Creating Churches Unchurched People Love

How to reach people outside our cultural and spiritual comfort zones

A same challenge the early church encountered nearly 2,000 years ago.

The natural gravitational pull of any congregation is toward becoming an insider-focused community where traditions, language, and practices cater primarily to those already in attendance. This challenge has deep historical roots. The early Jewish Christians struggled with including Gentiles because their entire religious identity had been built on separation and distinctiveness.

For centuries, their faith instructed them to remain separate from other cultures. When Jesus commanded them to "go into all the world," it represented a complete reversal of everything they had known.

Even the Apostle Peter, a pillar of the early church, hadn't visited a Gentile home until approximately 15 years after the resurrection. When he finally entered Cornelius's home, he awkwardly acknowledged the cultural barrier: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him."

The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) marked a pivotal moment when James declared, "It is my judgment that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God." This revolutionary statement essentially set aside centuries of religious tradition in favor of accessibility and inclusion.

Today's churches must embrace this same principle. Creating environments that unchurched people love to attend doesn't mean changing the church's message but removing unnecessary obstacles that might prevent someone from taking steps toward God.

When congregations intentionally evaluate everything through the eyes of newcomers—from parking to music to messaging—they resist the natural drift toward insider-focused ministry. The goal isn't simply attracting visitors but creating a community where, as with Jesus himself, "people who were nothing like him liked him, and he liked them right back."

Visit irresistible.church/irresist-list to learn more about creating a church environment that effectively reaches those who don't typically attend church.