It’s Christmastime!
This year Christmas Eve falls on Sunday, a wonderful opportunity to invite those who don’t attend church regularly to Christmas Eve services and worship. The biggest mistake a church can make at Christmas is to hold a quiet Christmas Eve or Christmas Day service for members and leave it at that. Christmas is a wonderful time for evangelism. Go out and invite your friends and neighbors to church! Below are just a few ways to invite people to church:
- Have more than one service. Offer multiple services for Christmas Eve on different days.Since Christmas Eve this year is on Sunday, try having one or two on Sunday and another on Saturday and maybe one on Friday night. The more options are available, the more people will come. Some services can be held early for families with children, and some could be late for those who like to ring in Christmas Day by singing “Silent Night” at midnight. Since Christmas Day is on Monday, you can offer one service for those free to come. Christmas Eve might be a great time to have a Christmas Eve service or cantata during Sunday worship. It’s also a great time to offer a “kid”-friendly service.
Print invitation cards so your members can invite their friends and neighbors. Include all the worship times so everyone can choose what fits their schedule best.- Use Facebook! Create a Facebook post so church members can share on their page.
- Offer at least one service with children and youth. Parents and grandparents love to see their children, and children learn so much from taking part in music or recitations.
- Offer (free) tickets for each service. A great way to remind newcomers of the service times.
- Review a list of all the mission projects throughout the year and include a list of all who have been affected. Invite everyone on this list to your Christmas services.
- The last is the most important – invite several church leaders to help plan the services. Plan ahead and prepare! A variety of services will interest more people.
- While planning Christmas Eve services, plan for a sermon series after Christmas. Print cards with info about the series and hand these out at every Christmas Eve service.
Invite your family, friends and neighbors to church this Christmas!
Prayer – Father, it’s Christmastime, and we want to tell the world that you sent your only son to earth. Help us plan, prepare and invite everyone to our services so that Jesus may be glorified. Amen.
Luke 1:30-31 – “But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.’ ”
By the Rev. Tommy Herndon
Images: Wim Van T-Einde, Samsung UK & Steve Hruza, courtesy of Unsplash
