs of their community. Try asking your visitors and members to weigh in on their worship experience so they can participate in the decision-making. They will be happy to provide you with helpful advice and suggestions, especially if it means your church will better suit your needs and wants.

Send a survey to first-time visitors and long-time members of the church about what they’ve been feeling lately. Ask them questions about their worship experience, the relevance of their sermons, and the volunteer and recreational activities available. Next, have a meeting with your staff about what you would like to change to make your church more welcoming and attractive to your community.

4. Encourage church members to bring friends

Talk often about the importance of inviting friends and family to an in-person worship service. Whether the member’s friend is religious or he is skeptical, hearing someone he trusts recommend a place to spend a Sunday morning can encourage him to come. Maybe you want to have a designated day where everyone brings someone for the first time to make all the newcomers feel like they belong. It is also helpful to have a virtual or printed invitation explaining your church’s programs and service times.

5. Share videos on social networks

Posting a video of your church activity is like offering viewers a trailer before watching the movie. Many people interested in attending church want to know what your sermons are about and what you do before visiting a service in person.

You can use your phone to record what’s happening on a Sunday morning or take some clips of your most recent sermon. When you post the video online, encourage your parishioners to share it with their friends and family who may be interested in attending.

6. Promote small church groups

Church focuses on community and the transformative power that faith brings to each member of his congregation. During a typical church service, attendees listen and go home. They need intimate gatherings in small groups that help them feel a sense of belonging.

Small groups grow your church because they foster vulnerability and responsibility which is difficult to achieve on a Sunday morning. When everyone is part of a small group, they feel connected to the church as a whole. These meetings also allow your staff to recognize and train potential church leaders.

7. Challenge people to serve

After your members have attended for a while, you can encourage them to take their faith to the next level. Church volunteers are committed to the mission. Being part of the different ministries of their church allows them to put their beliefs into practice. Serving reminds your congregation of the big picture and promotes a selfless attitude among members of your community.

When visitors come to your church for the first time, they often wonder where they fit in. Strike up conversations to discover their interests, whether they like to cook or enjoy working with children. Inform them about the different ministries available to help them determine where they fit. Serving in the church allows them to use their gifts and interests to bless others.

8. Focus your programs around a mission

Your church programs should focus on the overall mission to keep people engaged. Include ministries that help your congregation feel involved and connected to your beliefs and values. People may become overwhelmed or lose interest if you give them too many options. Keep your programs simple and help your members see the church as a vital community rather than a club that exists to serve their needs.

Since your church has a limited amount of time and resources, you should focus on activities that enhance your mission. When you get rid of irrelevant programs, you focus on the ministries that matter to you and your church.

HOW TO ATTRACT FAMILIES TO YOUR CHURCH

People of all ages enjoy family churches because of the vitality that children bring to the community. Younger people want a place to belong, where their children are free to be themselves. Since young adults are more likely to step out in faith and bring their children to church, investing in families is a necessary part of their mission.

A healthy children’s ministry points to a thriving church. Think about what matters to parents and children so you can meet their needs when visiting and attending worship. Follow these tips to make them feel welcome and help them fit into your community.

1. Facilitate parental attendance and participation

Parents with little ones at home struggle to get out the door and get to church on time. Instead of judging them or making them feel guilty for being late, meet them at the door and help them feel welcome. Consider some of these ways to make it easier for young families to attend:

Post clear and simple signs: When parents arrive late, it can be difficult for them to find their way around the church. Use signs with large fonts that are easy for them and their children to read and let them know where to go.

Assign volunteers to help young families: Encourage those serving at your church to look for parents who may be struggling in the parking lot or lobby with their children. A friendly face makes them feel welcome, but it helps if your volunteers go the extra mile to make them feel special. A designated member could make a cup of coffee for a single parent or accompany them to daycare.

Get young families involved in your church: Parents may feel they cannot volunteer because of their lack of availability. Invite them to serve in a ministry that does not require them to arrive at church on time so they can continue to feel part of the congregation. You should also offer children’s programs during the worship service to help them find their place in the church.

Streamline the registration process: Having an organized children’s ministry gives parents peace of mind when dropping off their children before the church service. Offer parents a quick and convenient registration process, and take their contact details so you can contact them if their children need them.

Do background checks on your volunteers: Another way to give young families peace of mind is to have all of your children’s ministry workers go through a background check and emergency training.

2. Make children feel involved and welcome

Congregation members involved in children’s ministry must have genuine love and care for children. Parents can distinguish between people who feel called to offer support and encouragement to their children and those who serve out of obligation. You can show love to the children who attend your church:

Remembering their names: Children feel welcome and included when volunteers call them by name. Do your best to remember who visits your church and have a system for collecting names.

