Beyond the First Visit: The Complete Guide to Connecting Guests to Your Church [Paperback]

Gary L. McIntosh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2006

All churches like to think that theirs is the friendliest in town. But do visitors see it that way? Church consultant Gary McIntosh invites readers to take a look at their church through the eyes of visitors and potential visitors. His starting point, grounded in an understanding of God as a "welcomer," is that churches should see those who enter their doors as not merely visitors, but as guests, and themselves as gracious hosts. This practical book offers sound advice on assessing and improving the ways in which churches attract people, welcome them, do follow-up, and bring them into the church family. It also offers suggestions for making a welcoming attitude part of the very fabric of the local church.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Does your church put out the "Welcome" mat or the "Do not disturb" sign?

We all like to think that our church is the friendliest one in town. But do visitors see it that way? Church consultant Gary L. McIntosh invites you to take another look at your church through the eyes of a first-time guest to identify the things that might be holding them back from a second visit.

This very practical book offers sound advice on assessing and improving the ways in which your church attracts people, welcomes them, does follow-up, and brings them into the church family. More than simply offering mere techniques, it gives suggestions for making a welcoming attitude part of the very fabric of your church.

"McIntosh is a coach who knows the fundamentals of church life and outreach. Beyond the First Visit is an essential training tool on how to implement these fundamentals."--Dr. John W. Ellas, Center for Church Growth

"Gary McIntosh has learned, as a church consultant with years of experience, to see the churches he visits from the first-time guest's point of view. We have only one chance to make a first impression!"--Eddie Gibbs, Fuller Theological Seminary

"McIntosh's new book fills a long-standing void. No one (to my knowledge) since Lyle Schaller's Assimilating New Members, published in 1978, has addressed the challenge of effectively including new people in the church's life with this much background, savvy, and precision."--George G. Hunter III, distinguished professor of Evangelism and Church Growth, Asbury Theological Seminary

"This book is great! It's filled with practical ideas to tackle every local church's greatest challenge: how to connect and disciple new people. We have already begun to implement many of Gary's excellent ideas."--Dr. Gary D. Kinnaman, author, senior pastor, Word of Grace, Mesa, AZ

Gary L. McIntosh is professor of Christian Ministry and Leadership at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He is a former pastor with many years as a church consultant. He is the author or coauthor of thirteen books on church leadership and growth, and the editor of Church Growth Network and Journal of the American Society of Church Growth.

About the Author

Gary L. McIntosh is professor of Christian Ministry and Leadership at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He is a former pastor with many years as a church consultant, is the author or coauthor of thirteen books on church leadership and growth, and the editor of Church Growth Network and Journal of the American Society of Church Growth. McIntosh lives in Temecula, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Baker Books (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801091845
• ISBN-13: 978-0801091841
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #191,519 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gary L. McIntosh is professor of Christian Ministry and Leadership at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, and president of the Church Growth Network. He has consulted with church leaders in more than five hundred churches from fifty-five denominations. He is editor of the Church Growth Network newsletter and the Journal of American Church Growth. He has written or co-authored more than fifteen books and manuals.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 45 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Helpful but unremarkable... September 19, 2007

By Chad Oberholtzer

Format:Paperback

I'm on staff at our church in the area of First Impressions, and the subtitle of this book ("Connecting Guests to Your Church") is a major part of what I do. When I first saw this book, I knew that I needed to read it.

Quite frankly, I was disappointed on several fronts. First and foremost, this book felt like it was written for the church of the 1980s. I was taken aback by the almost complete failure to mention internet strategies. When it was discussed at the end of Chapter 5, it was almost as if the reader was supposed to be only vaguely aware that the "World Wide Web" even exists.

I was also frustrated by the rather hokey feel of many of McIntosh's suggestions. The DWYPYWD principle (Do what you promised you would do)? Come on, that's a ridiculous and utterly useless acronym. The rule of three-thirty-three? The MOT (Moment of Truth)? I just think that this stuff is silly.

I was disappointed by one underlying message throughout the book, that the purpose of making good connections with guests is to convince them to attend your church rather than another church. But this totally misses the point of caring about guests. We don't need to be very concerned about the folks who are going to end up at a church somewhere. Our energies should be directed to the folks who are going to choose between attending our church and never attending church again. Those are the folks for whom first impressions and guesterizing strategies should be focused.

Finally, I could not see how Chapter 13 fit into this book. In the midst of all of his connection strategies, McIntosh spends this chapter providing a brief summary of the emergent church movement. Maybe this primer would be helpful for older pastors who have missed the entire emergent thing (and have only recently discovered the World Wide Web and really enjoy acronyms like DWYPYWD), but it seemed completely out of place in this book.

Having been rather critical and even somewhat sarcastic so far in my review, "Beyond the First Visit" was not a complete loss. The strength of this book is that it is relatively comprehensive. McIntosh speaks into a host of topics and goes to great lengths to explain why each of these seemingly insignificant details is actually quite important. His attention to the little things is commendable and should help the reader be aware of the myriad of things that churches need to consider as folks outside the church investigate what we do every week when we come together for corporate worship.

Ultimately, I'm glad that I read this book. There is much good content that can help church leaders to think through the impression that they leave with guests. However, it was far from what it could have been. If you're looking to think about these things in a totally new and refreshing way, I'd recommend Mark Waltz's "First Impressions" instead.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth the read November 9, 2006

By Derek A. French

Format:Paperback

He has several, practical steps for making your church more hospitable. From the 10 foot rule, to the 5 minute rule, to such advice as "Recruit for attitude, Train for people for skills," it was worth the purchase.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical Advice for Churches July 26, 2008

By Judy Crowder

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The title of McIntosh's compelling book shoud be an eye-catcher for anyone concerned about how their church looks to visitors--or guests, as the author puts it. He offers thoughtful, practical ideas about church people in churchs of all sizes. This book is a compelling read and a great starting point for discussions.