Standing Alone In The Church Lobby

A number of years ago I visited a church that's out of state. I actually knew the pastor, so I walked in expecting it to be a pretty comfortable experience.  (This church does not have any connection to The Corners, so don't go trying to guess who it is!)

Anyway, when I stepped into the lobby, I just stood there...alone.

People looked at me as if they were wondering, “Who’s that guy?”

No one spoke to me.

No one greeted me.

I wasn’t treated poorly, but I definitely felt out of place.

Eventually the pastor came out and welcomed me, and the rest of the service was “normal.” But I remember thinking how strange it was to feel like an outsider in a church.

Just this week I was talking with Pastor Valmir, and he shared that he recently had a very similar experience visiting a church. A moment where he felt like he didn’t belong because no one made him feel like he did.

Those kinds of moments stick with you.

One of the things I hear over and over from people who visit The Corners Chapel is how welcoming the church feels. That is something I’m incredibly thankful for. But this little blogpost is not meant to be a “pat ourselves on the back” moment. It’s meant to be an encouragement:

Our recent congregational survey results showed that nearly 50% of the people who have found our church did so through a personal invite or word of mouth. That tells us two important things.

First, personal invitations are incredibly powerful. Far more powerful than any advertising we could ever do.

Second, word spreads quickly. And it’s important to remember that just as widely as a good experience spreads, so can a negative one. Sometimes all it takes is one person feeling overlooked or alone for the negative experience to overshadow the good experience.

So, as we strive to continue in what makes our church special, here are a few simple ways to continue cultivating a welcoming culture.

1. Look for the person sitting alone.
If someone is by themselves before or after service, that’s often your best clue that they might be a guest.  A simple “Hello” or “We haven’t met, welcome to The Corners” can make a huge difference.

2. Look for the person who looks lost.
Sometimes people walk in unsure where to go, where the kids check-in is, or where the auditorium is.  A quick “Hey, can I help you find something?” goes a long way.

3. Pray for first-time guests.
Before service begins, take a moment to pray that anyone checking out The Corners would feel seen, welcomed, and loved. Those of you on serve teams know that we do this most weeks in our pre-service huddle. So, let’s all make it a normal part of our Sunday rhythm.

4. Remember what it was like when you were a guest.
Most of us remember our first few weeks. Everything felt unfamiliar. That memory helps us extend grace and intentional kindness to others. Be the person someone was to you (or the person you wish someone had been).

5. Introduce people to someone else.
If you meet someone who’s checking out The Corners, don’t let the conversation stop with you. Introduce them to a few other people. Community often starts forming in those small moments.

Let me get real for a second.

I heard a quote a number of years ago and it stuck with me:

“For many non-Christians, the thought of walking into a church can feel about like a Christian walking into a strip club.”

I know that’s a provocative statement. A quick search online shows versions of that line attributed to a number of pastors and church leaders, so I’m honestly not sure who originally said it. But the point behind it is pretty clear.

For many people who didn’t grow up in church, church can feel unfamiliar, intimidating, or even morally uncomfortable. The analogy is trying to help Christians feel that tension for a moment. Just as a believer might (and should!) feel awkward, exposed, or out of place in a strip club, someone far from church might feel the same walking through church doors.
The shocking nature of the statement is meant to remind us that hospitality, humility, and genuine love matter, because many people are stepping into a world that feels completely foreign to them.

Friends, churches do not become welcoming by accident. They become welcoming when the people inside the church care and when we are intentional about being on the lookout for opportunities to welcome others.

I’m so grateful that this is already happening at The Corners Chapel.
So let’s keep it going.

After all, you never know if that new person standing alone in the lobby might play a pivotal role in what God does next at The Corners.