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You are here: Home / Archives for Worship

Worship

5 Ways of Getting More Young Families to Church on Sunday

Alissa Ellett 2 Comments

Getting more young families to church. If you’re like most ministry leaders, you’ve found yourself sitting around a meeting table discussing the topic. And if those in the meeting are honest, these conversations are often motivated by the fear that your church may be dying. More young families in church would save it… right?

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Let’s Think Big Picture Here

Well, first, it’s short-sighted to think some quick fixes geared toward one demographic will save any church or the Church. Second, young families want, most of all, to be a part of a thriving, loving community of generous, kind, broken, real people.

And really, that’s about church health on the whole. No one wants to be targeted and captured for the benefit of an institution, particularly GenXers and Millennials.

Stop having conversations about attracting young families to benefit the church, hoping for a good return on investment from the young families. Instead, consider the ways your church can simply give of itself. Your church, after all, is the body of Christ, and, therefore, called to offer itself to the world with abandon.

Though compelling programming is important, alone it is not enough to feed souls. We are over-scheduled, over-stimulated, and overwhelmed by our activities and options. No one needs another empty product to consume. What we need now more than ever is an authentic connection, which comes through sharing the beauty and mess of life together.

Perhaps your church has done its work along the way to remain malleable to the Spirit’s leading into this kind of ministry. Maybe your church regularly resists its impulse to insulate and maintain what’s always been. Maybe instead your church makes open doors and open hearts a part of its consistent culture.

If so, hooray! Such a practice of humility is truly a victory! I cannot overstate this. It takes profound surrender to God and letting go of what the ego clings to for safety. And guess what? With such a culture in place, it’s now time for small tweaks.

First, big love. Then, small tweaks.

If your church is ready for small tweaks, let’s get to it! How might you cater to young families’ needs out of simple, genuine care for them?

DOWNLOAD and SHARE: This is the perfect type of article to share with your volunteers, Sunday school teachers and colleagues! You can download a PDF copy of this blog post by clicking here.

More Young Families Starts with Understanding

Becoming familiar with the lives of young families sheds light on what they need and hope for. In my years of ministry, families often said the same things over and over. This was consistent no matter the church I was serving. And now, as a parent myself, I can relate to what they shared.

I’ve honed the list and compiled five things parents commonly say and how you all, as ministry leaders, can take them seriously. There are countless ways to connect with more young families on these. To get you started, I’ve listed just a few for each.

Young Families at Church Arrive Pretty Stressed

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Young families struggle to get out the door no matter what they’re headed to. It just comes with the territory. Every parent I talk to has their stories depicting the circus that morning outings produce in their family. Sunday mornings are no different. Families arrive at church often feeling frazzled and on edge. So, how can the church be hospitable in light of this to more young families?

First, mark buildings clearly and display signage prominently. Make the fonts large and simple enough for children to read. Feeling lost when already irritable and tired is no good.

Second, assign volunteers to simply keep an eye out for young families who could use some help. Perhaps it’s a matter of helping the single parent wrangle their children. Or maybe it’s asking whether they’d like to have a cup of coffee brought to them if they didn’t make it there before sitting down for worship.

Third, make activities available for children during worship, even if they may go to Sunday school. Looking for a resource? Check out our children’s bulletins here. Or read more at our post about engaging and welcoming children in worship here.

Fourth, when possible, invite parents to volunteer in ways that do not require them to arrive early to church.

More Young Families Feel Loved When Their Kids Are Loved

During my daughter’s first year of life, I took time off of ministry. I attended church as a congregant for the first time in years and learned so much. One of the experiences that still stands out to me is a brief and simple encounter. The nursery director remembered my daughter’s name after we’d attended once and then not been back for weeks. I felt loved because my daughter was special to her.

As ministry leaders, it is our job to bring aboard staff and volunteers who are genuine in their care for children. Those who are interacting with young families need to feel called to offer them love and support. It is obvious to families when this isn’t the case.

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What are a few ways this love is communicated? First, like in my daughter’s case, remember names. Make available the tools necessary to do this. Perhaps take a Polaroid of each child to put with their registration card. Or, if you use an app, include a digital photo of the child’s information there.

Second, include children in the life of the church rather than making them an accessory to it. Invite children to read scripture, talk about their experience of God, how they’re loving others in their lives. If your church is one that uses Godly Play, invite one of the children to be the preacher for the morning by telling their favorite story from the curriculum.

Third, create a worship atmosphere that is tolerant and even celebratory of children being children. Babies cry. All need to be understanding and patient about this fact, particularly during the sermon. Alternatively, provide a space for parents to go with their fussy kids that’s inviting and stimulating. Ideally, make it possible for parents to continue listening to the service.

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Or, when a child says something or asks a question during church aloud respond, if it’s appropriate to do so, with gratitude and respect.

Also, provide a space for mothers to nurse privately that’s not the bathroom stall, preferably where they can still hear the service. Babies deserve a peaceful place to enjoy their meals, like we all do.

