{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Church Answers","provider_url":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com","title":"The Top Ten Worst Church Guest Experiences | Church Answers","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"jVnT1aBBVH\"><a href=\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-top-ten-worst-church-guest-experiences\/\">The Top Ten Worst Church Guest Experiences<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-top-ten-worst-church-guest-experiences\/embed\/#?secret=jVnT1aBBVH\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;The Top Ten Worst Church Guest Experiences&#8221; &#8212; Church Answers\" data-secret=\"jVnT1aBBVH\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Welcome-sign-at-entry-of-a-church.png","thumbnail_width":1200,"thumbnail_height":628,"description":"\u201cOur church is really not for you.\u201d That was actually said to a guest by a church member. Not in jest. Not in passing. In all sincerity. Unfortunately, it\u2019s not the only instance of a church failing miserably to welcome someone new. I\u2019ve been fascinated by the topic of church guests for years. Maybe obsessed is a better word. I\u2019ve written dozens of articles, led research projects, and gathered stories from across the country. Some of those stories are positive\u2014uplifting, even. But others? They reveal a side of the church that\u2019s hard to face. In fact, one of my most-read blog posts\u2014focused on how churches treat guests\u2014has been viewed nearly one million times. It\u2019s not viral because it\u2019s funny or controversial. It\u2019s viral because it hits a nerve. So, I combed through hundreds of your comments and emails and compiled what I call the top ten worst guest experiences reported by real people in real churches. There\u2019s no joy in sharing these stories, but there\u2019s clarity. These experiences shine a spotlight on what must change if we truly want to be welcoming communities of grace."}