fresh & practical ideas for your journey to the summit
The only 2 things to concern yourself with this Easter
This Easter, the only thing that matters is getting people connected to God and each other. In a guest’s journey, your efforts as a Sherpa to lead them there should be focused and unencumbered. Here are the only two things you need to be focused on.
What we didn't see happen at our Christmas services might change what you do this Easter
I am looking at this coming Easter through the lens of something that didn’t happen at our Christmas services for the first time ever. Here is what I learned and the 2 questions I am asking myself that will inform how we plan Easter and all holiday services moving forward.
Turning first-time guests from Christmas into third-time guests in January
Third-time visits from people are gold in terms of developing a long term connection to your church. Wondering how to turn your first time guest from this Christmas into third time guests in January? Here’s how.
Do this to see your Christmas guests return in 2021
Christmas at your church will be different this year. Despite the difference, I believe you could see Christmas guests return in January not just in spite of COVID but because of COVID. Are you ready for that possibility? You just need to identify at least one new way to engage guests by answering these questions.
A challenge from the Christmas story and a tip on video for connecting well with your holiday guests
Christmas is next week and this is the last post of the decade for me. What do I want you to know? Just 2 things as we move into a whole new decade in 2020.
Do you know how to follow up on Christmas guests so they'll return in January? Here's your checklist
At my church, 18% of all the guest cards we receive in a year come from our Christmas services. That is why we’ve come up with a special and strategic way to follow up on Christmas guests, campus wide, a way that we don’t use with guests at any other time of year.
A checklist for onboarding more volunteers at your church this Christmas
I'm one of those guys who believes that God has already brought to your church all the volunteers you need for everything he wants to do at your Christmas services this year. Here are 4 ways to staff your ministry teams with plenty of volunteers this Christmas, with a checklist for each one.
Your First Impressions Checklist for Christmas
Most of the focus at Christmas revolves around what happens in the auditorium, not around it. Yet it’s where the “common areas” surrounding your auditorium/sanctuary are that most of your guests will decide if your church is one they will be returning to or not. That’s why we all need a first impressions checklist for Christmas.
You can’t forget to do these 4 things with your volunteers this Christmas
You may not have this on your radar at all this Christmas, but if you don’t, you might forfeit one of your best opportunities to onboard new volunteers next year.
Check out this story to comprehend what is possible for your guests this Christmas
Know for sure: people’s spiritual journeys will begin at your church this Christmas. No kidding. Just watch this 4 minute video of the Hernandez’s story to see how a simple assimilation strategy will help you bring your unchurched guests all the way to the summit of full connection with God and your church.
You can't connect people like this.
Most people know the Pantheon as an architectural masterpiece. What most people don't know is that the Pantheon has been a church since 609 AD. While we waited for their Pentecost service, I noticed that they were letting people into the Pantheon 10 at a time. What I didn't know was that the church was already full. That’s when I discovered one of the biggest enemies of connection for all the guests at our churches.
5 low-prep last minute ways to WOW your guests this Easter
There’s a person on our staff team at church who helps volunteers provide WOW experiences for guests during our Easter services each year. Her name is Shelly Hall, she oversees Guest Services and she is the most dedicated, hospitable, above and beyond WOW-Factor provider I know. When I asked her in passing this week what she and her team were planning to do for guests this Easter, this is what she told me.
What we just learned could change everything.
What we learned at our last Christmas services could double the amount of guests who make themselves known to you this Easter. It could also double the amount of guests we ultimately connect with through our assimilation strategy.
Believe it or not, it already has!
4 ideas for placing more volunteers this Christmas
The 6+ minute video below is one I recorded for some of our volunteer champs who wanted me to give them some ideas for increasing the amount of volunteers placed, especially after recent volunteer sign up efforts. If that's you, and you could use more volunteers this Christmas or in the early part of next year, take a moment and listen to this.
For you before your Christmas services begin
But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. -Psalm 3:3
I am familiar with this verse and have sung it in church and at camp growing up. I have always thought when it says that God is the "lifter of my head" that it was saying God is the lifter if my mood, or that he lifts me out of discouragement. He certainly does that, but recently I found that King David was probably saying something different.