Young Families Consider Relationships Very Important

Life moves fast. It seems jobs move friends every few years, technology isolates us from one another and schedules demand from us warp speed. In this landscape, feeling connected can be difficult. Extended families are more rarely living in close proximity, parents work long hours, kids are slammed with hours of homework and extracurriculars.

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And yet, our need for community hasn’t changed. We still need to be needed, cared for, noticed, known. We need shared experiences with others, friends to rely on, witnesses to our lives. Recently, a friend of mine reposted something on social media he’d seen: “No one ever talks about Jesus’ miracle of having 12 close friends in his 30s.” This hits home for a lot more young families than one might assume. And raising children can be lonely.

How might you consider all of this and take action in your church?

First, make it easy for parents to attend small groups. If possible, make small groups on Sunday mornings an option. Parents often have a hard time getting out on weeknights. Provide childcare. There are parents who go it alone, for one reason or another. This keeps a connection with other parents accessible for all. Additionally, children then form friendships.

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Second, try pairing families with an older couple in the church. Perhaps they do dinner together once a month or sit together at church. Younger families need intergenerational connections. Parents could use support and perspective. And children benefit from the stories they hear and memories they make with older adults. Moreover, children with adults in their lives who are living their faith will be more likely to hold their faith close as they age.

Third, be sure a pastor and/or ministry leader is reaching out regularly to young families. This may seem simple and insignificant. But it goes a long way in creating a sense of value and belonging.

Big Love, Little Tweaks

Start with open doors and hearts. Let go of what’s always been done. Move with the Spirit and live life as a family of faith, pouring into the lives of others. More young families will come if that’s your only agenda. And then, how do you love them well? Make it easy, love their kids and give them spaces to connect deeply.

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We hope these ideas have been helpful. We love hearing from you. So, share what’s working in your faith community in the comments below!

The Children’s Bible in 365 Stories: A Review

Alissa Ellett 3 Comments

Bible in 365 Stories

The Children’s Bible in 365 Stories is one of so many children’s Bibles. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the variety and unsure which is best for your bookshelf. So, here at ICM, we’ve compiled our thoughts in this blog series where we’ll be reviewing some of today’s most popular children’s Bibles. Once you find your fave children’s Bible, check out our post on ways of reading scripture with your kids to get the most out of it!

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Quick Facts about The Children’s Bible in 365 Stories

  • 416 pages
  • Author: Mary Batchelor
  • Illustrator: John Haysom
  • Storybook format (a retelling of some of the Bible)
  • Age Range: 8-12 years old

A Closer Look

To begin, there’s no perfect choice for all children everywhere or even for your own child. Each children’s Bible is a mixture of aspects to love and those that invite palm to forehead moments. So, in this series of reviews, we’ll always include what we think to be the pros and cons of each Bible. And we’ll discuss whether or not we’d recommend it to our friends. So, let’s dive in and take a closer look at The Children’s Bible in 365 Stories.

The Children's Bible in 365 Stories-04

Pros of The Children’s Bible in 365 Stories

Table of Contents Included: It has a very clear table of contents, which makes finding stories easy.

Classic Stories Included: It includes all the classic stories you’d hope for from a children’s Bible.

Biblical Passages Cited: Each story gives the biblical passages from which the author drew. As a result, biblical literacy increases, and reference is easy.

Appropriately Illustrated Characters: Figures are shown with olive skin and dark hair, honoring the Bible’s Middle Eastern context.

Digestible Story Length: One to two chapters of scripture are paraphrased into a handful of paragraphs for each day of the calendar year.  So, it’s easy to hold young readers’ attention.

Appropriate Font Size: The font is large enough for relatively new readers to read easily but small enough for whom the bible is intended.

Clearly Laid Out: The format is easy to follow and simply composed. Titles of stories are obvious, it follows the organization of Hebrew and Greek Testaments, and each day’s scripture is accompanied by a number 1-365.

Lack of Interpretation: At the end of each story there is no prayer or commentary. As a result, parents and ministry leaders create content appropriate to their context.

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The Children’s Bible in 365 Stories

Exclusively Masculine Language for God: As we’ve written in past reviews, God is neither male nor female but possesses a nature far more complex and integrated. Consequently, if we are to use one gender to metaphorically describe God, we must use all genders. If not, using non-gendered language for God is ideal. This is standard practice in most seminaries; there is no reason it shouldn’t be common practice in the pulpit and faith education of young ones.

Unclear Illustrations: The illustrations are gestural in style. As a result, they are at times a bit hard to decipher. The reader may struggle in these instances to put together what is happening and who is who.

Unfamiliar Story Titles: Some of the story titles are not the most commonly used. Difficulty can arise when children transition to an adult bible when they aren’t familiar with the story titles.

No Name Plate Included: Without a nameplate, gifting this bible to children within a church ministry would be less than ideal.

The Children's Bible in 365 Stories-04

Conclusion

None of us will find THE Bible that nails it all for us, of course. The Children’s Bible in 365 Stories has some good things going for it and some less than ideal aspects, also. The inclusion of a clear table of contents and the classic stories, appropriate illustrations, and font size along with digestible story length, a clear layout, and lack of interpretation are all positive aspects. The challenges lie in the exclusivity of masculine language for the Divine, unclear illustrations, unfamiliar story titles, and the lack of a nameplate. For use at home or one-on-one in Sunday school, this may be a good choice. Conversations about illustrations and language can more easily happen there. On the whole, we would recommend this Bible. If you’re willing to do some added work through intentional conversation, it could be a good fit for you.

