by Jeff Hoglen | 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 | 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 Jeff Hoglen | Jul 7, 2023 | Church Leadership, Church Planting, Church Revitalization
In recent years, there has been a growing trend of people becoming disenchanted with traditional church structures. These individuals, known as the “dechurched,” have either left the church entirely or reduced their attendance. As church leaders,... 
by Stephen Gray | May 26, 2012 | Church Planting, Communication / Preaching, Outreach and Evangelism
I had a very interesting conversation with a colleague recently (Darrell MacLearn) about using the term “unchurched” to describe a person. It is a favored term among most of us in the church world. But, should we use the term to describe those outside the church?...