HOW TO DOUBLE YOUR ATTENDANCE
By Pastor C.A. Smith
INTRODUCTION
We pray this material will help open horizons for your thinking and involvement to reach more people. We admit we don’t have all the answers as each situation is different, but we have found some things that have helped us.
There are many great men that heave developed a powerful soul winning church of which we could glean insight within our own district. Just a few are, Pastor Raney, Stockton; Pastor L. Payne, Azusa; Pastor Waren, Dinuba; and others of course.
THE NEED
POINT 1. With 4 BILLION people on the earth there is a great need to increase our speed to win souls. Our state has the highest population in the nation, yet we have fewer churches than several Districts of much smaller population.
POINT 2. Within my own section, on THRUST Sunday for 1981 are the following figures:
1. 101 11. 25
2. 180 ext.35 total 215 12. 91 (note) OUT OF 19 CHURCHES:
3. 13 13. 38
4. 520 14. 8 11 had 0-40
5. 20 15. 40
6. 162 16. 35 3 had 41-100
7. 26 17. 123
8. 40 18. 33 3 had 100-200
9. 25 19. 65
10. 55 2 had 200 & up
POINT 3. The average UPC church in the nation is somewhere about 73. This particular sections avg. was 84. But really, is this all God wants us to have?
POINT 4. Perhaps a church wins 4-5 people a year. Many would think this is pretty good. In our town (Sanger), we have close to that die a week. Are we really fulfilling the need with 4-5 a year?
POINT 5. Many are lost within our reach. When you lay your head on your pillow at night, there is probably someone within 50 feet laying their head down LOST…(They may be next door)
POINT 6. Not only in Jimmy Swaggart’s article did he have some things to say about us doctrinally (ie. One God, Jesus name bap.), but he also stated, “…the Oneness people have not shown anywhere near the growth of the average Pentecostal group…” I wonder why no one has written a rebuttal or written a book against this claim.
PERHAPS IT IS TRUE!!!
THE DESIRE
With so many lost, we must get a consuming desire to do something about it. There must be a willingness to begin to work, sacrificing of time, of money and getting involved to see a greater work to be done. It’s WORK!! That frightens many people from even starting.
Expect misunderstandings from others, even your own brothers and sisters in the Lord. This includes the ministry misunderstanding you as a minister. Accusations, statements, etc… Your desire to do something for God must burn and consume all of this.
Then of course, the devil isn’t going to be on you side either, you Know! There’s a battle with him.
Let me ask here, do you have a desire to win souls?
When was the last time you wept for your city? Please don’t attempt to do any of the suggestions in this packet until you have. You must bear the seed weeping!!
If you’re a Pastor, when was the last time you preached on Calvary or Soul winning?
The rewards of your labor will be worth the sacrifice! As you see your empty altars fill with new people and you are consistently seeing new faces in your Church, you’ll thank God for whatever price you had to pay.
Getting this burning desire is one half of the battle and the start for victory!
CONCEPTS FOR GROWTH
“YOU CAN DOUBLE THIS YEAR!” It really isn’t a dream or something someone else can do and not you, Your church can grow!!!
There are spiritual requirements, of course, but we realize you know that so no time will be taken to bear that out.
But what can be done then?
1. Work-Almost any thing will work for church growth if you’ll work it. But it must be worked. Home Bible Study, Bus Ministry, Door to Door Visitation, etc. will work is you’ll work it.
2. Learn from others- Read, study, discuss growth with others who trying to grow. Experiment with different ideas. Don’t be afraid to try something new.
3. Set personal and church goals-Yearly, monthly, then down to weekly. USE AN ATTENDANCE BOARD! Put goal on it and place it where everyone will see it. It’s like a test to see if you’re doing what you should be doing. When you’re down, maybe not enough is being done. Put growth and soul winning in the minds of you people. Try using a Growth Chart also. Place this chart where it can be seen by all. This will soon be on their minds.
