I have two issues that would concern me about this. And they are process issues more than anything else. If you hire a Christian that does this regularly will they know enough about your church and community to make informed suggestions that are not just, "your church needs a paint job" and "your greaters need to smile more". Similar questions for a non-Christian, but also there is a question about what a non-Christian that may not be interested in church really tell you about things like: authentic worship, mission, how appropriately you are sharing the gospel.

I am not saying that no one should do this. But it would have to be used carefully.

I would be afraid to suggest this to any church, because people get defensive when you tell them that maybe, just maybe their church needs an audit or mystery worshiper. Why do we need that, isn't our church good enough for you, then maybe you need to find someplace else to occupy a pew! If it is done, please do it with respect and kindness, too many times people will be offended even from the smallest suggestions. Then think about how you would feel if that was being done at your church. In God's Grace John

I definitely don't get the point of this, but it's funny to me.

What's the point in worrying about how your church looks to strangers? Or paying somebody to tell you what could be done differently? Wouldn't an active, vibrant community handle both problems for you better than any stranger could advise?

What a strange idea.

It's about time I heard this type of suggestion. I know mystery shopping and I think it would work for churches too. I'm all for it.

I believe with all my heart that if what a church is after is catering to the everchanging, fluid consumer comforts that tend to "tickle the ears" of the visitor then this is a super idea. However, is this truly our mission. The great commision from Jesus is to go out not invite in. I am convinced that if we were to return to a rational approach to spreading the gospel we would see an increase in our churches as people find Christ as savior. We do not need people to come to our worship service . . . we need God to come. If God the Holy Spirit came to any given church on any given day of worship and all in attendance were refilled with Him, they would automatically go out as bright lights into their commuinty This is what is needed. Believers bathing in the very presence of God during worship and simply going back out into the world. You cannot hide a transformed heart. Lots of love, John

Could be a good idea and perhaps its working well for some. My issue is fellowship. Is this mystery worshipper in fellowship at the same time they're going from church to church. Perhaps this would cause them to become critical of others rather than seeking if this is a Spirit-filled church. I beleieve Christ is more concerned with our hearts than with the paint job or plumbing or the smile of the greeter. Consider the kind of places Jesus worshipped. I doubt they had fantastic lighting and carpeting.

Amazing how much this sort of idea riles up some Christians. I used to run Off The Map's www.ChurchRater.com, which provided a similar evaluative service. Unfortunately, we received far more hate mail for reducing the Body of Christ to a marketed product, than we received kudos for pointing out weaknesses in the Body. My gut feeling: we turned the church into a marketed product, long before anyone was evaluating church visits or ranking congregations.

I think it's excellent to get the views of non-believers, whether they are being paid or just invited by friends and family. No it's not about the paint or clean bathrooms.... but what a non-believer sees and feels when they walk through the doors, when they try to participate in the worship music, as they listen to the message. Does it confuse them, scare them away, make them feel like they could belong here and be accepted just as they are? Yes those things matter a great deal. If the greeters act like they don't care that it's a person's first very scary trip through those doors, they are not going to come back. You may reach them during your church's thousands of hours of out in the city with people, but if they don't feel comfortable walking through your church doors they won't be coming back to that church, and maybe no other church either. And though a seed may have been planted and the holy spirit can water it, we also need fellowship for that seed to grow.

Someone needs to be your church's eyes and ears to help you understand what a new attender sees and feels when he walks through the door.

Our city's newspaper actually has a "Church Shopper" who visits churches in the community and does an article once a month on the church she attended. We've been "featured" once and it was very reassuring to know what we were doing through our outreach and Sunday Experience was having a welcoming impact on someone unfamiliar with church settings. It also helped us see where we could improve.

I FULLY AGREE WITH THIS IDEA. YOU SEE, I CAME BACK TO JESUS A YEAR AGO AND JUST RECENTLY MOVED 300 MILE FROM MY CHURCH. I TRIED A COUPLE CHURCHES IN MY NEW TOWN. THE FIRST I WENT, THE PASTOR IS REALLY GREAT, AND GIVES AN AWSOME SERMON. (HERE COMES THE FAMOUS WORD), BUT, THE WORSHIP SERVICE LEFT ME FEELING EMPTY. I LEFT WONDERING, IF I WERE A NEW CHRISTIAN OR SOMEONE LOOKING FOR MORE IN LIFE, WHAT WOULD MAKE ME STAY FOR THE MESSAGE OF THE PASTOR? AND IF I DID STAY, WOULD I BE SO TURNED OFF THAT I WOULDN'T HERE ANYTHING MORE THAN JUST HIS WORDS?
JUST MY THOUGHTS
THANKS FOR READIN

Read Jim and Casper go to church.

It is a great idea and can give wonderful insight into what 'seekers' experience at the hands fof 'church' and whether we are driving them away or drawing them in.