PastorMentor.com

3 Ways to Turn Christmas Visitors into Regular Attenders

Christmas visitors are not like normal visitors. Every year a significant percentage of them will leave your Christmas services with good feelings, but without any thoughts of returning soon. They don’t expect to be back until Easter. How can you change those expectations so they’ll return sooner? 

Answer: You can’t. Only God can change a human heart. 

But you can help that heart change.  

1. Make a good first impression.

Whether they know it or not, visitors want to be greeted, directed, seated, and treated.  

First impressions are critical. Some years ago, I experienced a pastor’s greatest nightmare: I got to church without my notes! I jumped back in the car, dashed home for my sermon, and arrived back as the service was starting.  

As I scrambled out of the car, Brooks Bodie came up to me with a warm smile and said, “Welcome to New Song!"

Brooks had been greeting guests for years, but I was always inside before he got started. As I ambled for the entrance door, I thought to myself, “I would want to be part of this church even if I weren’t on staff!” 

Greeting:

New Song’s goal is to have every guest greeted five times on their way in and three on their way out. If your church is smaller, you can scale that accordingly.  

Directing:

Last week I asked a Wal-Mart clerk where I could find a particular item. She surprised me by walking me to the exact aisle. That left me with such a good impression that I’m now telling you about it.  

Visitors want to know three locations: Where are the children’s rooms? Where are the bathrooms? And where is the auditorium? Good signage can help with this, but nothing beats a smile, a handshake, and an offer to show me where I need to go. This is especially true of a Christmas guest, who may not have been in a church building in a long time.  

Seating:

Walking into a church auditorium can feel awkward. A sparsely populated room makes me feel self-conscious. A densely populated one makes it hard to find a seat. Both problems are diminished by the help of a friendly usher who suggests a particular seat or section and walks me there.  

Treating:

Last impressions are as important as first impressions. We offer every first time guest a copy of The God Questions, Gift Edition as our way of saying, “Thank you for coming.” It’s a small gift book, available at http://www.pastormentor.com/html/the_god_questions_-_gift_edition.html. It reads quickly and provides simple answers to the five major questions people have about God.  

Most weekends, we put the books by the entrance door or offer them at our Information Counter. But on Christmas Eve, I stand at the front of the church and offer to sign the gift page and for all guests. This gives me a chance to say a personal word to everyone willing to come up after the service. 

2. Invite them to Christ.

The one force that can change a person’s mind about church attendance is the Holy Spirit. I believe every church should present an invitation to Christ at every Christmas, Easter, and funeral service.  

Many churches miss this opportunity. Your Christmas visitors expect you to talk about Jesus. So explain how Jesus wants to have a relationship with them, and spell out the benefits they’ll receive from bowing down to him (salvation, forgiveness, peace, etc.). This can be scary the first time you try it, but the rewards of seeing someone come to Christ will quickly convince you to be bold every chance you get! 

3. Contact them afterwards.

During every service, we ask everyone to fill out a Connection Card. I email all guests within 48 hours. A member of our First Impressions Team calls them. Two days later, I send a hand-written note. The note tells them what we’ll be covering the next weekend, and includes a second gift: a coupon for the movie To Save a Life, which they can redeem next time they’re in church.

Last Christmas, a young Marine named George received Christ in one of our services. George responded to my email by saying that he wanted to sing in church soon. I’m hesitant to put an unknown artist on our stage. I thanked him and told him one of our Worship Pastors would be in touch. 

To my surprise, George sang the next weekend, and he was good! George sang a song he had written on Christmas Eve, after receiving Christ. His wife had miscarried a few weeks earlier. They came to church desperate, and God met them here. What a Christmas gift!

Pastors, I’m praying you have many Georges in your church this Christmas!

New Song has seen 1,800 come to Christ this year, and is praying for more this Christmas. Hal is praying for a Bible Reading Revolution in our country. Check out The Bible Questions at www.pastormentor.com.

Leading Chreasters To Christ

I ate dinner the other night with a couple who first came to church at Christmas. After hearing their story, the wife looked at me sheepishly and said, “We were Chreasters.”

“For years we’ve attend church on Christmas and Easter,” she continued. “Then, on Christmas Eve, you said we should start attending every week, so we are.”

I couldn’t help but smile. This is what we pray for twice a year!

