Just some meandering thoughts and ideas from someone in the trenches:
- First: When visitors come to your church, your confidence and ability to interact with them is everything. Hands in your pockets, uncertainty, awkwardness, failing to lead in a positive, welcoming demeanor…all of these will make the visitor feel just as awkward and even more so. Insecurity and awkwardness is FELT and can ruin all your efforts. If they visited your church, they are interested. Not everyone will return, but how you approach them, talk to them, and carry yourself will play a huge role in the decision for many to return. A smaller church doesn’t have to feel small, but I have watched men and women who “feel small” make the church “feel small.”
- Second: there is something to be said of “authoritative” presence. Authoritative presence exudes confidence, strength, and a faith that can knock down any wall. Open your services with strength. Open with dynamic prayers. You serve a powerful and dynamic God, not a miser who doesn’t want to bless you or build His kingdom. Uncertain service-openings, quiet prayers, and a mouse-like timidity will never help create an atmosphere of strength and victory. Come on! If you have been in prayer all week, reaching your city, and have faith and confidence in God–stand on that wall and DECLARE! Be strong…be strong! Moses reiterated this to the future leader Joshua. People will not follow weakness, or the presence of weakness. No, it will gather weakness and lead weakness.
- Third: Be flexible! You may not have a sound technician, keyboard player or, if you do, find yourselves in services where these resources are not available. OWN YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE! Develop flexibility in your congregation and let it be known that God can move NO MATTER WHAT! Sometimes, playing a multitrack or music track through the PA system is more effective than adding “Suzy Saint” on the keyboard who has been practicing for 1 week and can’t sing a tempo faster than a sloth. I watch too many good men fall in this “traditional trap” that seems to think if it doesn’t happen a certain way, God can’t move. I know they don’t really think that, but they sure ACT that!
- Four: Learn technology! Apple Remote TV can allow you to interact with powerpoints and stream from Ipad to the screens. Stop stressing over having to put someone in a sound booth…YOU NEED THEM IN THE PEW WORSHIPPING! Multitracks, airstream…learn what is available. You can get a GREAT website for a low cost these days. You don’t have to print your cards out on your home printer and pass out barely-legible invitations. LEARN WHAT IS AVAILABLE!
- Fifth: Don’t use social media to “fish for support.” It is obvious. Doesn’t mean folks don’t want to help, just puts a bad taste in everyones mouth. “Help us pray for….” is often times a cloak for “HELP…WE NEED….” You can release a spirit of poverty in your church by acting like this! My God, if you are one of those people who regularly hopes for “free,” you will STRUGGLE the rest of your life to grow! We made a covenant a long time ago and practice this in our local church-plant. We will do whatever it takes to be EXCELLENT. I will not pay my preachers who come and preach pennies nor will I expect them to think pennies are ok just because I am a church-planter. God called me to plant a church–God makes provision for His promise. IT’S.THAT.SIMPLE. God has blessed us, helped us, and done miracles for us, but we have been willing to put skin in the game at every level.
- Sixth: make what space you have church in look the absolute best you can! Environment screams of either success or failure. Our first location involved me sometimes showing up early to make sure needles were not on the steps leading to the second-floor where we had church. We had 470 square-feet, one little bathroom, and nowhere for children to go during church if they got fussy. WE OWNED THAT SPACE and we had church in that space! We had people receive the Holy Ghost in the space! We were GLAD TO GET OUT, but while we were there we pushed, promoted, and spoke positive success. We painted it, cleaned it, and made it as nice as possible. We joked, positively, about our fellowship hall (a table under a window next to that one bathroom). I just don’t get it when men get frustrated about trying to build a church, but their sign has peeling letters and rust eating away the corners.
I could go on…maybe in part two, but I hope this helps someone