Most people outside the church aren’t as closed off to faith as you might think. In fact, research from author and church researcher Dr. Thom Rainer found that the majority of unchurched Americans are open to visiting a church — they just haven’t been invited. Yet nearly half of Christians admit they haven’t invited anyone in months, revealing a growing gap between openness and outreach.
His groundbreaking study uncovered that a majority of Americans have an unexpected openness to church. However, only about 60 percent of U.S. Christians say they’ve invited anyone to church in the past six months. The result is a striking gap between openness and action — and between potential churchgoers and congregations.
So if the uninvited are willing, why aren’t we inviting them?
When asked, 40 percent of Christians said they didn’t know anyone to invite. Others pointed to prior refusals, discomfort, or the belief that it wasn’t their responsibility.
Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, says the issue isn’t apathy — it’s proximity.
“It takes intentionality to be meeting new people in your community to have opportunities to invite them,” McConnell said.
For him, invitation shouldn’t simply be about filling pews. It should focus on presence.
“People in America are not being more relational,” he said. “But an invitation to church is an invitation to join you in activities you enjoy, a message that brings you hope, and relationships with you and others.”
Lifeway’s research shows that a majority of unchurched Americans would also attend events like concerts, service projects or neighborhood gatherings connected to a church.
That’s good news, McConnell says — as long as Christians redefine what an invitation looks like.
“Sometimes the first step is inviting someone to something outside of Sunday morning,” he said. “They may not be ready for worship, but they are ready for community.”
So what’s holding people back? Fear, mostly — fear of offense, rejection or awkwardness.
“The reality is, most unchurched people are not offended when a friend talks to them about faith,” McConnell said. “The fear is often greater in the Christian than in the person they’d be talking to.”
In other words, the wall isn’t in our neighbors’ hearts — it’s in our heads.
Many believers say they want to share their faith but don’t feel confident. Others have social circles made up almost entirely of fellow Christians. McConnell notes that this isolation can quietly undermine the Great Commission.
“There are a small but significant number of Christians who seem to have no contact with people who don’t go to church,” he said.
That lack of contact makes it nearly impossible to extend a genuine invitation.
If that’s the challenge, McConnell believes the solution isn’t developing another evangelism campaign. It starts with changing our posture.
“Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is extend a simple, personal invitation,” he said. “It’s not a debate, it’s not a sales pitch. It’s just saying, ‘Come with me.’”
And “church” doesn’t always have to mean Sunday morning. It can mean a cookout, a concert or a volunteer day.
“There are so many ways to introduce someone to the life of the church without it being overwhelming,” McConnell said.
Ultimately, the data shows the mission field isn’t across the ocean. It’s much closer, across the street.
“An invitation isn’t just about bringing someone to a building,” McConnell said. “It’s about offering them hope, community and a relationship that could change their life.”
There are people who would say yes — if we’d only ask.
