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How to break a growth barrier in a day

*systems Dec 28, 2021

In this video (which comes from module 2 / video 3 of The Church Catapult course), Shawn outlines WHY you should do a "big day" and break a growth barrier in a single day (on a non-holiday weekend). 

The reality: it’s DEEP CHANGE or SLOW DEATH!

Here are two reasons why: 

  • Most churches that don’t break the 250 barrier quickly never do
  • 10% growth per year (new additions) barely keeps up with people who move and transition out of your church

Furthermore…

  • Post-pandemic offers us a great opportunity to launch a “big day” and see people return to church (or come for the first time)

 

Note: we can't presume on growth, but we can plan for it-- and that's what we're doing here.

 

10 Benefits of a Big Day 

Rick Warren says there are two benefits of a big day. He says that these “big days” specifically—  

  1. Create excitement in the church
  2. Generate buzz in the community 
  3. Build your email list
  4. Enlarge the vision of your members
  5. Give focus to people’s prayers
  6. Stretch people’s faith
  7. Give specific opportunities for invites 
  8. Increase the pool of active volunteers
  9. Mean more people will visit— and some will come back!
  10. Grow the church!

We don’t want to confuse a CROWD with being a CHURCH, but as the crowd comes, we can funnel some of them into the church. Ultimately, we can shepherd many of those towards comprising an ever-expanding core. 

 

10 Requirements for  Breaking a Growth Barrier in a Day 

Before working through the timeline (lesson 4 of the Catapult), Shawn highlights ten things which are required for a “big day.”

 

#1 = Focused urgency 

There's a difference in saying “we need to reach people who are far from God" and "I need you to reach your unchurched friends & get them here on THIS SPECIFIC DAY." 

Don't just improve things around your church gradually: improve everything all on one day. 

We automatically do this on Christmas and Easter. Here, we want to set another urgent day to upgrade.

This is the reason WHY we choose a non-holiday weekend, by the way: 

  • People expect to attend church on specific holidays (many even feel obligated)
  • Choosing another day helps identify people who are truly interested in continuing with your church

 

#2 = Focused leadership 

Synergy only happens when the energy is focused. Everybody focuses on this day. 

  • Every leader
  • Every department
  • Every ministry group 
  • Every person in the church

Instead of everybody working on their thing, we're all working on one thing. 

Like a laser beam versus a flashlight. Focused energy of the leadership creates synergy.

 

#3 = Focused ministries 

The only thing we are going to be talking about and participating in during this season are the things that have to do with THIS DAY.

Postpone everything else on the calendar for eight weeks so the entire church can be focused on this one thing. 

During this time, there are no other events on the calendar. 

Caution: MOVE stuff,  don’t KILL it during this time. KILLING STUFF does affect morale, and we want morale HIGH as we prepare for the big day.

 

#4 = Focused messaging to the community 

We want to create buzz in the community. 

The question is NO, “What should we do?”

(As in, “Which ONE thing is best?”)

Rather, the better question is, “How many possible things can we do to promote this and create excitement?!”

 

#5 = Focused engagement / serving 

Don't just market to the community, go out and serve the community. Prior to a big day, host a serve day or project. Rally as many possible people to serve the weekend or the day before your big day.

 

#6 = Focused teaching 

First, design a series that prepares the church for THIS DAY. Talk about vision, heart, and strategy…

Second, we want every life station in our church to be kicking off a new teaching series on the same day.

We also recruiting new Small Group Leaders and Volunteers so that we are appropriately prepared for a surge in attendance. We can’t PRESUME on growth, but we must get PREPARED for growth.

Everyone in the church knows this series is designed for people who are disconnected from Christ and the church. 

This way we get no pushback about it not being “deep enough.”

 

#7 = Focused invites 

Again, the goal isn’t to just invite someone to church. 

We want everyone in our church to get someone to church on THE BIG DAY. 

So, empower them with tools. Consider— 

  • Random Acts of Kindness cards
  • Invite Cards
  • Social media graphics and invites

In the weeks leading up to the big day, have people make spiritual commitments to invite people that day. 

Write names on the stage, on bricks, on a wall… things like this focus them on who they're inviting this day.

 

#8 = Focused praying 

Rally everyone to pray in creative, urgent ways. 

There are times we need to pray for the needs of people in the body, but is a time when all our prayer is focused on those disconnected from the church. 

No better way to create a heart for the lost than to get people praying for the lost. 

You might want to do prayer walks, use the list of names on a wall or the bricks, or even commitments cards… 

 

#9 = Focused excellence 

We want to do everything we normally do, but do it BETTER on this day. 

How do we do what we do, but take it up a notch?

Consider— 

  • First time guest children's check in
  • Parking teams 
  • Freshen up the restrooms
  • Paint nursery spaces
  • Replace carpet
  • Refresh signage
  • Repair things you’ve been putting off for a while

Take your entire team to edge of parking lot. Survey the landscaping. Then do a walk through from the street to the seats through the eyes of a first-time attender. 

 

#10 = Focused connection 

You need one application from message that offers people a specific way to take their first step. 

You might—

  • Invite them to a members’ class
  • Connect them to small groups
  • Highlight volunteer opportunities 

Since we host the “big day” on a non-holiday weekend, we know that everyone who arrives is interested in the church. 

So, give them a clear step to connect. 

Leverage text messaging, email technology, and social media to offer people something to show back up for next week.

Be prepared for ridiculous, over-the-top follow-up!

 

 


Links for this post

  • The video above comes from module 2 / video 3 of The Church Catapult. In video 3 Shawn explains WHY you need to do a "big day" on a non-holiday weekend. In video 4, he tells you, step-by-step, exactly how to do it. Learn more about the course here.
  • Listen to episode #4 of The Courageous Pastors Podcast, where Bil Cornelius talks about the "numbers" we have, and how we need to look at re-launching or growing again.

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