I want to get something from you if you don’t mind. I know every one of our churches are amazing in their own ways and yet we probably do almost everything differently. We all have different church ideas. You can take the different church ideas from the comments below and implement them at your own church, so I guess you can think of this post as a church creative thinktank. Tell me things that just blow you away, blow guests away, make your church different, and ideas that you’ve stolen from other churches.
What are some awesome things that your church does to set them apart?
http://twitpic.com/jcp52 //probably my fav thing I've ever seen (via @Alexnifong)
I'm curious what kind of church this is? lol
Haha…this has happened at a church I led worship at…but not in such a kind way…
My recent post Maryse Update – March 15, 2010
Many churches in the area are starting to do a "fellowship dinner" on Wednesday nights prior to midweek service. This offers several things:
(1) Convenience – instead of rushing home, fixing dinner and then rushing off to church, just head home, pick up the family and head to church.
(2) Fellowship – it allows the church family to spend some leisurely time eating, talking and connecting before service.
good stuff. reminds me of church growing up. one word: "potluck"
Our Young Adult leaders do something similar: we have welcome packs for new people, with a form where they can fill in some contact details. Then, once a month, the leaders take the whole group of new people out for coffee.
It's great, because it helps us to connect with visitors on a personal level, but it's also not awkward for them, because there's a whole group of them and they're all new.
My recent post Art or Porn?
nice
In the winter, we open our doors (through the "Room in the Inn" program in Nashville) to homeless people to sleep in parts of our church. We feed 'em. Hang out with 'em. Love on them.
awesome. what church do u go to again?
My parents' church near Charlotte, NC does that too. Mom puts mints on their pillows.
My recent post Gerry Reid’s Eulogy
On Saturdays our church (View Church Milnerton) runs a daycare in an open store space in the local shopping mall.
So while parents are shopping, we take care of the kids and connect with them. It's generated a lot of exposure for the church and several of the parents have come to check out the Sunday services.
We also have an "Adopt-a-Block" initiative: every second week our volunteers go out in teams and each team serves a specific street – one week we mow their lawn, one week we do repairs, etc.
Each time the same team goes to the same street, so that we can build solid relationships with the people in the community and just show them what the love of Jesus really means.
very nice. l like the Adopt a Block
I think my favorite thing about my church and I don't know any churches in the area that have this, but on the first Friday of every month we have ALL NIGHT PIZZA, PRAISE AND PRAYER from 9pm to about 2-2:30am. It's great! Anyone can share what God has laid their heart, whether they want to sing a worship song, share a verse, anything. It's whatever the Spirit moves.
love it
One thing I love that is done at the church I attend is our "Appointments with The Great Physician." This usually takes place on a Saturday (I believe it's about once or twice per month). People come together for a healing service with a few of the leaders and prayer ministry in the church and there is singing and prayer with the application of oil and laying on of hands. The atmosphere is so full of God's intoxicating presence and the event is filled with faith and hope.
Sickness is such a hindrance to God's work and sometimes when people are suffering it is hard for them to pray fervently. Though we do have altar times of prayer for healing, this added service is more intimate and I find exhilarating.
I've always prayed for my mother and had others pray for her as well as she has had some health challenges, but when I rolled her into one of those meetings, she couldn't help but be saturated with God's presence. She's now using her wheelchair less and less and the excruciating disc disease pain that she had before is 95% gone. We believe, it is only a matter of time before her hypertension and diabetes are gone. Her blood pressure levels have already lowered. And she is now only taking one pill per day for her diabetes. We believe even though she has reached her 70's, she can live in good health.
Great things happen in these kinds of meetings. God is extremely merciful and compassionate. And with the added, specific focus on healing, even more power is released.
love the name
I think a vibrant worship service is about the best thing a Church can offer that will almost guarantee growth to the Church. The Word teaches that God Inhabits the praise of his people, the word inhabits actually is translated as Tabernacles. Just as with the Israelites in the wilderness, God, abides with those who Praise him, and let's face it,everyone wants to have a personal up front close experience with God, it is a life changer.
very true
we are a smaller church of about 150 families give or take and just this january we started taking the first sunday of each month and having 'family day'. kids and parents experiencing together. we put a lot of energy into it and do kind of a 70/30 split on the side of speaking to the kids. we have never had so much positive feedback ever. parents love being able to worship and all that WITH their kids. and the kids get to see mom and dad participate in the things they are doing in the way of games/illustrations/communion/etc. its been made very obvious the value we put on families and they are responding like never before.
very cool
So, perhaps splitting the schedule of a routine church service may be a tad much. However, what about a Praise Sunday once per month? These would be Sundays where there would only be Praise and Worship. Congregation would be asked to bring any handkerchiefs, tambourines, other musical instruments to join in. Folks would even be encouraged to dance if desired. Does that sound like madness? Okay. Maybe not instruments, but banners are nice. God should be our audience anyway, not the congregation. I wonder if sometimes He sighs in boredom with the same old, same old, just as we sometimes do.
Another idea: Fellowship Fun Sunday–a Sunday where congregants are asked to come specifically with the goal of not leaving service for lunch or fun without another church member. Focus would be on spending time with at least one other person in the church, in addition to one’s own family members. Some people do this anyway, but there are many who only go out with their own families, or even alone. On this Sunday, everyone would purpose to leave church and go out to lunch or to someone’s home for lunch or maybe to the park , beach or museum, but somewhere with a fellow church member(s).
I’m sure there are all kinds of creative “Sundays” we can come up with if we think a bit. But just how difficult these are to accomplish successfully, I’m not sure. In any event, doing what we’ve always done (which for the most part isn’t bad), will probably produce the same predictable results. If those results are sufficient, then there’s no need for change.