One tension in the Church community is how to treat the new people that attend.

Should we almost force them to give us their information so that we can send them nice messages with information about the Church? That way, we can invite them to events and ensure they feel welcome.

The problem is that most people are not coerced into faith and quit if they feel pressured.

Should we do nothing that even suggests we are forcing them to provide us with information against their will? We don’t want to come off as a pushy marketer of the Church, so we will allow people to remain anonymous.

The problem is that many people end up feeling ignored and quit because no one cares.

How does the Church community find a middle ground in this issue? I lean toward ignoring while really wanting to badger. No method or approach is 100% effective, but the best thing I have found is not a program at all. It is every person being genuinely friendly to every other person who attends every worship program. The bridge between badgering and ignoring is you.