Episode Details

How well do you really know the people showing up at your church?

In this episode of the Church Staff Book Club, we unpack Chapter 3 of The Come Back Effect and dive into the challenge of creating welcoming church experiences. Not just for the crowd you already have, but for the guests God is sending your way.

🎯 Whether you’re a guest services leader, pastor, or volunteer, this episode will challenge how you think about hospitality, spiritual assumptions, church culture, and guest comfort.

🎙️ We discuss:

• Why some “welcoming” experiences actually make guests uncomfortable
• The difference between demographics and psychographics (and why both matter)
• How churches accidentally create experiences for staff instead of visitors
• What foot-washing and awkward song lyrics can teach us about cultural assumptions
• How to spot your real “target” guest and why specificity increases impact
• Why signage, language, margin, and pace make or break the guest experience
• The difference between hospitality and service (and why your church needs both)

👥 Who this episode is for:

Church staff, guest services teams, worship leaders, communications directors, hospitality teams, volunteer coordinators, and pastors who want to build a culture that makes people feel seen, known, and comfortable from the parking lot to the pew.

📚 Book featured: The Come Back Effect by Jason Young & Jonathan Malm

🎧 Subscribe for a new chapter each week as we walk through powerful leadership books so you never have to learn to lead alone.

💬 Question for you:

What’s one moment in your church that might accidentally make a guest uncomfortable? How could you tweak it to show care?

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