Two months ago our elders and ministers had a one day retreat to talk about the future and direction of the church. In that meeting several things came to light that we decided to act on that included new ministries to add/expand existing ministries and trying to get 100% involvement from our membership in service/ministry.
Following that meeting our youth minister and I got together and started an ad campaign for an Involvement event we called “Connect.” We designed and posted posters all over the building with just an image and a date (see above). Nothing more. We left this up for a short while so people would wonder what it was all about before announcing our night of involvement – Connect and what it entailed. On the Sunday prior we made a mac vs. pc commercial spoof to humorously jab people into coming to connect.
Prior to the event we talked to prospective leaders and our current deacons about what needs they saw and what man power help would improve their ministry. One problem I have seen with involvement in the past is we ask what people are interested in and then we tell a deacon or minister connected with that area that this person has an interest. Then we hope it all gets connected and we figure it will happen. Then it doesn’t. So we asked for specific job descriptions of what our needs were for people to sign up for. We put tables all over the lobby for our deacons to meet, greet, and inform people about the needs in their ministry and encourage people to sign up.
That Sunday night we had double our normal non-LIFE group Sunday night attendance. We had more there than we typically have in LIFE groups on an average Sunday night! We got more people signed up for things than we could have imagined!
Now the next step – follow up. People will receive a letter from the elders this week thanking them for signing up. Then they will receive contact from the minister/deacon/ministry leader in charge of the area they signed up for helping them get involved ASAP. We will see how it goes. Followup can kill things if it is not done correctly. Keep that in your prayers that God will allow us to use more people than ever at Northwest to carry out His purposes for us.
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I will be praying for you, your leaders, ministersand church brother. I think it is wonderful Matt that every church that is moving forward and making a difference does have to search within themselves and see how they can emerge their own communities for the Kingodm.
I strongly believe that churches that change will die. Christ always calls us to change. Constant change!!! Never getting comfortable. Jesus Christ during his life and ministry was never comfortable with the statis quo.