From Ghost Town to Growth Track

Sunday mornings used to mean something. Churches were full. Altars were active. Baptisms were regular. But if you’ve looked around lately, that’s not the reality in most worship centers across the U.S. Most churches look more like nearly-abandoned ghost towns than thriving communities.

The truth is, the church is still in decline. We’re not turning a corner, not yet anyway. And that’s despite growing evidence that people want more faith, more meaning, and more Jesus.

Take Gen Z men. They’re buying Bibles in droves, according to Barna. Many have shifted from “Done” to “Jesus follower.” But they’re doing it without the church. They’re not joining congregations. They’re not showing up on Sunday. And they’re definitely not getting baptized in the local baptistry.

So what gives?

There’s spiritual curiosity in the culture. But the church hasn’t figured out how to translate that interest into growth. We’ve got interest. We don’t have engagement. We’ve got seekers. We don’t have disciples. And if you’re tired of preaching to a ghost town every week, it’s time to start making changes that matter.

Here’s where to start.

Step 1: Stop Trying to Reach Everyone

Let’s just say it out loud: When you try to reach everyone, you reach no one.

This isn’t new advice. It’s a core marketing truth. But churches keep ignoring it like it doesn’t apply to them. It does. And if you keep trying to be all things to all people, you’ll keep getting what you’ve got: a whole lot of nothing. When you try to reach everyone, the reality is that you’re designing your worship, your music, your sermons, and even your coffee and fellowship for your existing congregation. The problem is, everyone in your community who looks like, believes like, things like, and behaves like your members are pretty much all already in your church or in someone else’s church. Trying to reach everyone isn’t a solution to the problem, it’s the problem itself.

Jesus didn’t do ministry like that. He didn’t say, “I’m here for anyone who wants to chat.” He said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” That’s not exclusion. That’s focus. He still ministered to Gentiles and Samaritans. But he knew who his tribe was. He knew who he was called to reach. And he spent the bulk of his time and energy on them.

You need to do the same.

Pick your target. The one group in your community that’s most likely to resonate with your message, your culture, and your people. The ones who’ll find a home in your congregation if you’ll just open the door and speak their language. That’s the tribe you start with.

Trying to be a church for everyone will leave you being a church for no one … except your already-sitting, already-saved, already-dying membership.

Step 2: Build an Effective Invite Strategy

So you picked a tribe. Good. Now go get them.

You need a strategy; but “Hope they show up” isn’t a strategy.

There are three common invite strategies, and you’re going to need at least one of them:

1. Networking: This is grassroots, relationship-based outreach. It works because people trust people. Period.
   
2. Leverage Community Events: Use them to build trust and curiosity. Don’t bait and switch. Be present, be kind, and be real.
   
3. Marketing: Yes, it’s what churches love to do. But no, it’s not the most effective option. Not by a long shot. If you’re serious about making disciples, you’re already in the marketing business — whether you admit it or not.
   

But here’s the catch: You’ve got to offer something worth inviting people to.

And for most churches, that means something other than what’s happening right now on Sunday morning.

Let’s be honest: your worship service was built for the people already in the pews. The songs are their favorites. The sermon is for their issues. The whole thing is a club meeting for card-carrying members. That’s fine for insiders. But it won’t bring outsiders through the doors – and IF they show up once, they’re not coming back.

Want to reach new people? Then do something new. And no, I’m not saying change your music … yet. But your preaching? Yeah, that needs a serious overhaul.

Jesus promised life … real life. Not more meaningful devotional passages. That “Abundant Life” promis meant:

• Marriages that don’t fall apart.
  
• Money that stretches past the 15th.
  
• Kids who turn into leaders, not addicts.
  
• Jobs that don’t make you hate getting out of bed.
  

Preach that – and preach it like you believe it’s possible through Christ. Then your target audience might actually show up, lean in, and stick around.

Once you’ve got something real to offer, go all in on your invite strategy. The first step in disciple-making today is relationship building, not a passive invitation to “come hear our pastor preach.”

Step 3: Create a Real Connecting Strategy

Let’s say you nailed the invite and someone new actually walks through your doors.

Now what?

Here’s what can’t happen: a limp handshake, a “Good morning, welcome to church,” and a fast retreat to the safety of your friends.

Nobody’s looking for a “friendly church.” They’re looking for friends. If your members don’t engage visitors like they’re at a barbecue instead of a board meeting, your visitors will never be back.

Hospitality isn’t about greeters and coffee. It’s about conversations and connections.

Start there. Then build a follow-up system that makes a lasting impression. And I mean fast. You’ve got four hours to follow up after someone visits for the first time. Not four days … Four Hours.

Then connect with them again at least three more times that week. (1) Send a handwritten note. (2) Send an informational email. (3) Tap out a “Looking forward to see you Sunday for Part 2 of Breaking Real Life Addictions” text. (4) Etcetera. Four touches minimum. But if you didn’t get their contact info? You’re sunk. So stop using guestbooks and pew pads. They don’t work.

And here’s the kicker: don’t stop following up after week one. If someone visits and never returns, keep them in your system. Create a process for significant reaching out for the first 30 days. Then a process for the next 90 days. And then at least a quarterly connection. Stay top of mind. Eventually, the Spirit may nudge them back. Be the church that never gave up on them.

That’s how you grow a church — not by waiting around for lightning to strike.

Ready to Make the Shift?

These three moves won’t fix everything. But they can stop the spiral. And they’ll start moving your church from ghost town to growth track.

I’ve packed more of these strategies into a free resource for you: Ghost Town to Growth Track: A Pastor’s Guide.

Download your copy now and start turning curiosity into commitment, visitors into disciples, and your empty pews into places of transformation.

Click here to get the guide.