The "Side-Door" Strategy: 3 Ways to Reach Your Community Without a Sunday Invite

Jun 24, 2026

Many churches default to the Sunday morning invite as their primary outreach strategy, but for a growing number of people, that front door feels intimidating before a relationship even exists. In this episode, Scott and A.J. walk through three practical "side door" approaches that churches can use to build genuine connections with their communities before ever asking someone to show up on a Sunday morning.

Scott Ball and A.J. Mathieu are church health consultants with the Malphurs Group, a ministry dedicated to helping churches navigate revitalization and growth. Each week on the Church Revitalization Podcast, they bring practical, field-tested insight drawn from years of working directly with pastors and church leaders across the country.

• [0:38] Why the Sunday invite alone is not enough -- and the anxiety unchurched people feel about walking through the front door
• [5:24] Side Door 1: Community events and services your church organizes to serve people and build relationships outside the building
• [7:08] The "serve first, sell nothing" mindset that should shape every outreach effort your church pursues
• [9:48] Side Door 2: Having a consistent presence in third places where people already gather in everyday life
• [13:31] Side Door 3: Partnering with community organizations your neighbors already know and trust

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