The Chreaster Mindset

Chreasters are easy to reach and hard to keep. The easy part is getting them to one of your holiday services. They’re actually out there looking for a place to attend on those days. The difficult part is getting them to return on a regular Sunday. How do you persuade someone to come back to church who has no intention of doing so?

You don’t. But God can. I’ve found that if you line up grace, truth, and prayer, God can work miracles at Christmas and Easter.

1. Concentrated Prayer

At New Song, we spend two weeks in 24/7 prayer for our Christmas and Easter guests. We set up stations in our Prayer Room and ask members to fill one hour prayer five minutes at a time for the names of lost people submitted by other members, for the city, and for the other churches in town. We pray that people will be drawn to the churches of our city on Easter, but our bigger prayer is that they’ll be drawn back in the weeks following.

2. A Confident Invitation to Receive Christ

My message on Christmas Eve and Easter is always pointed towards an invitation to receive Christ. If you’re not going to present the gospel on the two days when your greatest number of lost people are in church, what’s the point in being a church?

This Christmas I went old school. Instead of asking people to respond to the Lord by raising their hands, I went a step further. While hands were up, I asked each one, “Are you serious about this?” After they each nodded in agreement, I said, “Then I’m going to invite you to come up here so I can pray with you.” What could they do? They had to come forward. Before praying with them, I got their names. After praying with them, I introduced them to someone who would take them through their first steps of faith.

3. An Immediate Follow-Up

The person I introduced them to was holding a packet. It contained a copy of the New Testament, a Spiritual Birth Certificate, and the first lesson in a follow-up course called, “Foundations.” Before returning to their seats, follow up was begun.

4. A Free Book

At the end of the service, I asked everyone to stand for the Benediction. Before praying I said, “I know some of you couldn’t pray that prayer with me a few minutes ago because you still have a lot of questions you need answered. I have a book here called, The God Questions, which I’ll gladly give you if you’ll read it. I’ll be up here in front after the service if you’d like a copy.” Then I prayed, grabbed a stack of books, and waited, pen in hand.

I asked each person in my line, “So you have questions about God?”

They always say, “I do.”

After finding out their name, I handed them the book and said, “I hope we’ll see you back here next week.”

5. A Volunteer Phone Call

Those who came forward to receive Christ that night began one-on-one discipleship within a few days. But what about the Chreasters who didn’t register a decision with us? We asked them all to fill out a Commitment Card and place it in the offering. Those who did were called by a volunteer the next day. We have found that Chreaster contacts grow cold quickly, so we make a huge effort to call within 24 hours. The call never lasts more than five minute. (In fact, surveys show that the longer the call lasts, the less likely your visitor is to return.) Our callers thank the guest for attending and invite them our next “R.U. New Café,” where they can meet the staff and learn more about the church.

6. A Personal Email

Also within 24 hours, I send a brief email to each guest, telling them how great it was to have them visit and asking how we can pray for them. I time my email for mid-morning. I don’t want it to get lost in the beginning of the day load of emails everyone gets first thing in the morning. I’m hoping they check their email at break time and find my note there.

7. A Personal Note

Within 48 hours, I also send all guests a handwritten note, with a coupon in it. The coupon is for a free copy of a movie we made a few years ago. In 2010, New Song partnered with Sony Pictures to produce, “To Save A Life.” The coupon is a pleasant surprise, and since they have to stop by our bookstore to pick up their copy, it’s an additional incentive to return soon.

8. A Reason to Return

Every year we try to offer a reason for the unchurched to return. One year it was to hear a comedian the following Friday night. Another year it was to be part of a family series. The year we released our movie, we held a movie showing. This year, we’re hosting a high profile guest (Bethany Hamilton) two weeks after Easter.

I know from Jesus’ attempts that not even he reached everyone he spoke to. But God is not willing that any should perish, and neither am I. So right now I’m mobilizing every resource at my disposal to attract and connect Chreasters to my church. And the day after Easter, I’ll write my knuckles white with notes inviting them to return.

What are you doing to lead Chreasters to Christ? I’d love to hear about it.

Would you like a deeper heart for your community? Hal has developed a free course called, "Momentum Bootcamp," designed to infect you with love your the lost and tools to reach them. You can sign up for it at www.pastormentor.com.

