44 Ways to Increase Church Attendance

by Schaller, Lyle E.

• ISBN13: 9780687132874
• ISBN10: 0687132878
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1988-01-01
• Publisher: Abingdon Pr

Summary

Are you still suffering over the sight of empty pews? Have your efforts been more than exhaustive in expanding your congregation? Have you maximized your brainstorming potential for bringing in new members?If you have reached what appears to be your limit, then no longer fret, 44 Ways To Increase Church Attendance can open the doors of both your church and mind. With proven techniques for building a body for Christ, church leaders can increase their membership and then free themselves to focus on other important missions for God. Schaller's suggestions will energize leaders and put their churches on the road of abundance.

Table of Contents

Introduction	11	(10)
Begin with the Worship Experience	21	(25)
Offer a Note of Hope	23	(2)
Enhance the Quality of Preaching	25	(4)
Schedule More Preachers	29	(3)
Hasten the Pace	32	(1)
Place Greater Weight on Intercessory Prayer	33	(3)
Use the Mails	36	(2)
Call on the People	38	(1)
Involve More People	39	(1)
Schedule More Special Sundays	40	(1)
Seek Pledges	41	(2)
Encourage Mutual Accountability	43	(1)
Evaluate the Music	44	(2)
Review the Schedule	46	(18)
Offer More Services	49	(4)
Offer More Choices	53	(3)
Expand the Schedule	56	(3)
Create a New Congregation	59	(2)
Analyze Impact of Location in Time Zone and Life-Styles	61	(3)
What Are Your Operational Policies?	64	(15)
Change the Policy on Weddings	67	(1)
Encourage Children to Worship God	67	(4)
Cancel the Summer Slump	71	(3)
Review the Sunday Morning Sequence	74	(1)
Review Policy on Frequency of Lord's Supper	75	(1)
Expand Your Advertising Budget	76	(1)
When Is the Fellowship Hour?	76	(3)
The Power of Program	79	(13)
Conceptualize a Larger Context	82	(1)
Build Mutually Reinforcing Components	83	(1)
Minimize Internal Competition	84	(2)
Match Goals, Program Priorities, and Resources	86	(1)
Expand to a Full Music Program	87	(5)
Real Estate Considerations Do Influence Attendance	92	(12)
Maintain a Clean and Attractive Building	92	(1)
Use Lots of Signs	93	(1)
The Nursery and Rest Rooms Are Important	94	(1)
Offer Adequate Off-Street Parking	95	(1)
Provide Good Acoustics	95	(1)
Provide Plenty of Space for Fellowship	96	(1)
Air Conditioning Can Make a Difference	97	(1)
Can You Seat Too Many People?	98	(3)
Do You Need to Remodel?	101	(1)
Has the Time Come to Rebuild?	101	(1)
Is Your Location Obsolete?	102	(2)
Institutional Factors	104	(16)
Become a High Expectation Congregation	104	(3)
Examine the Community Image and Name	107	(6)
Yoked or Separate?	113	(2)
Create Places for Men	115	(5)
What Next?	120