Let children be children: Little ones can be distracting during the religious service when they ask questions or start crying. Your church should focus on letting children be themselves and giving parents grace when their children get nervous. Allow parents to calm their crying babies during the church service. It also helps to provide them with a place to take their children so they can continue listening to the sermon while calming them down.

Give mothers a designated nursing area: Babies need a comfortable, private place to eat. Mothers may feel uncomfortable breastfeeding their babies in public or in the bathroom. Giving them a place to watch the sermon while feeding their children makes them feel like they belong instead of being a burden.

3. Foster relationships around young parents and children

Young parents often lack a set of close friends due to schedules packed with work and family responsibilities. Your church can offer an opportunity for young families to meet and connect with each other. You can build relationships and create a sense of belonging between parents and children through:

Create small groups for parents: When parents connect with other people, their children can become friends too. Since young families often have busy schedules, it is a good idea for small groups to meet at a convenient time, such as a Sunday morning. You may also consider offering childcare for small groups that meet during the week.

Pair families with older couples: It is helpful for younger families to connect with people who are ahead of them in their faith journey. Encourage older couples to take young parents to dinner or sit with them during the service. These contacts allow parents to ask questions and feel supported. Your children will also enjoy having older partners in their lives who can share stories and encourage them.

Reach out to young families regularly: After a young family visits your church, ask someone to call them to see if they enjoyed the service. This simple gesture makes families feel like a part of your church and helps you figure out how to meet their needs.

Advantages of youth programs and indoor playground equipment for church programs

Investing in the children and youth of your congregation creates an environment that fosters the spiritual, social, and physical growth of people of all ages. Explore some of the ways having a church playground and youth programs can benefit your church community:

1. Build camaraderie

Families in your community want a safe place to bring their children that also provides support and opportunities for the community. Children who interact on a playground learn positive social skills, such as empathy and teamwork, which will help them establish relationships with other people their age. Making friends at church will encourage children to come back so they can play again. By interacting with each other and participating in new activities, they can develop new interests and have fun with those around them.

2. Encourages mentorship and spiritual responsibility

It is a challenge to be a child or a teenager in these times. As children grow and develop, they need mentors who model a life of faith outside of their family members and who reflect the values they learn at home. Youth programs and children’s activities offer young people a place to ask questions and form relationships with those older than them. It also allows older teens to serve the younger generation, applying what they have learned over the years.

Children and teens also need accountability to help them make better decisions when they interact with friends at school, start work, and participate in extracurricular activities. They need a place where they can confess their mistakes and share their goals with those around them. Youth programs allow them to share their struggles and successes with people who are going through similar situations.

3. It makes spiritual truths relevant

After attending Sunday school, children and teens need a place to reinforce what they have learned so they can remember it as they grow up. Youth programs offer teens a safe place to discuss and share what they have learned in church and what they are reading in the Bible so they can put these truths into practice.

Bible learning can also take place in a church playground. A church-themed playground offers children a space to explore ideas and stories from Scripture in a fun and engaging environment. When children associate education with fun, they are more likely to remember what they have learned.

4. Demonstrate a family-friendly environment

News about your church can travel quickly through your community. Install large signs at the entrances to your church’s playground and even on the outside of your building to show young families that there is a place for their children to play. If you advertise an indoor playground for children to use during the church service, you will invite people to come see what your church is all about.

A children’s play area communicates your desire to facilitate a family church. It will also encourage children to ask their parents to visit the church. Showing your community that you love children will attract young families and help them on their spiritual journey.

The new generation brings a unique perspective to the church and provides ideas that can strengthen your congregation. You can attract new parents to your church by advertising your new playground. Giving children a place to play with each other fosters camaraderie among parents who bring their children after the service. As a result, parents are more likely to attend so their children can play and they can see their new friends.

5. Promotes healthy physical activity

As children grow, they need to participate in activities that encourage them to develop healthy bones and muscles. While playing together and individually, you can release your energy and build healthy bodies. Helping children develop an exercise routine at an early age encourages them to continue as they mature into adulthood. By providing an environment that promotes physical growth and development, you show the community that you care about children and want to see them thrive.

Leadcom Seating has over 25 years of expertise and experience in providing complete seating solutions for churches, worship centers, and synagogues. When you work with us, you can rest assured your project is in good hands, and best fit your budget and the available space in your church building. Browse our church seating products here to get an idea of how to find the best seating.

church seating

church chairs

seats for worship