Questions for church growth Do you offer good news? Are you showing people how the gospel offers them a way out of death into life, out of failure into freedom? What's your basic message - guilt or grace? Are you making people feel welcome? Do you want to attract people who have never been to church? If so, do you speak their language? Do you understand their fears? Do you know what scares them away? Are you offering something of value? Of course, I understand that the gospel has intrinsic value. But it is often so poorly packaged that people can't see past the packaging. In your large group gathering, are you providing something that your visitor can't easily get somewhere  else? Have you identified your niche? No one congregation is going to be attractive to everybody. That's why we have many congregations. Do you offer something beyond the large group gathering? Everybody has dreams. What are you doing to engage and empower? Everyone wants friends. What are you doing to connect? Everyone needs help. What are you doing to provide it? Are you gathering intelligence? Have you doing exit interviews? Do you do follow up surveys? Wal-mart does this; why shouldn't we? What was the experience like for your visitor? Was it confusing? Was it unnerving? Was it boring? Was it inspiring? Was it comforting? Why? You won't know until you ask. Dwight A. Clough is a Christian author, strategist and consultant. Contact Dwight here.