Suggested questions

1You didn’t set out to prove or disprove anything — you set out to observe. What surprised you most once you actually started walking through different church doors?

2You visited a different place of worship almost every week for a year. At what point did you start noticing patterns rather than differences?

3Many people assume exploring other traditions weakens faith. How did your experience end up clarifying what mattered instead?

4Who do you want this message to reach?

5How do you reconcile all of the bad, even criminal things, the church or its members have committed, with your encouragement to attend church?

6Why do you think people avoid church, and what would you say to people who think they need to prepare to go to church either by adjusting behavior or acquiring knowledge?

7In several places where you stood out the most, you’ve said you felt the most welcomed. Why do you think difference sometimes brings out deeper care?

8Your book avoids theological debate and focuses on lived experience. Why was that important to you, especially for people who’ve drifted away from church?

9You’ve said presence often changes people before belief does. What does that look like in practice, especially for someone who’s unsure what they believe?

10From repeatedly entering churches as a stranger, what did you learn about how belonging is really created — or quietly undermined?

11For people who already attend or lead churches, what’s something outsiders notice immediately that insiders often miss?

12After all these visits, how has your understanding of church changed — not as an institution, but as a human gathering place?

13What would you say to people that your message focuses more on community than worship of God?

14What would you say to people who criticize your message because it does not specifically advocate for people to join your religious tradition?