81% of believers go to church to get closer to God.
Are you looking for new church members? Both new and established churches experience a decline in church attendees at some point. Some believers change religions, while others lose interest in the church service.
Nevertheless, you can still win more hearts and retain the existing ones if you apply effective church growth strategies. So if you would like to bring in more people to your church, check out these fresh ideas and choose the most applicable for your church.
1. Welcome New Members
The first church growth tip is to welcome new members. Whether they are newcomers or have been absent for many days, you should invite them with a warm welcome.
People miss church services for many reasons. Maybe, they have been sick, or perhaps, they just changed their religion, and your church is their first starting point. The best way to encourage those people is by showing them love and appreciation.
If you welcome them well, they will be encouraged to keep coming to your church, and your church will grow. Here are practical ways for welcoming new members to church:
- Recognize them and allow them to introduce themselves
- Learn their names and pray for them
- Create an excellent first impression
- Appreciate their presence in the church
- Let the children be and avoid treating them like grownups
You may also follow up with your visitors even when the church service is over. You can do this by updating them on the church progress, and inviting them to other special events.
Today’s young people are tomorrow’s leaders. The inclusion of the youth in the church is important not only for the church but because they are at the fresh start of life and sometimes, even more, need faith and hope, as well as self-confidence for their further life. To gain this they need a helping hand also from the church which will help them in building trust. But in order not to bore them with stale theory, organise some outdoor, screen, any other ministry games for youth groups and make the learning process more enjoyable. Learning with team games is encouraging, they’ll be happy to gain all the knowledge about Jesus and the church with different games and will thus promote the church’s society and growth.
2. Develop a Strong Social Media Presence
Social media is inevitable in today’s digital era. To churches, social media connects them to viewers and believers in all parts of the world. So you are probably missing a lot if you are not utilizing social media platforms.
The good thing about the online presence is that you don’t have to have a big name to enjoy social media; you only need to sign up with the leading social media platforms. The top platforms which you may consider include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on.
However, it’s not automatic that you will grow your church by just creating an account. Follow these tips to win more church members and grow your church:
- Be consistent with your church posts
- Interact with your followers
- Create compelling content which motivates people to join your church
- Find out what other churches are doing and use the same tips
- Encourage your followers to share the social media content
- Link your church’s website to your social media accounts
Your church followers should be your number one priority. Understand their needs and create smart content that satisfies them.
3. Stream Live Services
The sick, the aged, and all people who can’t make to travel to the church can benefit from the live services.
You only need to choose the right platforms you will use to stream your Sunday services live. YouTube is the leading platform, but you may still hold live sessions on Instagram live and Facebook live.
Plan well before you start. Get the right cameras and other tools that you will use for the lives streaming. Both the videos and audios should be great.
The standard streaming accessories which you might need include:
- A tripod for the stabilization of the camera
- Video switcher
- Microphone to amplify your voice
- A great camera
You may have to test the service before you officially go live. If done well, the church live video streaming can help you win millions of people.
4. Get Feedback From Your Churchgoers
Ask your church attendees to express their opinions regarding the church services. The views can either be positive or negative. The positive remarks help you to know the things which you are doing right.
On the other hand, criticism act like correction. It helps you identify the exact areas which you should improve regarding the church service. So, how do you collect feedback from your church members?
You may use these effective strategies:
- Seek the opinion of your family members, friends and relatives
- Interact with your church members through meetings and other casual events
- Carry out regular surveys (either verbal or written) to know if the brethren are satisfied with the services
- Ask for a random suggestion from the pastors or the church members
You may also create a church website and encourage both new and old members to leave their reviewers. And when you get the feedback, remember to work on it to improve services.
Also, respond to the negative comments well without arrogance. Church members will trust you more if you listen to their needs.
5. Serve the Community
Serving the community not only helps the disadvantaged in the area but also creates more awareness for the church. The community residents see you as a responsible and understanding church, and this drives them closer to your church.
Here are practical ways in which you may serve the community:
- Help the homeless by giving them meals and shelter
- Carry out a community clean up to clear trash and garbage in the environment
- Volunteer to wash cars in specific events
- Hold kids events and festivals
- Hold community cookouts to feast together with your community members
- Hold sports events/competitions and reward the winners
Whatever strategy you use, make sure that it spreads the gospel. The right community work will be fun, educational, and, most importantly, contribute to your church’s growth.
6. Encourage Members to Bring Other People
The last small church growth strategy is to ask the old members to bring new church members. They can bring their relatives, friends or other people.
Just make sure that you treat your church members well so that they bring in more people. You will be surprised how much the word of mouth can do to your church’s growth.
Find More Church Growth Strategies
The above church growth strategies can be of help to your church development. However, you may still try more provided that they help you spread the gospel and reach many more. Remember to review your strategies with time to drop the ineffective ones.
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