How to Build a Thriving Church Community in 5 Simple Steps (Even If You're Starting from Scratch)

Dr. Layne McDonald
4 days ago
5 min read

Starting a church community from scratch can feel overwhelming. Maybe you're a church planter staring at empty chairs, or a small group leader wondering how to move beyond surface-level friendships. Here's the beautiful truth: thriving communities aren't built on programs alone, they're built on intentional relationships, genuine welcome, and a shared mission.

I'm Dr. Layne McDonald, Online and Connection Pastor at FA Memphis and Boundless Online Church, and I've walked alongside leaders just like you who are building something beautiful from the ground up. Today, I want to share five practical steps that will help you cultivate a community where people don't just attend, they belong.

Step 1: Know Where You're Starting

Before you launch a single program, take an honest inventory. Where is your church community right now? Are people genuinely connecting, or are they slipping out the back door without anyone noticing? This isn't about shame, it's about clarity.

Grab a notebook and ask yourself:

Do newcomers feel welcomed, or do they stand alone during coffee hour?
Are there opportunities for people to build real friendships beyond Sunday mornings?
What's working well, and what gaps do you see?

Hands holding seedlings symbolizing church community growth from scratch

Think of this like a gardener assessing the soil before planting. You need to understand what you're working with so you can plant seeds in the right places. Maybe your strength is a warm worship environment, but people aren't connecting during the week. Or perhaps you have amazing small groups, but newcomers don't know they exist.

Action step: Spend time talking to three people this week, a longtime member, a newer attendee, and someone who recently left. Ask them what they love and what's missing. Their answers will guide your next steps.

Step 2: Make Welcome More Than a Handshake

Genuine hospitality changes everything. When someone walks through your doors (physical or digital), they're asking a silent question: "Is there a place for me here?" Your job is to answer with a resounding yes.

Here's what real welcome looks like in practice:

Assign connection partners. Pair newcomers with established members who can be their "buddy" for the first few weeks. These aren't just greeters, they're guides who introduce people around, invite them to coffee, and help them navigate what can feel like an unfamiliar culture.

Create low-pressure entry points. Not everyone is ready to commit to a weekly Bible study on day one. Offer casual gatherings, game nights, service projects, potlucks, where people can connect without pressure.

Follow up personally. Send a text or email within 24 hours of someone's first visit. Better yet, make a phone call. In a world drowning in automation, a personal touch stands out.

At Boundless Online Church, we've seen the power of digital welcome, people connecting across cities and time zones because someone took time to reach out personally. You can do the same, whether your community meets in a living room or a sanctuary.

Church member warmly welcoming newcomer in community gathering space

Step 3: Build Small Groups as Your Foundation

Sunday services gather the crowd, but small groups create the community. This is where masks come off, prayer requests get specific, and people move from isolation to belonging.

Small groups don't have to be complicated. Start with what you have:

Bible study groups that dig into Scripture together
Prayer circles that meet weekly (in person or via Zoom)
Ministry teams serving together, whether that's feeding the hungry, leading worship, or managing tech

The magic happens when people do life together outside the church building. Shared meals, text chains during tough weeks, celebrating birthdays and milestones, these moments build the kind of bonds that last.

Here's a pro tip: Multiply, don't just grow. When a small group hits 12-15 people, it's time to birth a new one. This keeps groups intimate and creates more leadership opportunities. Yes, it feels scary to split a thriving group, but it's how movements scale.

Step 4: Serve Your Community Together

Want to unite your church family fast? Give them a cause bigger than themselves. When you roll up your sleeves together to meet real needs in your neighborhood, walls come down and hearts open up.

Partner with local organizations already doing good work:

Food banks and homeless shelters
Schools that need tutors or mentors
Community centers hosting events for families
First responders training for emergency preparedness

Church volunteers serving together at community outreach event

This isn't just about being nice, it's about incarnating the love of Jesus in tangible ways. When your church becomes known as the group that shows up when needs arise, you earn trust and build bridges to people who might never darken a church door otherwise.

At FA Memphis, we've seen beautiful transformation when people serve side by side. The single mom serving meals next to the CEO discovers they have more in common than they thought. The teenager finds purpose helping elderly neighbors with yard work. Community isn't built in rows facing forward, it's built shoulder to shoulder, hands dirty, hearts open.

Step 5: Unite Around a Clear Mission

A thriving community needs more than fellowship, it needs a shared purpose. Why does your church exist? What Kingdom work are you called to do together?

Your mission doesn't have to be elaborate. It might be as simple as "Helping our neighbors experience God's love" or "Equipping believers to live out their faith boldly." The key is that everyone knows it, believes it, and has opportunities to live it out.

Here's how to make mission stick:

Talk about it constantly. Weave your mission into sermons, announcements, and casual conversations. Let it shape decisions about where you invest time and resources.

Create on-ramps. Don't just cast vision, give people concrete ways to participate. If your mission is local outreach, organize monthly service days. If it's discipleship, launch mentoring relationships. Make it easy for people to say yes.

Celebrate wins together. When someone gets baptized, when a family finds housing, when a student leads their first Bible study: stop and celebrate. These stories remind everyone why you do what you do.

When people know their contribution matters to something eternal, they don't just show up: they invest. They invite friends. They give sacrificially. They stay when things get hard because they're part of something worth fighting for.

You're Not Building Alone

Here's what I want you to remember, friend: building community is slow, messy, beautiful work. There will be weeks when three people show up instead of thirty. There will be conflicts, disappointments, and moments when you wonder if it's worth it.

But every conversation over coffee, every prayer whispered in a small group, every meal shared with a stranger-turned-friend: it all matters. You're not just building programs. You're creating space for people to encounter the living God and each other.

And you don't have to do it alone. At Boundless Online Church, we're here to support church leaders and community builders like you. Whether you need encouragement, resources, or just someone to talk through your next steps, we're in this together.

Ready to keep building? Reach out anytime: