Now that we have transitioned from a quarterly 7-week "First Step Experience" to an ongoing revolving 4-week experience called "Next Steps", I have wanted to see a greater number of guests coming into that connection environment than ever before. This has been a greater challenge than I anticipated. 

Last weekend there was a breakthrough: we did 3 things different that resulted in exponential attendance at our other 2 campuses and a 40% increase in our attendance at our broadcast campus in Anaheim

My solution to improving connection with our guests at church is to lead them to a "Connection Experience" led by a a front man or woman who can win others over, and does not have the drive to "teach doctrine" or conduct a Chatechism of any kind (though this will happen by default if the environment is designed well).

You see, just like it takes more than a good driver to back in a long trailer into a obstacle ridden campsite, it takes someone different than a good Bible teacher to lead people through an experience that connects them well to their new church.

What kind of person does it take?

In my opinion we are in the midst of a massive cultural and marketing trend-reversal. The trend used to be customization..."Have it Your Way". You could create your own unique version of food, decor, music playlists, or even create your own ending to a fictional novel you are reading. That was all trending as the information overload that came with customization was only swelling--not cresting and then crashing on top of our overwhelmed heads. 

Now the trend is simplification.

He lived in the British Isles in the late fourth century and early fifth century, at a time when the church had already begun its descent into bureaucracy and institutionalism. As a de-churched grandson of a deacon, he led the wild life of a teenager without a personal faith in God at all.

Signing up for things and showing up for things seems rare, even antiquated. I am amazed by how many wedding invitations get no responses or RSVPs these days. Church events get most of their sign ups the day before.

Here is another idea to communicate well with guests that resulted in something we didn't anticipate: people actually signing up and showing up for an event!

When we think of fishing, most of us think of all the energy, activity, and equipment necessary to to attract and catch a fish. When we are fishing for men, as Jesus called us to, we tend to pour our focus into parallel activities: attraction, invitation, decisions...everything until they are "hooked".

But when we take a closer look at fishing, we see that a different and more individual kind of attention takes place after a fish is caught.

At the Catalyst conference last year, Charles Duhigg spoke on The Power of Habit: Why we do what we do in life and in business. His message was so powerful that our entire team read the book together and discussed it for 6 months. 

Our takeaway produced an idea that I can't get out of my head, every time I get an email or text.

Most of us want our guests to grow more connected to our church by "liking" its facebook page, following us on twitter, and sharing posts with their friends. Few of us have a way to systematically encourage that. I fell into one that has worked well at Eastside where I serve.

When I was 14 years old, I came to Eastside Christian Church for the first time. After the message, communion was passed out, the lights were dimmed, and we were invited to meditate on what Jesus had done for us and express our thoughts about it through prayer. I had never "experienced" the message of communion before, and it happened simply because Communion was presented to me....differently.

One of the epiphanies I've had about communion in my adult life is how important it is to be creative with it.