by Jeff Hoglen, D.Min. | Dec 15, 2025 | Church Growth, Church Health
What keeps people away from church? If you answered “too many rules,” you’d be wrong. And you’re not alone—most church leaders think the same thing. We’ve been fighting the wrong battle. For years, we’ve worried that our standards... 
by Jeff Hoglen, D.Min. | Nov 20, 2025 | Church Growth, Church Planting
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Most churches don’t have a visitor problem. They have a barrier problem. Invisible walls that feel perfectly normal to insiders but absolutely insurmountable to outsiders. Understanding why first-time guests never come back... 
by Ron Edmondson | Aug 23, 2023 | Church Growth, Church Health, Church Planting, Church Revitalization
In making a first impression, the little things matter, so I once did an experiment. When a visitor shows up on one of our church campuses for the first time, the little things matter. Or when a parent decides to trust us with the care of their children, the little... 
by Brian Davis | Apr 14, 2022 | Church Health, Church Revitalization, Coaching
There are lots of opinions about what a local church should look like, but at its CORE, the local church is a body of believers who “should” have the goal of effectively reaching people who don’t have a relationship with God, and making their faith-journey as easy as... 
by Jeff Hoglen, D.Min. | Aug 31, 2021 | Church Health, Church Revitalization, Small Church / Rural Church
I think it’s common for church leaders to place friendly welcoming people at our front doors. Life can be tough so it’s always great to see a smiling face at church. There are a few blind spots that I think we should look at, however. Sometimes, we get...