'Tis The Season
By Glenn A. Lucas
It is the Christmas season. In just a few days your church
will most likely have a large number of guests in worship who come only on
major holidays or may have never been to your church before. Will your church
be ready for these guests? What steps have you taken to prepare for the guests
aimed at getting them to return? Most churches have not stopped to think about
the impression they make on guests and assume it is good because just enough
guests come back to affirm their belief.
You only get one
chance to make a first impression.
Think about what
impressions you want your guests to have at various stages: when they first
arrive, when they enter the church, when the worship service begins, when the
Word is proclaimed, when the service ends, and when they leave. In the end,
what will they know about our Savior Jesus?
Rome wasn't built in a day.
Your church may not be able to tackle all of the questions
above at one time. Indeed, trying to do so may be discouraging. Rather than try
to "fix" everything at once select one or two areas to grow into what you would
like them to be. When those areas are well established select another area to
grow forward in your ministry. Eventually, all will have grown to the point
that you are able to make a lasting good impression through your worship
experience.
Once is not enough.
Once is not enough when it comes to evaluating the
impression your church is making. It is important that your church regularly
monitor the impression it is making on guests.
Getting guests through the door once is not enough. A
church cannot grow without guests who return. Getting guests to return once is
not enough. It is important that your church have a strategy to keep guests
returning until they make a real connection with your church. In short your
church should have an assimilation strategy in place. This strategy should
intentionally help people return, connect, and ultimately mature in the faith
leading to service in the Church.
It is the season for guests in the church.
Churches that are ready for them will see more of them return and connect with
their ministries. Through their intentional ministry many will hear and believe
that Jesus truly is the reason for the season and their lives.
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Links
Visitor Follow-up Strategy [web page] - Quick bullet points to help your church think through a follow-up strategy.
Plan to improve your church's follow-up with guests! By Chris Forbes [web page] - Chris points out that "marketing" (outreach) strategies fall short if a congregation does not also have an intentional follow-up strategy.
Church Visitor Follow-up [web page] - Visitors are not left behind at VFCC. Their follow up phone call program sees to that. They carry out their program like a well oiled machine. This is a humorus video from GodTube that reminds us to be conscious of our follow-up strategy and whom we are reaching. |
News from the Center
Upcoming Seminars
On The Edge Leadership Training - February 2-6, 2009 - New Braunfels, TX - Several trainings offered (including Basic Mission Planter Trainingand 3-one day Worship Seminars) in one power-packed week for missional leaders. For more information click here.
CoachNet Memberships Available at C4USM online store!
You
can now purchase discounted CoachNet memberships (new & renewals) through
our secure online store. Purchasing this discounted membership (regularly priced
$75) will allow you access to all CoachNet modules, as well as special access to
the Center for U.S. Missions network. Buy Now!
DOWNTOWN
- A publication provided by The Association of Downtown Lutheran
Churches, a strategic partner of the Center for U.S. Missions. It is
designed to share ideas and encouragement for congregations in or near
downtown in urban settings. Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. |
