Ways To Make a Sunday Service More “User Friendly” to Unsaved Guests

1. Ways To Make a Sunday Service More “User Friendly” to Unsaved Guests

2. My goal is to help you win in ministry

3. The Start to Finish Church Experience Through The Eyes Of An Unreached Guests • Connecting Guests to Each Other • Pathways Without Pressure • Small Things May Be Tipping Points • Acting Your Size and Age • Building The Listener’s Confidence That They Can Understand and Apply the Bible • Making Every Moment Meaningful for Adults and Kids

4. My Experience Start to Finish • I had a hard time finding the time & and place on the website • I saw that they believed some things I do not believe and wondered if that matters • I did not see signs coming up to building and wondered if I was in the right place • I did not see signs as to where to park or what door to enter • I noticed very few cars and I wondered if very many people were coming to this church

5. Parking

6. Walk in Banner for entrance Directional signs in hallways

8. My Experience Start to Finish • I wondered which room I was supposed to go into (no sign) • I needed to go the washroom, but I did not want to ask anyone where it was • Most everyone had printed name tags, but I a hand written one • I saw the refreshment table so I went over got some coffee, then I saw I was expected to pay for it. I only had a $20. • Others had a program but I did not get one

9. My Experience Start to Finish • I noticed lots of clutter on the stage • Nobody talked to me besides the official greeters at the door • It was time to start but nothing was happening yet • Lots of chairs were not being used • The seats I would have liked were taken • There were papers or pens on the empty seats, so I wondered if they were saved • The chairs were very close together. I hoped no one would sat next to me.

10. My Experience Start to Finish • Without explanation the first thing that happened was a children’s song • We were welcomed and then told stand up and get to know the people around us • Someone passed me a sympathy card for me to sign for someone I did not know • Then came a song that reminded me of a love song to Jesus.

11. My Experience Start to Finish • After repeating that song several times, we did another and an another • The announcement time seems long, and they gave a lot of details. • They said the card I was suppose to fill out was mainly for visitors, and the others were to do it to so they could keep attendance. • The message was good, but it was hard to always connect from the screen to what I was supposed to put in the blanks.

12. My Experience Start to Finish • Sometime I felt bad that I did not know some of the Bible stories that I was suppose to • Overall it seems like this service was for those already fully convinced not for some like me • After the message they passed the offering plate to get the card and a offering • Afterward I hung around for their “10 minute” party.

13. Determine your goals for your Sunday services 1. Bring pleasure to God Present the Gospel as good news

14. Why Be Sensitive to Seekers? • "So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?" • 1 Corinthians 14:23

15. DETERMINE YOUR GOALS FOR YOUR SUNDAY SERVICES 3. Create an environment of grace and truth

16. Picture of a greenhouse

17. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one.” John 17:22

18. DETERMINE YOUR GOALS FOR YOUR SUNDAY SERVICES Inspire commitment Connectpeople to each other Involve peoplein corporate evangelism Make every second count

19. DETERMINE YOUR GOALS FOR YOUR SUNDAY SERVICES Appeal To Men As Well as Women Help people learn to correctly interpretand humbly apply the Bible

20. Project: Which of these goals do you need to work on most? How are you going to do it?

21. Mistakes and Dangers

22. Not designing services with the unreached in mind Become lax Gravitate towards Christians Loss of momentum Mistakesand Dangers

23. How To Do A Small Church Service well 1. Make good first impressions You never have a second chance to create a first impression!

24. ? Results

25. Our actions here make a difference ? Results

26. What unchurched guests are thinking as they come in: • Will these people accept me? • Do these people want me around? • Do these people understand me? • Are these people for real? • Will I be embarrassed? • Will I be pressured? • Will my buddies see me going to church? • Will I be singled out?

27. How to Do Small Church Well Be exceptionally hospitable Always be eager to practice hospitality. Rom. 12:13b NLT Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. I Pe 4:9

28. "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." Heb. 13:2

29. Design a strategy for greeting guests • Pick friendly people who match your primary target • Place greeters and ushers in strategic locations • Use both males and females • Train them in what to say • Train everyone to be hospitable

30. Consider the “5 Minute Rule”

31. 3. Use name tags

32. NAME TAG HOW TO’S • All name-tags must be the SAME • First name only • EVERYONE wears one 4. Place nametag TABLES in key traffic areas

33. CONNECT GUESTS TO EACH OTHER Name tags Refreshments Connecters Next step events Bible Fellowships

34. How to Do Small Church Well Use communication cards The Pathway Without Pressure

35. Why use a card? • Reveals how GOD IS WORKING in people’s lives • Encourages EXPRESSIONS of impressions • MINI-STEP toward Christ & church • Enables FUTURE communication • It keeps you IN TOUCH with your flock. • Helps EVALUATE and track progress

36. How to use a card? • Use an actual card • Tailor it for the week • Put one in every program • Announce it early • Clarify it is for everyone • Talk about it wisely • Use it for your invitation

37. Don’ts related to cards • Don’t ask for ages • Don’t ask if divorced • Don’t put too much on it • Don’t ask regulars fill out everything

38. How to Do Small Church Well 5. Refreshments

39. How To Do Small Church Well • 6. Set the room up wisely • Right # of chairs • Lay out, and spacing

40. How To Do Small Church Well 7. Tailor messages to your cultural target

41. How To Do Small Church Well 8. Make it easy to get involved

42. How To Do Small Church Well Celebratechurch family wins

43. Project: What are some other things you could celebrate in a service? How can you honor people?

44. How To Do Small Church Well 10. Give them programs Why? What to include?

45. How To Do Small Church Well 11. Right amount and type of music

46. Why sing less than most churches do? • Most men prefer less • When the group is not singing with enthusiasm it communities the wrong message • Men want to get to the message, and like a shorter service

47. How to Do Small Church Well 12. Planter: connect with everyone

48. Project: What Happens When You Do Small Church Well? What do you need to work on in order to do small church well?

49. CHILDREN’S MINISTRY TIPS • Make it fun

50. Why does it need to be fun?