4. Believe you’ll grow-When an increase begins, comment on it. Be enthusiastic. Take steps of faith and make you church goals known to the church. Examples-202 in ’82; Knock every door by ’84!; Win one man a Month or 12 this next year.
5. Always announce your Outreach time-Occasionally have a testimony (previously prepared) about some area of Outreach. Make a goal of getting everyone involved in some area of Outreach.
6. When your Church grows your Sun. School will grow. When your Sun. School grows your church will grow. They affect each other.
7. Don’t be negative-Don’t let negative aspects or situations stop you. Room sizes, or number of rooms, staff, $$$$$, etc. The size of your building is not important, the size of your faith is. Double, even triple sessions will allow more room for over crowded rooms.
8. Promotions-Have three good promo’s a year. East, Thrust, and one other. (Try the summer when attendance usually drops.) Use different approaches and rewards or prizes. Session vs. session, Bus vs. Bus, Two church teams, Dinner for two, etc.
9. Home Bible Studies-Push H.B.S. This will help growth in adults. You’ll win men through this. Make your church a MAN’S Church. Men lead songs, testimonies, etc… Men will win men. “Fishers of men” MEN=MONEY!! GO REACH OUR WORLD THOUGH HOME BIBLE STUDIES.
LET’S FOLLOW A VISITOR
They walk in a new place-anxiety, worry, and concern, will they be accepted? Fit in? They open the door… What greets them? Where do they sit? All the back rows are taken by saints who love the Word of God. They have to set in the second row. No one smiles or shakes their hand. The “exciting” service that we say we have, continues to go slow, especially in that wonderful testimony time. “Isn’t there someone, that the Lord has been good to?” Kids in the aisle, tore up songbooks, gum chewing. Finally they get out thinking, “So that’s a Pentecostal service?!?!”
PRODUCING PROFITABLE PROGRAMS WITH PUPPETS
So, you’ve decided to use puppets in your teaching! Puppets abound because children find puppets a lot more fascinating than human beings. In a research that took 3 yrs. it was discovered that the quickest way to bore children is to have an adult taking to them. Puppets don’t do the work entirely by themselves. You are the key. The extent of your creativity and imagination will largely determine the success of this technique.
Perhaps some of the following suggestions will trigger your imagination. You could use your puppets for…
1. Welcome boys & girls by name as they enter the classroom. How good it is to feel wanted and noticed.
2. Welcome visitors also. He can request the names of visitors, and ask the teacher to give them a welcome pin or button.
3. An aid in discipline. Work on preventative discipline with your puppet. He can call the class to order.
4. Making announcements. Your puppet can liven up announcement time.
5. Help with music. He could tell the children which song to sing. They could choose the songs that the puppet could lead the song.
6. Helping to teach the memory work. They could encourage memory contests, or enforce the learning of a new verse.
7. Introducing the lesson. A question and answer session between the teacher and the puppets or a skit between puppets can be effective in catching class interest.
8. Reviewing the lesson. He could ask the children about that days lesson or they could ask him questions. He could be wrong 1/2 of the time to see if they would catch it.
9. Helping during craft time. He could say he’d like to make something. He could also give directions for these projects.
10. Making the class personal. Give him a different personality. Make your puppets constant personality companions. An interest in the class will begin to grow. At our church we have a puppet named Pelon. (“Baldy” in English) He is a converted gang member; Soon the children begin to pick favorite puppets and always want to see those certain ones.
Soon you will see all the different things you can do with puppets. Searching for new ideas about puppets, props, and different things that will make your puppets seem more alive. They will only show love and compassion if you have love and compassion. They are a reflection of yourself. A key to success is practice, prayer, more practice and then more prayer.
God bless you, you’ll be doing a great work for God, keep at it.
DRAMATIZATION
When you talk of Dramatization there is a large field to cover, from large productions to short skits, elaborate sets to small signs and tables, fancy costumes to regular clothes. There comes the occasion for all.
In the outline below there are some basic but very important principles to remember in making your presentation a success.
