Why I Do What I Do On Easter

On Easter we were deliberate about
a.  starting a new and short sermon series
b.  putting in an insert that showed a new Sunday School class the next week
c.  putting in that same insert a special, interesting event happening within a short time frame.
d.  using "we're here" cards

Let me explain.  Biggest attendance days for churches -- Christmas & Easter.  We're to be fishers of men.  When the fish are running, do the fishing.  How do you fish?  Get your people to invite.  Promote -- sign, banners, newspapers, social media.

But once you get people there you must help them feel that what they got was worth the effort of going.  In a restaurant you do not want people thinking they drove thirty minutes and paid $10 for a $5 meal.  They will certainly go to a restaurant where they drive only ten minutes and pay $5 for a $10 meal.  And they will go back to that restaurant.

So have the place pretty outside and in.  That means people and place.  A pretty place with unfriendly people, ugh.  Vice versa sorta the same but not quite.  Try to do both.  People inspire.  Places inspire.

Then have the whole service be personal and on pace and possessing quality.  These things will help them feel good about coming and want to come back.  Having a sermon that has a bit of "to be continued" quality and piques their interest will also help.  That's the sermon series idea.  But a 12-part series might be too daunting for a person just getting their feet wet.  Coming for three weeks might work.  So make it a short series.

What if someone wanted to see what else is going on that might fit their age group or set of concerns?  Why not have an insert that samples some of your best activities from across the board.  Remember, however, less is more.  Don't try to list everything or they will get lost.  This is a fly-by kind of list.  Something for men. Something for women.  Something for kids.  And if you can add into your listing for men, for example, that they are just beginning something kinda neat next week, do that!  Listing that they will start that seven weeks from now is too far away.  Six weeks from now you will be out of sight and out of mind for them.

We put in that we were having a healing service next week.  That might arouse some interest, might get someone hurting to come again. That's putting in the insert a special event.

Not attendance cards but "We're Here" cards.  That's a fun thing to do, to say, "We're here!"  I have everyone fill them out while we wait.  I don't want anyone opting out because we just moved along and let that be a possibility.  Why?  Because we want the cards!  That's how we can follow-up and send them the newsletter a couple times, an invite to the men's breakfast, or whatever.

You could collect those cards then and there.  But I like to use them for some interaction with everyone.  So I plan to use them at the end of the sermon.  I ask them to pull them out towards the end of my message.  And I ask them a couple of simple questions.  For Easter it was, "On this believing Jesus was real and actually rose again, I am  [A] On Board (circle A which was preprinted on the back of the card), [B] Could use the pastor's prayers to understand this better (circle B), etceteras.

Now (not later because they'll lose the card) you have the offering and have them put the card and their money in the plate at the same time.