Yep, it’s December and Christmas is almost here. If you’ve planned ahead, you have your sermons ready, your church decorated, direct mail invitations on the way and maybe even a big banner hanging outside your building. You’re ready…but have you equipped your congregation to do their part?
Doh! Personal, one-on-one invitations are the best way to invite people to your church – 80% will say yes, especially at Christmas. But your members may be a little shy about asking…but there are some tools and some suggestions you can offer that will help them be more bold.
“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” -Buddy the Elf
Invitation Tools:
These are physical and digital resources you can give your regular attendees to help empower them as they ask their friends, neighbors and store clerks to come to church.
Personal Inviting Cards– These small invitations come in eye-catching shapes and sizes with gorgeous graphics and helpful invitational text on the back. They are easy to carry around and a fun, un-intimidating way to hand off an invitation.- Social Media videos – A short invite video is a great tool to post to your church website and social media platforms – then you can ask your church members to like and share the video on their own pages as a way to get their friends interested in your church services. Be sure to link to a Christmas-specific page on your website so visitors can find service information easily.
- Yard Signs
– Many churches use these helpful signs for Easter, but depending on your climate, they work great at Christmas too. Order custom signs with your service information or just your website URL and ask members to place them in their yards in the weeks leading up to the holiday. - DoorHangers
– An easy and fun outreach tool this time of year, Door Hangers can be part of a neighborhood outreach where teams from your church go out and blanket an area with invites. Maybe pair this with some caroling or a service event like snow shoveling and neighbors will be sure to remember your church!
Creative Inviting Ideas:
Share these creative ideas on your social media pages, in your weekly newsletter or bulletin to get people thinking creatively. Have your members share their own ideas too.
- Host a big Christmas party on Christmas Eve. Tell your guests that you are all going to meet at church, sit together and then go back to your house for the feast.
- “Stock” your neighbors. Go to the dollar store and get a handful of those cheap Christmas stockings. Fill them with treats, a Christmas gift book and a card or note of encouragement. Add a personal inviting card or just a P.S. note with church service times and asking them to come sit with your family.
- Post some childhood photos from Christmas’ past along with a sentimental caption and an invitation to make some NEW Christmas memories by coming to church this year!
- Ask friends about their family traditions on Christmas then tell them yours…it’s an easy way to bring up how church is one of your favorite parts and see if they want to come.
- Tell your story. Is there anything more powerful than sharing what difference Jesus has been the best gift in your life? Next time the conversation lends itself, tell your friend a little bit about your journey and how God has worked in it.
- Be bold. Just ask! “Do you ever go to church at Christmas?” or “Hey, were going to church this Christmas and it’s going to be great! We would love to have you come along!”
Have other ideas? Please share them with us so we can pass them along to other church leaders!
