When I enter churches for the first time, I go for a self-guided tour of the building. You can learn a lot about a church just by driving by, reading bulletin boards, or walking through the building. What goes on before the sermon is more important than the sermon at that point. The first impression we want to give is that we are in mission to an unchurched world. Ask yourself the following 10 questions on the tour.
Some churches look closed for business.
Some have looked like vacated buildings. Weeds, trash, paper, and debris filled the lot and edges of the building. Peeling paint, dead flowerbeds, and tall uncut grass leave a lasting impression. I once visited a church and followed the sign. The only problem was the sign led to a church that was closed and had merged several years ago with the church I was looking for.