By Deborah Bruce

Congregational focus on inviting.  Two-thirds of worshipers say they've heard a sermon in the past year on why they should invite others to their congregation. These types of messages are more common in conservative Protestant (86%) and mainline Protestant (73%) churches than in Catholic parishes (54%).

Further, more conservative Protestant worshipers (91%) than mainline (69%) or Catholic (58%) worshipers say that inviting others and sharing faith is one of the most important priorities of their congregation.

Personal invitations.  About half of worshipers say they've invited someone to worship or to another congregational activity in the previous month. Actual inviting follows the congregation's focus, with conservative Protestants mostly likely to have invited someone. Seven in ten worshipers in conservative Protestant churches (70%) asked someone to attend their congregation. About half of worshipers in mainline Protestant churches (55%) and four in ten Catholics (39%) did so.

Let's look more closely at these invitations.

How many?  Among those who invited others to their congregation, the median number of such invitations in the previous year is three. There is only a small difference across denominational families—conservative Protestants invited a median of four people; mainline Protestants, three people; Catholics, two.

Who?  Typically worshipers invited a friend to their church (reported by 64% of those who invited someone). Almost half said they asked a family member to visit (46%), and two in ten invited a neighbor (20%) or a co-worker (19%).

Invited to what?  The first invitation is usually to worship. Nine in ten say they invited someone to a worship service (86%). Two in ten issued an invitation to a social activity (for example, a potluck supper; 19%). No other church activity was named by more than 20% of worshipers. Very few visitors are first asked to participate in church school, Bible study, prayer groups, men's or women's groups, or community service projects.

Impact?  Very few of the people who were invited continue to attend the congregation. Six in ten worshipers who asked someone to visit their congregation (64%) say none of the visitors they invited still attend. That percentage doesn't vary much by denominational family—conservative Protestants are no better than mainline Protestants and Catholics in keeping visitors attending their congregation.

Could that be because only four in ten worshipers (39%) say their congregation continually asks "What does it feel like to be a visitor here?" Does your congregation keep that consideration front and center?