Define Your Church Growth Strategy Goals
In 2020, there were approximately 380,000 churches in the United States. Often, church leaders seek to replicate what works for neighboring churches without considering their own unique circumstances. Spend time discussing goals and successes to establish clear areas of focus rather than pursuing ambiguous notions of "growth." For instance, you may pose questions such as:
What are the criteria for our members?
What kind of church do we aspire to be? How large of an audience do we envision?
What balance between offline activities and online content do we aim to achieve?
What kind of experience do we intend to provide for our audience?
Every church possesses its distinct cultural background, positioning, and operational methods. While online resources abound, it's crucial to clearly identify your church's specific needs. Setting specific goals does not conflict with maintaining the purity of the church's mission.
Enhance Inter-Church Experiences
Your church's growth hinges on attracting and retaining new attendees. On average, only 6-10% of first-time guests return for a second visit, but with concerted effort, this number can easily double. Therefore, fostering positive experiences within the church is paramount. This is where the art of welcome comes into play.
Key actions to ensure church visitors feel welcome include:
Welcome team: Enlist a friendly welcome team to greet newcomers and make a memorable first impression.
Church welcome pack: Prepare a comprehensive welcome pack containing essential information about the church, contact details, and next steps.
Welcome speech: Commence services with a warm welcome speech, conveying gratitude for guests' presence and outlining what they can expect.
Try to understand newcomers' feelings and make them as comfortable as possible. Make an effort to ask for their names and obtain their contact information so you can send them resources about your church's plans. You may also want someone to follow up with them after the service. Good follow-up and welcoming practices humanize your church and build fellowship among your congregation.
Organize Special Events to Attract Unchurched People
In a study conducted in 2012, 1,000 pastors were asked to identify the top three Sundays with the highest attendance: 93% chose Easter, 84% chose Christmas, and 59% chose Mother's Day.
If you know how to make the most of these major events, you can utilize them throughout the year to build community connections, reach out to new friends, and drive church growth.
Plan and promote several special events each year aimed at attracting individuals from the community who are not affiliated with any church. Consider hosting a Christmas concert, a heartwarming Christmas performance, or an Easter egg hunt to create memorable experiences for all families in the community. Encourage participation from everyone in the community – children bringing their parents, young people inviting friends – as it's a brilliant way to attract new attendees.
Increase Your Digital Presence
Achieving two primary goals with your church's social media channels:
Engage existing church members.
Expand the church's congregation.
Set Up a Website:
Before visiting a church in person, the majority of people will conduct an online search. An informative, user-friendly website with updated church information enhances discoverability when individuals search for churches online.
Get Active On Social Media:
Using social media is a powerful tool for church marketing, especially for beginners looking to expand their congregation. By leveraging social media platforms, churches can connect with their target audience and create engaging content to build relationships. Here are some contents that you can put on social media to reach your audience:
- Key sermon points in images: Condense the main points of the sermon into cool and shareable graphics.
- Event invitations: Create invitations for upcoming events.
- Community outreach initiatives: Highlight ways your church positively impacts the community. This demonstrates your commitment to serving beyond the church walls.
- Inspirational quotes and passages: Share daily or weekly scriptures and quotes to uplift and inspire.
- Testimonials and stories: Share real stories of transformation within the church. These authentic accounts can motivate others and foster connections with others.
Create An Email Blast or Newsletter:
Building an email list of current church members and individuals interested in staying connected is often the first step in using email marketing to grow the church's congregation. Once the list is established, craft visually appealing and engaging newsletters containing community news, sermons, upcoming events, and uplifting messages.
Email marketing is crucial for church development as it establishes clear and consistent communication channels. By strategically leveraging newsletters, the church fosters a sense of unity and belonging among members.
Improve Your Virtual Services
Since the pandemic, churches have started exploring new ways to reach existing populations. These online sermons have some surprising benefits, which may come as a surprise to some church leaders. Virtual churches are evolving and allowing more people to attend your church.
Livestream your services online and offer online prayer groups, Bible studies, or other online activities. People who listen to worship online need time to get to know the church more. They can also join groups and support the church financially. Additionally, the rise of hybrid churches means you can offer something for everyone – those who want to give virtually and those seeking face-to-face contact.
There are plenty of apps and websites available to help churches livestream services and reach a wider audience: this blog would guide you to choose the right live streaming platform.
YouTube is the top platform I recommend to churches for live streaming worship services and sharing worship videos. YouTube is the second largest search engine on Earth, with over 3 billion searches per month. Its popularity among millennials and Gen Z makes it a great place to connect with multiple generations. You can either live stream your worship events on Youtube or upload worship videos to Youtube. For starters, there is a full guide assisting your live stream on Youtube. For improving your online worship qualities and popularity, here are some following tips:
- Embed or link your worship service YouTube playlist on your church website.
- Write compelling, descriptive video titles to attract attention and help those interested in your service topics find you. For example, consider naming a worship service exploring the Great Commission: "What Does the Great Commission Mean to You? | Matthew 28:16-20 Worship Service."
- If feasible, consider upgrading your recording equipment, with live streaming cameras and video cameras being optimal choices. Keep in mind: sound quality and stability are paramount during worship performances. Choose wisely, as the church's reverberation may pose challenges.
- In addition to streaming complete worship services, consider publishing sermons or sermon excerpts as YouTube videos. This is a way for your church to better reach people interested in exploring specific topics or Bible passages. They may not want to watch hour-long worship services.
Get Involved In The Community
Active involvement in community service projects, educational seminars, outreach initiatives, and cultural celebrations showcases the church's commitment to serving the surrounding community.
Organizing events to increase church membership offers multifaceted benefits. These events attract newcomers interested in the church's initiatives, allow existing members to invite family and friends, enhance the church's local influence, and create an appealing atmosphere that increases the likelihood of attendees returning and becoming loyal patrons.
By integrating community events into its membership growth strategy, the church effectively attracts and retains members, fostering a dynamic, inclusive community.
Whenever these opportunities arise, be ready to provide information about the church. Distribute cards containing the church's website and physical address. Initiate conversations, inquire, and invite individuals to weekly services and upcoming events.
Conclusion
As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of church growth, let us remain rooted in our core values while embracing new opportunities for outreach and engagement. Together, we strive to create a dynamic and inclusive environment where all individuals feel welcomed, supported, and inspired on their spiritual journey. Through a thoughtful integration of tradition and technology, we can ensure that our church continues to thrive and fulfill its purpose in an ever-changing world.
