June 29th, 2026
by Will Earp, DMin
by Will Earp, DMin
Through the eyes of a visitor
I have spent the majority of my life as a member of one church. I guess you could say I was born a member of South Rocky Mount Church of God. Aside from a couple of visits with friends, I had only known this church. That means I literally knew every person in the church, and was known by them. South was not a small church. We had a decent-sized congregation, and yet everyone seemed to know everyone. I never thought about what it was like to come to church and not know anyone. Even when I visited with friends, they were as connected at their church as I was, so we blended right in. On multiple occasions during those visits, we would even be thrown right into a youth choir or performance. Most church kids will understand how that happens.
In December of 2025, my family stepped away from pastoring for an extended sabbatical. The Sunday after stepping down, our family quickly realized we were church-homeless. Most ministers who transition from one assignment to another rarely have the extended period of uncertainty we felt. After having pastored in our hometown for almost seven years, we wanted to get out of Rocky Mount. We didn’t want to have to explain why we were there every Sunday morning, so we went just out of town to a great church where a good friend pastors. This church is large enough to blend in and have time to rest, heal, and, most of all, worship the Lord.
These last six months have given me a rare opportunity that I wish more pastors could experience. At this church, only a handful of people knew us, and most Sundays, because we attended different service times, we rarely saw them. Here, I didn’t try to be a visiting pastor or even a minister. We are just the family that slips in and sits in the back. We have all seen those in our churches. They come in quietly, speak to a few people, speak to the pastor on occasion, and when they leave, people ask who they were.
We have taken a few Sundays to visit around and see what other churches are doing, and how they handle visitors, and the experience has been valuable. At some churches, we were treated as old friends who just never really officially met; at one, we felt like an intrusion, and at another, I wondered if the people around me were visitors too; everyone seemed to mind their own business, have their church, then leave.
One of the most important keys to growing a church is closing the back door. Even the smallest of churches can get a visitor in the door, but can they keep them? For social media influencers, it's called the hook. If you ever catch yourself doomscrolling, those videos you are watching know that they have two seconds to capture your attention and draw you into watching the rest of the video. The best at it have the best hooks. Does your church have a good hook? I can tell you, there are churches we have visited where, by the time we sat down, we knew it was a one-time visit, and at others we were intrigued and wanted to see more.
When was the last time you tried to experience your church as a guest? Here is my challenge. Let the service start without you. Go out in the parking lot and walk in as a visitor would. Are your people standing at the door, ready to greet you, caught up in a conversation and missing you completely, or not even there? Would someone coming into your church know which door to use? Would they know what services you have to offer? Would they feel welcomed or overwhelmed? Don’t leave them alone, but also don’t be like Radiator Springs in the movie Cars.
To do things better, we have to change our perspective. That visitor is not just an opportunity to grow your church, but also to change their lives and their family's lives forever and to build the kingdom of God. Next Sunday, slow down, step out of the formalities, and look at things like you haven’t in a long time, as a visitor.
I have spent the majority of my life as a member of one church. I guess you could say I was born a member of South Rocky Mount Church of God. Aside from a couple of visits with friends, I had only known this church. That means I literally knew every person in the church, and was known by them. South was not a small church. We had a decent-sized congregation, and yet everyone seemed to know everyone. I never thought about what it was like to come to church and not know anyone. Even when I visited with friends, they were as connected at their church as I was, so we blended right in. On multiple occasions during those visits, we would even be thrown right into a youth choir or performance. Most church kids will understand how that happens.
In December of 2025, my family stepped away from pastoring for an extended sabbatical. The Sunday after stepping down, our family quickly realized we were church-homeless. Most ministers who transition from one assignment to another rarely have the extended period of uncertainty we felt. After having pastored in our hometown for almost seven years, we wanted to get out of Rocky Mount. We didn’t want to have to explain why we were there every Sunday morning, so we went just out of town to a great church where a good friend pastors. This church is large enough to blend in and have time to rest, heal, and, most of all, worship the Lord.
These last six months have given me a rare opportunity that I wish more pastors could experience. At this church, only a handful of people knew us, and most Sundays, because we attended different service times, we rarely saw them. Here, I didn’t try to be a visiting pastor or even a minister. We are just the family that slips in and sits in the back. We have all seen those in our churches. They come in quietly, speak to a few people, speak to the pastor on occasion, and when they leave, people ask who they were.
We have taken a few Sundays to visit around and see what other churches are doing, and how they handle visitors, and the experience has been valuable. At some churches, we were treated as old friends who just never really officially met; at one, we felt like an intrusion, and at another, I wondered if the people around me were visitors too; everyone seemed to mind their own business, have their church, then leave.
One of the most important keys to growing a church is closing the back door. Even the smallest of churches can get a visitor in the door, but can they keep them? For social media influencers, it's called the hook. If you ever catch yourself doomscrolling, those videos you are watching know that they have two seconds to capture your attention and draw you into watching the rest of the video. The best at it have the best hooks. Does your church have a good hook? I can tell you, there are churches we have visited where, by the time we sat down, we knew it was a one-time visit, and at others we were intrigued and wanted to see more.
When was the last time you tried to experience your church as a guest? Here is my challenge. Let the service start without you. Go out in the parking lot and walk in as a visitor would. Are your people standing at the door, ready to greet you, caught up in a conversation and missing you completely, or not even there? Would someone coming into your church know which door to use? Would they know what services you have to offer? Would they feel welcomed or overwhelmed? Don’t leave them alone, but also don’t be like Radiator Springs in the movie Cars.
To do things better, we have to change our perspective. That visitor is not just an opportunity to grow your church, but also to change their lives and their family's lives forever and to build the kingdom of God. Next Sunday, slow down, step out of the formalities, and look at things like you haven’t in a long time, as a visitor.
Will Earp, DMin
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