WHERE IS GOD AT WORK AT YOUR CHURCH?

The biggest disconnect I have seen in the churches I have worked with might shock you. In general, churches are pretty good at communicating INFORMATION, but when it comes to communicating about TRANSFORMATION, the church report card says: "needs improvement."

Since audiences of all ages are so distracted by zillions of other messages and attention grabbers, church messages can easily be  ignored because they rarely resonate with hearts and emotions.

Picture this: your members are sitting in their comfy recliners and need a good reason to put down their mystery novel, break away from adorable grandkids or turn off their favorite Netflix binge session. What would motivate them to do any of these? If you are having a potluck dinner at church, they will need to know much more than when to drop off their corn casserole. Members and prospective guests need to be reminded of the WHY of church on a daily basis, if possible, through all old and new media available. Perhaps the WHY relates to being a part of the perfect environment to make new friends, welcome new members into the church family, or celebrate a mission trip recap. 

Remember to elaborate on WHY the church is doing what it is doing and WHY someone should attend. Use carefully worded ministry descriptions to connect "heads" to "hearts." Without the WHY of church activities they are merely activities. It just takes a few intentional minutes to write a blurb or announcement that reminds your audiences why they should CARE.

 A bulletin blurb might say something like: "Hey moms, could you use a few hours to yourself this summer? What if your children could be learning kingdom concepts and life lessons while you are away? Don't forget to register them for VBS this Sunday!"  Those few sentences will likely pass the "so what" test when families are pondering what to put on their schedules and what to leave off.

CHALLENGE: Look over your recent church communications and hunt for some evidence of transformation in addition to information. Look at where and how people's lives are being impacted in and through your church -- and communicate more about that. What do the youth enjoy most about their group discussions? What are the touching stories behind the needs your church is meeting in the community? Why has the prayer pillow ministry been around for decades? Elaborate more about where God is at work and less about committees and casseroles. When hearts and emotions are fully engaged in the work and WHY of the church, I predict more giving, participation and passion will follow!

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