Five Critical Mistakes Churches Make At Christmas Services

As Christmas approaches, churches are preparing for their annual services, a prime opportunity to connect with unchurched individuals. However, common pitfalls can hinder these efforts. This article outlines five critical mistakes churches often make during their Christmas services and offers strategies to maximize outreach and engagement.

Maximizing Christmas Outreach: Don't Miss These Opportunities

Christmas stands out as a unique time when secular culture aligns, even partially, with the Christian narrative. This widespread cultural embrace, from decorations to carols, makes the season top-of-mind and nostalgic for many, creating an unparalleled openness to church attendance. Despite the commercialization, this period offers a significant chance for outreach that pastors should not overlook, especially given that only 1% of pastors report their church excels at outreach.

Fueling Your Invite Culture

An overwhelming 82% of unchurched individuals are open to attending church if invited. Christmas amplifies this willingness, as family traditions often encourage attendance. Churches can capitalize on this by:

• Creating an easily discoverable website page for service information.

• Offering free 'tickets' to services, which can help estimate attendance and foster commitment.

Balancing Tradition and Relevance

Navigating the expectations of Christmas services requires a delicate balance. Going too contemporary can alienate attendees who anticipate traditional carols and narratives of angels and shepherds. Conversely, being overly traditional risks making the profound message of Christ's coming feel mundane. The key is to deliver expected elements with a fresh, impactful twist, highlighting the surprising and transformative nature of the Gospel within familiar stories.

The Critical Importance of Follow-Up

Attracting unchurched individuals to Christmas services is only the first step; effective follow-up is crucial for sustained engagement. Without a structured follow-up plan, the spiritual spark felt during a service can quickly fade amidst post-holiday routines. Essential follow-up strategies include:

• Providing a gift for newcomers who complete a welcome card or scan a QR code.

• Automating email or text sequences to thank attendees and invite them to future services.

• Highlighting upcoming series for the new year and specifically inviting new guests to join.

• Investing in a strong first series for the new year and a robust guest assimilation process.

Key Takeaways

• Christmas is a prime opportunity for outreach to unchurched individuals due to cultural resonance and nostalgia.

• Actively encourage invitations by making service information and attendance easy.

• Strike a balance between traditional Christmas elements and a fresh, impactful presentation of the Gospel.

• Implement a comprehensive follow-up system to convert initial interest into ongoing engagement.

It's not too late for churches to implement these adjustments and leverage the Christmas season to reach and retain more unchurched people than imagined.