Prov 20:4 (NLT)
“Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.”
School is in swing and this is a great opportunity for churches to capitalize on the extra crowds that will be coming as they get back into the fall routine. Knowing that “prayer” is the first thing that we are to be doing as we prep for these amazing weekends, here are a couple of other things to keep in mind as the season gets started.
- Highlight your family ministries.
I’ve talked to many people who are coming to church because of the spiritual influence they want their kids to have. It’s not about having the coolest program that is around, it’s about showing families that you care for their kids and that you can help them provide spiritual guidance. - Go the extra mile.
Take the extra step to make everything excellent. A visitor will decide in the 1st 5 min. whether or not they will be returning. Clean the bathrooms, put the extra effort into the song prep, go over the message one more time, get your greeters breath mints and encourage them to have bigger smiles. It’s all important. Make the environment a safe one for them to come in and make that connection with God and have their needs met. Pump up your volunteers and cast the vision of excellence. Make your weekends full of “wow-factors.” (things that make you go “wow” -ingenious right?) - Follow-up First.
I know this is third on the list, but it needs to be the first thing you do on Monday. Follow-up within the first 48 hrs is crucial to visitor retention. Let your visitors know about your ministries and be available to answer any questions. If they are new to the community, recommend the best/affordable restaurant around. - Structure Your Church for Growth.
A lot of church never grow after a season like this. We’ll have lots of visitors come in by never stay. The reason is we have not structured ourselves to care for the people. Look at your leadership and strengthen the weak spots. Rethink your teams. Who should you remove and place in another place of leadership? Who is the lid in a certain area? Who can you delegate responsibility to? Where can you invest your time that will bring the greatest return?
Obvious this list could go on. If you have any input, please comment and lets have a great fall season.