Hal’s newest book The Bible Questions comes out this September. He’s praying it will launch a Bible reading revolution among seekers and believers alike, and is hoping you and your church will join New Song for this six-week Church-Wide Campaign. Go to http://www.amazon.com/The-Bible-Questions-Shedding-Important/dp/0830856129/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332286835&sr=1-2 to pre-order, or visit www.pastormentor.com in July for quantity discounts and Campaign materials.

Sixteen Ways We're Preparing for Easter

Easter is the most important day on the church calendar. Not only is it the day Jesus won the victory over death, it’s the day more people become Christians than any other. I want to take full advantage of this once-a-year opportunity. So every year at this time, New Song begins what we call our “ramp-up for Easter.”

1. Launch a new series.

We start by developing the series we want to launch on Easter. For years, I preached a resurrection message and invited people to return for a new series the following week. But CEO’s (“Christmas and Easter Only”) rarely come to church thinking they’ll return anytime soon, so we want to double their incentive by giving them the first helping of what they’ll receive if they come back.

Yes, I’ll explain the resurrection. Yes, I’ll invite people to receive Christ that day. But this year I’ll be doing it in the midst of a message on Heaven is For Real. Todd Burpo has a best-selling book by that title, so people are interested in it. During the four weeks post-Easter, I’ll preach on what heaven will be like and explain how to get there.

2. Give a free book.

Lots of unchurched people think of the church as stingy and irrelevant. I want to break that perception, so every year we give first time guests a free book. In the past we’ve given gift editions of a book I wrote a few years ago called The God Questions. I’ll still offer that book from upfront to anyone who has questions about God,but in our advertisements we’re offering a copy of Burpo’s book, which guests can pick up at our bookstore.

Giving the free gift not only exceeds people’s expectations, it enables us to gather contact information so we can thank them for coming and invite them back.

3. An email note.

In a church our size, it’s easy for guests to feel lost in the crowd. On the day after Easter, I’m going to email them all, asking if there is anything we can pray for. I want guests to know that the church is more than a building they can come to, it’s a family they can belong to. Every guest who responds will be prayed for by our staff on Tuesday morning.

4. A hand-written note.

As the emails go out, I’ll also be hand-writing notes. I want every guest to know that the church is about relationships, not just programs, and that their pastor took time to write them personally. By the time I’m through, my hand will be cramped, and I’ll wonder if it was worth it. The note will give me a chance to ministry personally. While I’m writing, I will pray for each guest by name.

5. A gift in the mail.

Along with my note, I’ll include a coupon for a free pizza. Few guests will expect this. As they open they letter, I’m hoping they’ll hear the Holy Spirit whisper, “Church isn’t what you thought it was. These people love you.”

6. Prayer Cards.

Our best gift to our neighbors is prayer. Starting this weekend I’ll ask our people to fill out Prayer Cards with the names of seven friends they’ll pray for and invite to Easter.

I’ll ask all New Songers to fill out two cards: one to keep,and one to turn in, so I can pray with them for their friends. Nothing tills the soil of a human heart like prayer.

7. Prayer Room.

During the weeks leading up to Easter, we turn our Prayer Room into a war room. Every card that’s turned in will be posted in the Prayer Room. We’ll feature twelve stations and ask people to fill up all twenty-four hours, praying for our community, praying for people’s friends by name, praying for our ministry teams, and other personal and corporate needs. Our Prayer Room serves double duty for us. It lifts our community to the Lord, and it teaches newer believers that it really is possible to pray for an hour at a time and not get bored.

8. Random Acts of Kindness.

Once we’ve begun praying, we want to pile on the love by serving our community in practical ways. Two weeks after we issue Prayer Cards, we put “RAK” (Random Act of Kindness) Cards in our programs, with a list of 150 suggestions of ways you can show tangible love to your neighbors.

One of our suggestions is “Pay for the coffee of the person in line behind you.” One year a New Songer did this, handing a RAK card to a Starbucks attendant. He ask her to give the card to the driver of the car behind him. As he was pulling away, a friend called and asked him to her a coffee, so he pulled back into line. When he got to the attendant, he was handed his same RAK card. – It had traveled through seven cars, each one paying for the person behind them. Jesus was right: give and it will come back to you!

9. Invite cards.

Once we’ve begun tilling the soil of our community with prayers and acts of service, we’ll start inviting people. A personal invitation is always best, so we print business card sized invitations with the times of our Easter services on it. This year’s card will serve as a coupon good for one free copy of Heaven is For Real.

