We live in a microwave world. Time is our most precious commodity, so we favor anything that speeds up the process. Instant oats. Instant potatoes. Instant copies. Instant answers. Even love at first sight.

Relationships don’t fit on the microwave turntable. They’re more of a crock pot kind of affair. They take time to build and to nurture.

It would be nice if a first-time visitor could build a an instant relationship with your church and with you. If relationships could be built during someone’s first visit, churches would be BOOMING! The problem is, relationships take time to build. And that infers two implications:

First: If your worship service, if the setting, if the style, if the music isn’t relevant and compelling, if the sermon is irrelevant, then your first time visitors won’t come back as returning guests.

Second: If they don’t come back, there’s no chance of relationship building. And if members of your congregation aren’t intentionally and actively working on building those relationships when they do come back, even a returning guest will drift away.

Church Growth Crockpot Recipe:

• One Tablespoon Relevant Worship
• Quarter Cup of Radical Hospitality
• One Pound of active Relationship Building
• Stir all ingredients together in a crockpot and give it time … and lots of attention.