Church leaders understand the importance of nurturing a strong, growing community of believers and the sacrifices, labor, and toil it requires. That is why the challenges of attracting new members while retaining existing ones can feel overwhelming.

The health and vitality of your church depend on the strength of relationships within the community, and it often comes back to giving people reasons to stay within that community.

The solution often involves identifying strategies leaders can use to reach new members and show them the beauty of their community while also helping current members grow within the family.

How to grow your church attendance

Growing your church means you’re looking to show even more people the benefits of fellowshipping with you; your congregation has found a community that supports their faith, and you want more people to benefit from that.

Maintaining this perspective can go a long way when implementing plans to increase church attendance. Here are some specific steps you can take.

1. Build a supportive community

A strong, supportive community is often the cornerstone of church growth and the reason why many people love to come back. When people feel valued and seen, they are more likely to stay and invite others.

So, a good place to start is fostering genuine relationships within your congregation. Encourage small group activities where members and young families can connect on a personal level. These groups can be based on interests, life stages, or specific ministry areas.

Additionally, consider implementing a mentorship program where seasoned members guide newcomers, helping them integrate into the church family. This not only encourages more people to join the community but can also ensure that everyone feels included and valued.

2. Create a targeted communications plan

Effective communication is key to attracting people, whether you run a business or a place of worship. If you develop a targeted communications plan for your church that addresses the needs of your audience, you can find new ways to increase church attendance.

Your plan should address:

• Your key audience - Who they are and what they are interested in
• Your key communications channel - Where your target members spend their time
• The key message - The special thing about your church that makes people want to become members

People can also be a huge part of your communications plan. Encourage church members to invite friends and family to in-person worship services in the church building and to share information about programs and service times on social media. You also want to segment your communication to ensure relevance.

For example, young families might appreciate updates on children’s programs, while seniors may be more interested in Bible study groups.

Church digital signage screens play a significant role here, where they can help increase your communication efficiency and eventually contribute to church growth.

For example, they can help target new prospective members by displaying available church groups and helpful programs. Then, there are external facing digital screens that target the wider local community with tailor-made messaging like:

• Promotional materials
• Inspirational quotes and scripture
• Upcoming community events
• Seasonal messages

3. Encourage church membership

It sounds obvious, but encouraging people to attend church could actually get them to come. Often, the key is to highlight the benefits that await members – a sense of belonging and responsibility towards the church community.

Your church could also host regular membership classes where prospective members can learn about the mission statement, values, and various ways they can contribute.

Here’s another place where communication is key. It’s important to share the benefits of memberships in a way that prospects can resonate with, such as enjoying a sense of belonging within the community, tapping into and improving their spiritual experience or simply being part of local events.

You can also use your church LED signs to encourage membership among people who already stepped into your church. This could involve displaying welcome messages or the events, communities, and activities you have in store for new members.

4. Make it easy to get involved

Simply attending church is the simplest way to join your flock. But there are many other ways to appeal to potential members and grow your church attendance.

This can include volunteer opportunities, ministry groups, scripture study, social events or concerts. Another idea that many churches use is an onboarding process that guides newcomers from their first visit to active involvement. This might include:

• A welcome team
• Follow-up communications
• Introductory meetings with ministry leaders
• Overview of volunteer opportunities

Ensure that there are diverse opportunities available so that everyone can find something that suits their interests and talents.

5. Recognize and celebrate members

Recognizing and celebrating your members can have a profound impact on church growth. People want to feel appreciated and valued for their contributions, and regularly acknowledging the efforts of your volunteers, donors, and active participants can help grow your church over time.

Consider implementing a system of recognition, such as annual awards, shout-outs during services, or member appreciation events. Celebrating milestones, such as anniversaries or significant contributions to church projects, also reinforces a sense of community and belonging.

If you want to make member recognitions even more impactful, use your church digital signs to share their achievements with the whole congregation.

Apps like Canvas let you create simple recognition board slides in minutes, and you can add these to your service playlist to applaud exceptional volunteers, give other members something to aim for, and show prospects the amazing church culture.

6 strategies to retain your church members

We should remember that retaining church members is about more than just keeping numbers up; it’s about expanding the reach of your supportive community and making sure people can continue accessing a space where their faith can flourish.

Here are some church growth strategies that can help.

Maintain strong community relationships

The larger an organization grows, the easier things can slip through the cracks. In a church where a cohesive community is a big part of why people stay, it is important to maintain that strong community; otherwise, people will start to feel left out.

This is why fostering a supportive community is part of the mission statement of many churches. Some steps to consider include:

• Create smaller cells: Here, members can look out for each other and easily find someone to talk to
• Offer regular member check-ins: Church leaders or volunteers can regularly check in with members, especially people at risk of feeling isolated or those going through hard times. Offering the opportunity to discuss problems or issues can be one of the strongest opportunities to build a strong church community.
• Implement a buddy system: The buddy system is an even smaller and more focused version of the cells. Pair new members with established ones, ensuring that they always feel a personal connection to the church from the start.
• Ask for feedback: Asking members for feedback about their experiences can also reveal room for improvement.
• Community events: A community event is great way to engage with more people, and also potentially raise money too. Whether it's a bring and buy sale, a concert or an event for younger people to get involved, think outside the box for the best results.

