A suggestion for all churches/parishes

[Paidiske]

I read a book called Exit Interviews sometime back. It's 90s material but the central point was that a church leadership team could learn a lot about how their church is really perceived if they took the time to listen to people who have left. Not get defensive and argumentative, but listen. I make a point to attempt this but more often than not the departed person or family does not care to discuss it. They'll leave their complaints on a Google review though!

That sounds worth reading. Was it this one? Exit Interviews: Revealing Stories of Why People are Leaving the Church : Hendricks, William D.: Amazon.com.au: Books

Some people tell me why they're going, and some don't. Sometimes I think it's valid criticism, and, well, sometimes I don't.

I would love to "task someone" with checking in with people we haven't seen in a while (it's something I struggle to do on my own, along with everything else). The reality is I don't have a "someone" willing to be tasked right now. And yes, that points to deeper problems (that I'm well aware of and working on) but it leaves me without an immediate solution.

I will say - and this is in no way a criticism of the OP, which is valid - pastoral relationships are a two-way street. Please don't always wait for someone else to notice or think that you might want a conversation; there could be a million reasons why that doesn't happen. But you can always initiate a conversation you need or want.

 

[Shane R]

That sounds worth reading. Was it this one? Exit Interviews: Revealing Stories of Why People are Leaving the Church : Hendricks, William D.: Amazon.com.au: Books

Some people tell me why they're going, and some don't. Sometimes I think it's valid criticism, and, well, sometimes I don't.

I would love to "task someone" with checking in with people we haven't seen in a while (it's something I struggle to do on my own, along with everything else). The reality is I don't have a "someone" willing to be tasked right now. And yes, that points to deeper problems (that I'm well aware of and working on) but it leaves me without an immediate solution.

I will say - and this is in no way a criticism of the OP, which is valid - pastoral relationships are a two-way street. Please don't always wait for someone else to notice or think that you might want a conversation; there could be a million reasons why that doesn't happen. But you can always initiate a conversation you need or want.

Yes. That's the book.