Is your church a welcoming one?
In 2025, the Bible Society unveiled its research report, The Quiet Revival. The report 'started to challenge the idea that the Christian faith was waning'.
The original research is now known to have been faulty, and the Bible Society have removed the original report from their website.
Despite that, many churches in Lichfield Diocese tell of young people showing up at church with deep questions and a thirst for connection.
Walking into a church for the first time is daunting. Churches differ widely in culture and style, so even an established churchgoer can feel apprehensive. For a newcomer, the feelings can be even more profound. Do I belong? Will they accept me? What do I have to do? Do I need to pay?
A good welcome is critical in helping a newcomer know your church is for them!
What sort of a welcome does your church offer? Do newcomers feel both welcome, and safe? Can they get both the connection they need, and the peace to settle in? Are you able to tell them what's going on, without making them feel pressured to join in?
A good welcome is a skill to be learnt. Whether it's Sunday worship, or community outreach like Places of Welcome it doesn't just happen automatically. The Everybody Welcome resources, first developed in Lichfield, are available here and may be a useful starting point to thinking through your welcome.