Understanding Today’s Church Selection Process
The Frustration of Fleeting Faithfulness
Every pastor has felt it.
A family attends for weeks, then disappears.
A new visitor seems engaged but never returns.
People praise the preaching, enjoy the worship, and still move on.
This pattern isn’t new, but it’s growing. Church shopping is reshaping modern ministry.
Gone are the days when people chose a church for life.
Today’s attendees evaluate, explore, and exit—searching for a perfect fit that doesn’t exist.
For church leaders, this creates constant turnover, unpredictable engagement, and growing frustration.
The Challenges of Church Shopping
Church shoppers don’t always know why they hop from place to place.
They just know something feels off, so they keep looking.
For pastors, this behavior creates tension.
The Pressure to Perform
People visit with expectations already in place.
They’ve watched sermons online.
They’ve checked social media.
They’ve read reviews.
By the time they step into a service, they’re not discovering—they’re confirming.
If reality doesn’t match their research, they move on.
The Challenge of Consumer Christianity
Church shoppers don’t just attend—they evaluate.
Do I like the worship?
Does the pastor connect with me?
Does this church meet my needs?
It’s less about calling and more about convenience.
When faith becomes a product, commitment becomes conditional.
The Confusion of Unclear Expectations
Many church shoppers don’t express what they’re looking for—they just know when they haven’t found it.
This leaves pastors asking:
Did they leave because of theology or taste?
Were they searching for depth or diversity?
Could we have done something differently?
Without feedback, it’s hard to fix what’s not defined.
The Reality of Rootless Relationships
Church shoppers often bounce between congregations.
They attend, enjoy, and leave—never fully investing in community, connection, or commitment.
For leaders, this means:
Discipleship is disrupted.
Ministry teams struggle to stabilize.
Church culture feels temporary instead of transformative.
It’s not just attendance that suffers—it’s the ability to build something lasting.
Moving From Shoppers to Stakeholders
The answer isn’t resenting church shoppers—it’s understanding them.
That’s Why Pew Patterns Exist
☑️ 4 books in 1 to help pastors decode the real reasons people leave.
☑️ A roadmap to turn visitors into vital members.
☑️ Proven strategies to create commitment, connection, and community.
I Will Help You
If you’re tired of the revolving door,
If you’re frustrated by surface-level faith,
If you’re ready to build a church where people stay, serve, and strengthen the body…
Pew Patterns drops 3.27.25!
See you next Saturday!
Eric V Hampton
Whenever you’re ready, there are 5 ways I can help you:
Coaching. Transform your core leaders into a high-performing team that increases creativity, productivity, and profitability.
ChurchLeaderOS. My leadership development “operating system” equips every member to become a high-capacity leader.
The Healthy Church Leader Annual Review. My annual review guides you from celebration (remembering past wins) to expectation (planning future wins) as you pursue your Christ-centered mission.
The Real MVP. I wrote and designed this book to invest in your leadership. Become a person of mission, vision, and purpose in 60 minutes.