Sunday Program Development

Working towards a vision

Foundational Principles

1. Start with the end in mind2. Consider your audiences’ “faith

zones” in relation to every facet of the service

Zone 1 – pre-Christian, dabbler, antagonistic but keeping a commitment

Zone 2 – pre-Christian, interested, looking for something definite (relationships, help, friends, salvation

Zone 3 – New Christian and new members, young disciples

Zone 4 – Committed Christian, disciples neeeding depth, growth and service

Foundational Principles

3. Focus on a limited number of things you can do well

• Keep a “to do” list and a “stop doing” list• When something is identified as too time

consuming, counter productive, ineffeficient, etc. put it on the “stop doing” list and communicate it

4. Focus on key factors

Key Factors

Attracting Factors

90%, Preaching and the pastor

50%, Friendliness of the church

25%, Children/ youth ministries

10%, Worship

Repelling Factors

1. Disorganized children’s ministry

2. Unfriendliness

3. Worship

4. Preaching

Thom Rainer, Surprising Insights from the Unchurched, p. 49

The Church Planter

• Focus your personal attention on what only you can do, let others do the other things

• Power up your preaching1. Scripture as the source of power and authority

• Expository preaching and topical/thematic series2. Prayer

• Personal prayer by the preacher• Annointing prayer by others

3. Evangelistic intentionality• The preacher recognizes the potential

evangelistic impact of every message

Set-up Ministry

• As the senior minister show up and invest in people

• Put everything in carts and on wheels• Turn the music on early• Expect problems• Get the team together outside of service

set-up to – Reinforce vision– Celebrate victories– Give praise and recognition to servants

• Divide and assign– signs, chairs and tables, walls and decorations,

children, sound, drinks, welcome center

Friendly Atmosphere

• How to set the temperature!• Name tags

– Greeters and ushers always have name tags with their service identified

– If everyone is given a name tage, use the same tags for everyone

• People can add their service identifier• Builds “high expectation” of ministry

• Greetings– Icebreakers “Please stand up and smile at 2 people

near you”– 10 minute ministry: train regulars to give 10 minutes to

meeting new people immediately after services

Friendly Atmosphere

• Guest Ministries– Greeters outside the building function as

guides– Ushers inside the building take people to the

right places– You are modeling the DNA!

• Welcome Center– Provides literature for the day– Name tags– Refreshments

Friendly Atmosphere

• Signs– You will probably not have too many– Make them visible and visually communicative– Expect to make changes in sign design during

the first months

• Attendance records– Everyone completes a card– Get email addresses!– Provide opportunity to respond– Staff prays over every person

Children’s Ministry

• What are parent’s concerns?1. Is my child safe?2. Is my child properly cared for?

• After services what do parents ask their children?

1. Did you have fun?2. What did you learn?

• What do parents need to know?1. We care for children2. Your children are in good hands

Questions to ask yourself

• How important is our worship service to the overall health of our church?

• What am I willing to do, to give up, to attempt in order to give God a chance to touch people in worship?

• If I were visiting for the first time, what would my impressions be?

Remember

• Your task in worship is to let God and people meet

• People are impressed by people, not by glitz and gadgets