Here’s a simple four point strategy for growing your church based on the word ACTS.
- Attract. If you are going to grow your church the bottom line is that you will have to attract more people. What attracts visitors to church? Practical preaching. Exciting music. God at work. And friendly people. Together these create a lively and inspiring atmosphere that draws people back again and again. As far as getting them through the door for the first time – personal invitation remains the top technique, with any kind of food event running a close second.
- Connect. An upbeat atmosphere may get people to visit a second or third time, but in order to stay they need to make connections with people they like. This means that what goes on in the pre/post-service times is highly critical. Genuinely warm people make new acquaintances easily, which turn into lunch invitations, which turn into regular attenders. Do whatever you can to facilitate this. The faster new people make friends the faster they will put down roots.
- Train. Learn to see everyone as a trainee. After all, we’re all disciples, right? Just remember that training involves both precept and practice. Everyone in the church, from the newest believer to the staff, should be involved in some ongoing training. This might be a weekly class of some sort or a ten minute leadership lesson. But without such ongoing discipleship outside of Sunday sermons, people just don’t progress spiritually.
- Serve. This is where the practice part of precept/practice happens. Lots of churches excel at teaching but they fail to put people to work. People retain little of what they hear, but nearly all of what they do. There should be a place for every attender to serve. The more engaged people are in the vision of the church, the more enthusiastic they are about attracting others.
When you put the ACTS in church – you’ll grow like the church in ACTS!