10. Doorhangers.

We also make doorhanger invitations available for those who are willing to walk and pray through their neighborhoods. The doorhanger also serves as a coupon for the Heaven book.

11. Bumper Stickers.

I used to hate bumper stickers. Not anymore. Last year one of my genius staff members discovered a type of bumper sticker that peels off easily without leaving any glue. We purchased enough to give them to our people for the next several years. Their message is simple: “Easter at New Song.”

12. Yard Signs.

A few years ago we bought a batch of yard signs that read “Easter at New Song,” with our phone number on them. They look like realtor’s signs. I ask people to put one in their yard and return it the week after Easter. These are fun. Once they’re up, our office gets calls about the price of the house on such and such street.

13. Holding a Wednesday night service.

Easter is such a strategic opportunity that we don’t want to miss anyone. Some people will go out of town for the weekend. We offer a Wednesday night Easter service to catch them beforehand. People invite friends from work and some of them receive Christ. Even if the crowd is small, it’s worth it.

14. Attend multiple services.

To take full advantage of this once-a-year opportunity, we ask everyone to attend more than one service. “This is the most important weekend on God’s calendar, so it ought to be the most important weekend on ours. Bring friends to at least one service, and serve during at least one service,” we say. Some people attend four or five.

15. Training a new team.

The excitement of a big day brings the opportunity to launch new ministry teams. I’ve gone old-school recently. Instead of asking people to raise their hand to receive Christ, I invite them to come forward. This year we’re launching an “Aftercare Team.” Their job will be to begin follow up immediately following decisions at each service.

16. An incentive two weeks later.

During our Easter services we’ll invite people back to meet Bethany Hamilton. Bethany’s movie, Soul Surfer, came out last year. People in our beach culture are dying to meet her. She’ll draw a lot of people to church who wouldn’t normally darken the doors. Some will be Easter returnees. We’re believing that that weekend will be one more step on the fruitful life path of many new believers.

New Song Community Church has led over 11,000 to Christ in the last two decades. Hal’s website, www.pastormentor.com is stocked with resources dedicated to helping pastors reach their communities for Christ. If you’d like to develop a heart for reaching the lost of your community, sign up there for his free, five-week e-course called “Momentum Bootcamp.” Hal is hoping to provoke a Bible-reading revolution this September by providing hundreds of churches with a church-wide campaign called, The Bible Questions. Email him at [email protected] for further information.

Making Newcomers Feel Welcome

How much time does it take for a visitor to decide whether or not they will return to your church? Experts pose differing numbers on this. Some say as quickly as 90 seconds. Others say three minutes. Still others say they take as long as 12 minutes to decide. Whoever is right, making a good first impression is imperative if you are going to retain first time visitors. Doing this well will change as your church grows.

 

Churches with attendance under 150 can make a friendly first impression by stationing two or three outgoing volunteers at their front doors. In this size church, newcomers are able to look around the crowd and find the “people like me” pretty quickly. “People like me,” is key to assimilating newcomers in smaller churches.

 

Once you get to 200 or more, the number of names and faces is large enough that you’ll an exceptionally committed volunteer to be at the door at least 45 weekends a year. Since the average Sunday school teacher only attends church 39 weeks a year, you probably won’t find such a person. Hence, a staff member needs to assume this responsibility. When our church was under 400, my associate pastor met every first time visitor and introduced them to others. If you ask anyone who came during that era, “Who did you meet first?” there answer was always, “Scott Evans.”

 

Above 400, first impressions must be everyone’s responsibility. The average church welcomes three visitors per week for every 100 attendees. So at 400, you’ll have 12 or more brand new guests each weekend. No one person can meet and introduce them all to someone like them. Welcoming becomes a family affair.

 

At New Song, I ask our Core to “LINE-UP” every weekend.

L = Look for someone you don’t know.

I = Introduce yourself.

N = Never sit alone.

E = Engage in conversation after the service.

U = Use the RU New Café (our monthly lunch for newcomers).

P = Practice the 3/10 Rule (talk to 3 people you don’t know during the first 10 minutes after the service).

 

LINE-UP has made us one of the friendliest churches in the world. And it’s scalable, so it ought to work for yours too. Embed the process in your people by teaching it at leadership meetings, new members’ classes, and at least annually in church.