We hope this review has been helpful. Share what children’s Bibles you have and love in the comments below!

13 Foolproof Ways of Welcoming Visitors to Church This Holiday Season

Alissa Ellett Leave a Comment

Welcoming visitors to church can feel like a no-brainer. Just be friendly, right? I’ve worked in churches for over ten years. And all of that time was spent building ministries and communities from the ground up. And I went to seminary, where you sit around talking about this stuff. Welcoming visitors to church effectively takes a good deal of forethought and a multi-faceted approach. During the holidays more visitors come through the doors of the church. It’s a great time to begin welcoming them with greater intention. We hope our ideas help to create a culture of welcome and hospitality within your community this season and throughout the year.

FREE DOWNLOADABLE PDF: Grab a free 2-page PDF that you can share at your next staff meeting by clicking here.

Welcoming Visitors to Church During Worship

Make info easily available on Sundays. Make it easy for people to find information about the church. In a beautiful and consistently branded way, make it simple for people to understand how to get connected. Make the website obvious in slides and on marketing materials. Perhaps place a welcome booth at the entrance to the sanctuary. Alternatively, create a kiosk with flyers for each ministry.

Provide something for people to do. Visitors heading to a new church often carry with them some anxiety. And looking new with nothing to do can make that even worse. One way this is solved is having paper bulletins available during worship; reading it offers them a way to fill their time before worship. Additionally, having a coloring poster or coloring sheets out makes for a great activity.

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Have name tags. On a table near the entrance to the sanctuary, set out name tags and markers. Calling each other by name creates a sense of community and belonging. This helps visitors as well as those who’ve been in the pew for decades.

Provide information for biblical passages. When reading scripture, describe where the text is located in the Bible. Additionally, give context for the passage. Consequently, people are more likely to feel there isn’t insider knowledge they don’t have. This is helpful for all of us, whether new or long-time members.

Welcoming Visitors to Church through Relationships

Plan a January event. Give visitors a reason to return to the church after the holidays. Make this an event that doesn’t require any responsibility from those who may be new. For example, plan a soup and bread night. Or perhaps do a service project. Alternatively, host a pub theology night at a local brewery or family play date at a neighborhood park. Providing childcare for some of these events is a must to remove a common barrier for families.

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Leaders, introduce yourselves up front. Have those who are up front speaking on Sunday give their name and role in the church. This helps visitors get to know who’s who. And it makes getting involved easier for them.

Say hello, Pastor. A pastor saying hello can help a visitor feel important. If a greeting from the pastor isn’t possible, create a team of leaders who will keep an eye out for those who are new. Say hello, tell them you’re happy they came. And tell them to feel free to find you if they have any questions.

Train children’s ministry leaders. Often parents feel frazzled when they arrive at church. Whether volunteers or staff, make sure to train nursery and Sunday school leaders to be patient and friendly. Specifically, remember children’s names and what they like, even if it means taking note to reference. Furthermore, if parents drop their kids off, try having coffee and tasty treats available at the sign-in table. Small efforts go a long way.

Welcoming Visitors to Church on Sundays and Beyond

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Make clear what your church stands for. Put in writing what your mission statement is and how your church includes the marginalized. This is important in order for all of us to feel safe and know if we’re a part of the faith family.

Have a plan. Decide what to do the first three times a person visits your church. For example, take a loaf of bread with a note to the visitor’s home. Include the website and pastor’s phone number. Then, have the pastor call and invite them out for coffee or lunch. Next, have someone in their neighborhood invite them to check out their small group. This follow-up makes a big difference and rarely happens at churches.

Welcoming Visitors at Church 5

Be present online. Keep the church’s website up to date. Be sure to post holiday service times prominently on the homepage. Post regularly on social media. Moreover, bring someone on to be in charge of maintaining the church’s online presence, whether an employee or volunteer.

Provide clear signage. Make clear on church grounds where people need to go. For example, include things like the nursery and Sunday school, the sanctuary entrance, adult Sunday school and coffee.  Also, create small signs at the refreshments area that are welcoming and beautiful. Details with intention make a large impact.

Offer good quality refreshments. Imagine how we treat guests when they come to our home. We give them some of our favorites, some of the best. Do the same in welcoming visitors to church. For example, buy high-quality coffee and perhaps delicious locally-made pastries. We feel cared for and important when someone invests in us in this way, and it’s no different for those who are new to a church.

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Hospitality as Community Culture

Welcoming visitors to church is more than checking boxes. Hospitality is for all of us. When we live out our faith through care with intention, we actually help those who are already regular attendees feel more connected, too. Furthermore, we communicate our common humanity, our personhood as individuals and worthiness as children of Creation. We hope you discover ways to welcome visitors to church this holiday season as an expression of your unique faith community and the whole year through.

Do you have more ideas? Share below in the comments!

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