1. Leverage the seasons. Consider when the most people will likely attend services. Seasons are cyclical and often depend on where you’re located—Christmas and Easter will be “busier” times everywhere.
2. Find the right balance. Use services to attract a crowd and help people take the next steps in their spiritual journey.
3. Vary the approach. For example, teach on a topic for one series, and then teach through a book of the Bible in another series.
4. Address questions being asked. Consider routinely reviewing the headlines of men’s and women’s magazines for hot topics being discussed in today’s culture.
5. Deliver biblical truth and life application. Make it a goal in every message to clearly identify one next step for people to apply what they’ve learned.
6. Shoot for eight to 10 series a year. An average series should be four to six weeks. Every time you start a series, it creates an opportunity for people to invite their friends.
7. Plan ahead. Try to outline your topics a couple of months in advance. This frees up your creative people to plan series packaging, service elements and communications to enhance your teaching, and provides time for appropriate promotion.
8. Plan with a team. One team may drive the topics. Another team may drive the series packaging, including identifying titles and visual images. Another team may develop the services elements and execution.
9. Use your people to promote. The No. 1 way new people will attend your services is through an invitation from someone who already attends your church. Make it easier for people to invite their friends.
10. Teach, and let artists be creative. The biggest impact—both numerically and in life change—will likely be experienced when artists let you drive the teaching and you let the artists drive the creative elements.