Integrating Newbies to Church: Environments

Recently I read 7 Practices of Effective Ministry. Stanley, et al., have this kinda cool way of thinking about the different 'environments' in our church programs through the metaphor of three rooms in a house. '[T]he environments of a church can work as steps to move people down a relational path to where they experience a sense of belonging and care.' (p 92).

So here are the three rooms:

• Foyer typically describes a larger environment… it is an entry point for the unchurched… The relational goal of a Foyer Environment is to make sure that people walk away and feel like guests.
• The Living Room is an environment where a number of people can network and meet with one another… Our goal is for people to walk away and feel like they are friends with someone.
• The Kitchen Table is the most intimate of environments… where people should begin to feel like they are family. (pp92-93)

Just so you know, they include small groups in the Kitchen Table category.