Create engaging youth programs

Youth are the church’s future, and keeping them engaged can provide healthy channels for their energy while helping maintain strong Christian relationships.

These programs should be spiritually enriching, fun, and relevant to their lives. An example is Sunday School, which can provide a place for kids and teens to reinforce and discuss spiritual truths they've learned and actively participate in the church's activities.

Here are a few other ideas to consider:

• Youth groups: Regular meetings where young people can connect, share, and grow in their faith.
• Service projects: Opportunities for youth to get involved in community service, which helps them put their faith into action.
• Social events: Fun activities like game nights, retreats, and sports events that help build a sense of community.
• Sports teams: A church sports team can be an excellent way to attract younger members and build a strong sense of belonging. Whether that's soccer, softball or even chess...

Let people lead

People can often feel left out when they can’t find ways to contribute and achieve their full potential. Empowering the congregation with leadership roles is a great way to tackle this. Your congregation could access several leadership opportunities, including volunteer opportunities, leadership training skills, mentorship programs, youth sports programs, and home fellowship cells.

Cater for virtual members

Often, members who can’t be present physically will follow the church online to join the fellowship. They are still members who can make meaningful contributions to the church’s growth, and it’s important to accommodate their needs.

Consider providing options that let people join virtual Sunday services, such as live streaming services, online Bible studies, and digital communication platforms like social media and email newsletters.

Create dynamic worship experiences

Your church can incorporate different kinds of tools into services to make them more dynamic and engaging. You probably already do some of this, with lights and an acoustic sound setup.

These engaging experiences can retain members who seek a more modern church atmosphere. Here are some more ideas you could explore: 

• Diverse music: Incorporate different styles (and maybe languages) of music to cater to varied tastes within the congregation.
• Interactive elements: Include moments for congregation participation, like open prayers, testimonies, and Q&A sessions.
• Visual aids: Use church TV screens and bulletin boards to display videos, slides, and other cues to enhance the worship experience.

Adapt to your congregation’s changing needs

While faith remains steadfast, your congregation’s needs may change in regard to the worship experience. Church services have certainly changed from what they used to look like several decades ago, both in terms of the overall ambiance, and how congregations followed the sermons.

Things will likely continue to change, so it’s helpful to regularly assess what your members need and be willing to adapt programs and services accordingly.

One easy win could be to take some surveys and get feedback. Ask members what they hope to see in services, and why. Then, discuss with church leadership if it aligns with the church's goals and mission.

How to use digital signage to attract and retain members

Digital signage can help in many ways in the church, both with overall communication and with simpler tasks like announcements. But if you want to get the most out of digital signage in your church, it’s important to take advantage of everything it can do. 

We’ve already given hints throughout this article, but here’s a more thorough breakdown of everything you can achieve if you integrate digital signage in your church.

Pro Tip: Find great church signage tips and ideas here.

1. Employ versatile messaging

The digital screen is versatile – it allows organizations to change their messaging at a moment’s notice. Rather than spending hundreds of pounds printing and distributing flyers, you can simply change the slide or image on screen to send out a new message. 

First and foremost, this makes your church seem more reliable! No one turns up at the wrong sermon time, visitors are warned in advance of time or location changes and meanwhile, you can advertise all of the fun stuff too.

Plus, with a good digital signage software system such as ScreenCloud, you can personalize your message depending on the day and time by creating different playlists and schedules for different days. The result is that visitors get the information they need more quickly.

2. Attract new cohorts

For churches that struggle to attract the college crowd (according to studies, 70% of young adults stop attending church between the ages of 18-22), digital screens could be your secret sauce. Young people today are ‘born digital,’ meaning they adopt the use of digital screens, mobiles, tablets, and TVs from a young age (as young as age seven, according to one source).

When anyone, young or old, visits your church, it’s essential that they have a great first experience. Your digital screens can be your welcome message. You can create messages that highlight your church’s youth programs, drawing in that age group.

Similarly, if you’re struggling to attract a different cohort, you can tailor your digital signage to speak to them instead. Perhaps a notice on a mother and baby group for young moms or an index of local business meetings to entice professionals.

3. Use social media

Social media is home to many of your potential members. Your church probably already has social media accounts that allow you to reach a wider audience. Digital screens can work in sync with your social media efforts to extend your conversation’s reach. 

All you have to do is create live dashboards of your social messaging on Facebook and Instagram. What that does is turn your digital screens into rich social media hubs for all to see.

This allows your physical members to immediately see where they can find you online. It also increases the chances that people will interact with the church community even when they are outside the church doors.

4. Communicate through stories

Communication plays a big part in church growth because it allows them to show who they are and what type of work they do. Your church could take this approach one step further and share the amazing stories of some of your existing members.

Perhaps your congregation was the source of a member's faith. Or maybe a sister notes your church as a place where they’ve healed and restored family relationships.

Storytelling is one of the most powerful means of communication, and digital screens can increase the message’s reach. You could use our Meet the Team app to create simple and impactful member stories and share them with the community through your digital screens. 

Grow your church with ScreenCloud

There are several strategies your church can use to grow its congregation, and digital signage screens offer a simple way to connect that could yield great results.

With ScreenCloud's digital signage software, your church's screens can be used to encourage attendance and member retention and even improve the service experience.