Make a THIS change and watch your church grow. Invest in an empowering Membership Paradigm Mindshift change. This means create an empowering mindset for seeing and understanding fellowship.
Here are a few suggestions on how to do this.
1- Create an atmosphere of “fun”. Always have a fellowship opportunity right after church services. Have a time of “meeting and greeting” among the members. Most have not seen each other for at least a week. So, they have plenty to talk about! Have light snacks, i.e., coffee, tea, punch, etc. sometimes even arrange for lunch. Or even better have pot lucks. Pastors, together with your leaders go around and talk to everybody. Whatever you do, please, please do it weekly until it becomes a habit. This may seem like a big effort, but I know many churches that do this every single week. This opportunity is one of the greatest ways to build comradery among members and in due time with visitors.
2- Create an atmosphere for of “thanksgiving” for members to use their gifting(s). Sadly enough, this is the most neglected aspect of fellowship. Members are not being able to use their gifts. Find out what each member likes to do, what their gifts are and then allow them operate in their gifts. One fellowship can have several prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, preachers to equip the Saints to build up the Body of Christ. And don’t forget gifts of helps, hospitality, administrations, etc. There is room for everybody to do something in your church. Don’t just settle for only one or two people that you, as Pastor, have choose to use their gifts. Ask people what they want to do and let them do it. Pastor, you might just find gifts rising to the occasion. Gifts that you didn’t even know existed in your fellowship.
- Some members can heal. Some can prophesy. Some members can sing. Some members can do all of these things and more. But they are doing nothing or only one thing (and they want to do more). Will somebody please explain??? A member cries out in their heart LET ME DO IT. Or even LET ME TRY DOING IT.
- Let everybody know they can participate in whatever aspect of the ministry they are led to do, even if it involves doing more than one ministry or a ministry you are curious as to whether or not they can actually do it. Let them try it! Also you can train people to do new assignments they’ve never done before.
- Let leaders, other than the same leaders, lead!!! When you’re growing there are many, many opportunities for “co-leadership” and new ministries, i.e., Visitors Ministry Leader(s).
- Yes, it is a fact that members do leave churches because they are not allowed to use their gifts.
3- Create opportunities for leveraging time, gifts, and physical space. Some activities can be occurring at the same time. Some members can be involved in doing more than one opportunity or can be using more than one gift. Some aspects of the physical space and be used for different purposes at the same time or at different times.
Yes, Pastor, create a “let’s have fun and get involved” mindset within your church. Change the way your members use to think into a new way of thinking and being appreciated. Invest in an empowering Membership Paradigm Mindshift Change.
I can tell you for a fact it will happen. The more fun and fellowship people have together they more they will want to help each other and be with each other and that attitude will spill over into creating an atmosphere for welcoming visitors and isn’t that just what you want!
To learn more about the Membership paradigm Mindshift Change contact Rev. Dr. Beverly Tillman at DrTillman360.com
Or go to www.greaterharvestministries.com and opt-in to get a FREE 30 minute consultation on “how to get members involved”.
Please forward this email to other Senior Leaders that you know.
Rev. Dr. Beverly Tillman