1. Purpose
a. Your purpose is important. There must be something to activate a desire.
b. The leader must believe in that purpose and communicate enthusiasm for it to the rest of the cast.
2. Plan
a. The leader is to be organized and have direction
b. The cast then has to listen and be in tune with the plan.
c. COOPERATE
3. The Play
a. Do your BEST
b. Have good moral, encourage others and “You’ll Do Great !!”
c. If you make a mistake, don’t enlarge on it, just continue with the play.
Remember, GET READY & GET SET are BEFORE GO.
BUS MINISTRY
This is not a dying house. Some may be killing it, but others are realizing the great potential available to them in Bus Ministry.
It is best to have trained personal and qualified drivers, leader or Bus Captain. It pays to have training. Record keeping of riders,
maintenance records, flyers and time are all required for a successful ministry. You will need to keep a dedicated staff that will
be involved each Saturday.
You are going for numbers, but not just a quantity. You are also wanting these to become regular attenders. Goal setting is a must. You could grow 30 in just 4 weeks or so with a proper route and crew.
You will be surprised at how many will get behind you in finance and work when you decide to start a bus ministry.
Try getting Home Bible Studies from riders parents three months or so after their children come. Bus Ministry is a great tool to open doors for H.B.S.
Expect to need more teachers as you see your S. School grow.
Remember there will always be growing pains, but developing a larger church in your city will be worth those pains.
One thing that has helped us to get two busses that can compete with each other or one bus and go double sessions if room is a problem or finances are short. Expect great things from God and work in the Harvest and you will received great results.
HOME BIBLE STUDIES
Search for truth-H.B.S. is one of the easiest ways to present the salvation plan in the home. It gives you the opportunity to share your zeal with all that hear you, and to teach and preach this mighty gospel unto the lost.
You will see the power of the word of God change the lives of those that you are teaching before your very eyes. It makes you appreciate the great call that God has given you to teach H.B.S. It will touch your heart when they shed tears when receiving the Holy Ghost or when being baptized in Jesus Name.
It makes you stop and think. If you had never served God they would not be there. If you had not taught a H.B.S. they would not be there. Though you are serving God who is not sitting in your home because you are not teaching a H.B.S.?
Within three months time we had nine get baptized in Jesus Name and eight receive the Holy Ghost. This was done with three teachers teaching. Imagine what it could be with then teachers teaching.
We have got to reach our world through H.B.S. and not hide behind the following excuses:
a. It’s too hard to teach
b. No one wants a Bible Study
c. Too busy, not enough time
d. Lack of fasting and praying
e. Lack of study in the word of God
f. I am involved in another department already
g. Procrastination
When looking for Bible Studies, always ask your friends and relative.
Let it be known that you teach and offer H.B.S.
A NEW CONVERTS COURSE
After your church begins to grow, you must establish them in doctrine. This is of primary importance. The faster you win people, the higher the percentage will be of those you lose, unless you do something to keep them. A course can be devised to train these new zealous converts. A special time of study, (Sunday-5pm) with them and a teacher, a time they can ask questions, get answers and grow together.
Several types are available that can be uses. “My Fathers House”- “Search for Truth”-“Pentecostal Accelerated Doctrinal Paces”-“Called, chosen and Faithful”, or perhaps one that you have developed personally.
An example of a follow-up letter for visitors.
(date)
Dear (name)
We wanted to thank you for visiting with us on (date). We trust you received a blessing in that service.
We are “The Church that offers free Home Bible Studies.” There are 8 lessons, of which one is given each week in the convenience of your home, or perhaps one of our members home at a time acceptable to you. Each lessons is about 1 hour in length and will take part in this free service, I’m sure.
We also offer Life Challenge classes on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Wednesday night at 7 p.m. is our Deeper Life service where good Bible teaching is enjoyed. Feel free to visit any or all of our services.
If we may be of service in any way, please let us know.
In Christ,
C.A. Smith, Pastor
(The above material was developed by Pastor C.A. Smith of the Life Tabernacle Church in Sanger, CA.)
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