8 last minute recommendations for your Christmas services to make guests return in January
If you are like me today, you have the heart of a Sherpa (wanting to help others find a clear path for their journey upward) and the calendar of an event planner (full to the brim). If that’s you, and you’re wondering, “Are we doing everything we can do to reach and connect the new people coming to church for Christmas this weekend?”, then this post is for you.
If you are looking for a guest follow up checklist for newcomers to your church this Christmas, this isn’t it. You can find that here. What you will find in this post are 8 simple things that you can do with just days left before Christmas to make guest feel connected and want to come back in January. So, here they are…
8 recommendations to connect new people at your Christmas services this weekend (that will also cause them to return):
Look for eyes that wander inquisitively
Looking into people’s eyes as you walk around to see if they are trying to find something is a call to inquire. “Can I help you find something?” is a great question to ask people staring up at wayfinding signs or stoping to survey where to go next with their kids. Walking handicap people to the front of the line or the auditorium is a nice touch here too and reflects the heart of the one whose birth we are celebrating.
Christmas photo ops can be huge in spreading word about your church in an age of social media
2. Take photos for people at any photo ops (and add a “#yourchurchname” in the background)
Though we have volunteers manning the photo ops, sometime your church’s Christmas decor creates an unplanned photo op for a family or group of friends who would love everybody to be in the photo if they had someone to take the picture. Be that person.
3. Ask if this is their first Christmas at your church
No matter what size your church is, there will likely be people who come to it for the first time this Christmas Ask if people you don’t know if it’s there first time. If it is, have a VIP experience in mind to kick into. Maybe its some candy in your pocket for kids or a gift card for free cocoa in your cafe or foyer. If it’s not their first time, ask what made them come back. You will find out things from this spontaneous focus group that you would have found out no other way. Don’t forget to ask them if they checked out your services online prior to coming. Put their answers on your note app on your phone and send them to relevant staff when everyone comes back to the office to evaluate Christmas in January staff and team meetings.
4. Work the lines
If lots of people come early are needing to stay in your lobby till the doors open, have stanchions for them and/or a special room where you and other Sherpas can “work the room”. We have staff and volunteers sign up for just this every year. Some give out candy, some play a Christmas version of “Heads Up” on their phones with others. On one campus, we even have a volunteer performing illusions for people in line while they wait. Conversation is a great way to connect and welcome Christmas guests but you can’t have conversation if you are not located where the conversations can be found.
5. Respond with spontaneous prayer
One time in our lobby, I was leaning against a podium that was being used for check in. Someone came up to me to ask for prayer for some people they were inviting to church. I leaned against it and prayed, inviting this person to hold my hands on the “prayer podium” as I did. We laughed about it, but then someone else wanted prayer when they saw it. I moved the podium (a small stand) up to them and did the same thing in a humorous but “get the job done” kind of way. I prayed for a few people spontaneously in the lobby that day. I also got to baptize the people I prayed for from the first request a month later at their small group. If someone asks for prayer, take their hand, include others and pray right then and there. It also shows the heart of God and your church in a way nothing else can.
6. Meet family and friends that people have invited
Don’t let people get away with not introducing their guests to you as you wander the lobby. Hearing their stories, having a few lines in your pocket that get a laugh, asking questions like, “How did they get you here tonight?” and “How far did you drive?” among many others are good conversation starters among 1st timers that came on the arms of people in your church. The people of your church will feel very valued that you did so.
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7. Walk them over personally to get a welcome gift at your One Place for guests
When you engage with people after your services, ask them if they got their welcome gift. If not, walk them over to where your One Place for guests is, introduce them to one fo the volunteers there and stay with them until they fill out their information and have received their gift. Letting them know ho great is was to share Christmas with them before engage with someone else is a nice way to give closure to that new connection.
8. Invite them to your next sermon series in January
This is the most strategic thing you can do this weekend to connect a new person, and increase your church impact. This is what it takes to fully capitalize on this opportunity: 1). Construct your next message series in January so it targets them. Use a title that speaks to the pain and confusion people in your community are experiencing and then bring Jesus to them through that message. 2). Announce the series briefly in your Christmas services and invite them to come back. Be sure and tell them why that teaching will be of help to them this new year 3). Print business card size invitations for this series and have your greeters hand them out at the doors when they leave your services. These usually have a 3 day turn around time so this is possible if you have artwork and good message title(s) already in place.
This Christmas is our last opportunity to bring the good news to our community this year. Let’s prayerfully seize it together. I am praying for God to inhabit your church and your efforts as we do.
Say a prayer and review the 8 recommendations one more time. Which one(s) stick out to you as a “must do” for services this weekend?
Who do you need to ask for help, delegate to, or get input from today to pull the trigger?
How will you evaluate the effect of these actions? Put a moment of reflection and evaulation of your Christmas services on your calendar and even for your next leadership team meeting to stay in tune with what God is doing before rushing into the new year.
