Put your focus and energy on this for the next 3 months
Gary Keller in his book The One Thing said that when we lack clarity, ask ourselves this: What is the one thing I could do right now that if I did it, everything else would become easier or irrelevant? Once you answer that, make that the one thing you do each day.
I want to propose something similar, your “one thing” for the first quarter of this year.
A new year offers seemingly endless possibilities. As a Sherpa style leader in a church that wants to take new people all the way to the summit of experiencing Christ and community, the possibilities of a new year can either bring hopefulness or they can make you overwhelmed.
In light of this, I would to suggest one thing to devote your energy to above all others: Increase attendance at the One Program you have for guests.
Here’s why:
Check your inbox soon to hear about a new zoom forum I’m launching in February to develop sound strategies for your guests and to troubleshoot issues with me and other “Sherpa Leaders” who are guiding guests toward authentic connection from other churches like yours. Details coming soon!
If you had a recent influx of guests at your Christmas service or a coming service like Easter, this provides an easy action point for announcements, email communications, and hallway conversations.
It’s a natural way for guests to meet other new people and leaders from your church in conversation, people that become the glue that connects them to God and your church. Remember: you learn in rows, you connect at tables.
If you don’t have a way for guests to identify themselves after every service, they can identify themselves to you in your One Program.
Since people usually don’t jump into a small group or a volunteer position from a seat in your worship service, your One Program for guests gives them the right stepping stone from which to make those important steps.
If you already have a program like this in place (a reoccurring luncheon with the pastor for new people or a Next Steps/Growth track type offering, etc,), learn 5 hacks for increasing attendance at it here.
All this assumes of course that your program for guests is laser focused on getting guests into your volunteer placement process and small group placement process. If you using it only to share about your church’s vision, spending too much time on your church’s history or worse yet, wasting time exegeting your statement of faith, you will miss out on the “One Thing” they ultimately need to figure all that out and more and that’s getting them into a small group and ministry team. For a complete video session on how to do that successfully in your church’s program for guests (and 5 other sessions on other key components of your engagement pathway), click here.
Having one strategic focus to channel your and your team’s energy into in the next 3 months can be liberating and energizing in itself. Putting all your best efforts into increasing the attendance at your program for new people at your church is your best play for connecting new people and growing your church. It will also get you ready for the next big influx of guests God will be bringing to your church this year.
Ask yourself, “What is the one thing I could do right now that if I did it, everything else would become easier or irrelevant?” Is there something different other than connecting guests through your One Program? If so, what is it and how can you get to it?
What is one thing you could do to your program that would help those who attend find a small group or a ministry on one of your volunteer teams?
Who’s help do you need that you may not have access to at the moment? What questions might you need answers for that you could bring into your next team meeting?
