This is the fifth of five chapters in a 25 part blog series titled: The Five Elements of a Fully Implemented Connections Strategy, published over a five week period. Everything I have posted here is the result of my own personal experiences, from serving on church staffs, volunteering as a lay leader, and being brought in as a paid consultant. It is my hope that these posts will help you and your church get better at connecting with guests, not simply to increase your attendance and membership, but ultimately to grow the body of Christ. Implementing a Connections strategy (or “Assimilation” strategy) is a long term process, and one that relies on a culture of continual improvement. This chapter has five entries, which will all be linked below the post as they are published.
5.4 Pastoral Invitation. Whatever the boss says is most important, is most important.
Everyone else can promote and champion a ministry all they want, but the senior pastor is the voice that really matters at church. If he says serving in Children’s ministry is the most important way to serve every Sunday all year, then you’re church will have the biggest volunteer children’s staff in town proportionate to the size of your congregation before long. If he says being in a small group is the most important thing, then that is where the momentum will be. But if he says it is small groups, and this other thing, and going to this event, and also doing this other thing, then none of these things become the focus. A lack of focus will be the culture.
You know this is true, too.
If your pastor calls people to serve, and there is a clear set of next steps to do so, then serving will be the culture of your church.
I see how you’re looking at me. Your pastor is one of those guys who always springs new ideas on people from the pulpit, and seems to ditch one idea for a new one every couple months before there’s any time for all your hard work to make the last one happen. The tech staff doesn’t get his sermons in advance, he changes things all the time, and you want me to understand that there is no way on earth he will ever change. OK, I understand. Still, what the Senior Pastor says is most important is what becomes most important.
Consider how that impacts the way guests connect at your church. Consider what guests are hearing, or not hearing, about the way the will or won’t fit in to your family of faith.
NEXT: 5.5 Special Church-Wide Events
Main Series Page: The Five Elements of a Fully Implemented Connections Strategy
Element Five: Serving Together