A Half Hour On Sunday: Creating Moments of Transformation and Wonder
In 2004, Nancy Beach wrote a bestseller entitled, An Hour On Sunday. Her goal was to help church leaders reach their redemptive potential. Beach imagined experiences that bring people heart-to-heart with God; messages in which God’s truth connects to everyday life.
The goal hasn’t changed but the timeframe has - thirty is the new sixty under COVID. Less is more. Here’s how you can make your online weekend service less than 35 minutes
Beach identified 10 principles for effectiveness
Well-Ordered Hearts and Lives
Intentionality
Leadership
Community
Evaluation
Excellence
Creativity
Authenticity
Transcendent Moments
Transformational Teaching
How to keep your online service to less than 35 minutes
1. Transformational Teaching And Evaluation:
The purpose of teaching/preaching is changed lives.
The entire service is the teaching – a Biblical message communicated through music, illustration, application, art, video, and story.
God gave us music, creativity, art, and drama as footpaths to lead us out of our hiding places. Interweave these elements into a seamless flow to make one important application.
Ask for a response after every message.
Broaden your reach and let digital do the work for you during the week.
Turn the message into a podcast.
Post on demand, bite-size portions of the Sunday message during the week on Facebook, Insta and YouTube.
2. Intentionality and Excellence:
Focus on results.
Take 60 seconds and welcome people, but don’t drag on. And don’t give announcements.
Welcome guests and use guest-friendly language throughout. Explain how guests can engage, or receive info about your ministry.
Summarize what people can expect to see in the broadcast.
Identify how to be generous and give.
Use sub-titles to identify all participants rather than verbal intros.
Your most important content should begin within two minutes of the video starting.
Move less critical content like announcements or attendance requests to pre-service or close to the end.
3. Creativity and Transcendent Moments:
Use an innovative, creative piece every week.
Produce something that helps viewers know you are connected to the Spirit of a creative God. A music video, an image, or testimony can become the transcendent moment in your half hour. (See Resources below)
Design it yourself or use something from another ministry, but settle for nothing less than excellence to get people feeling, thinking and talking.
Use one or two songs in the service as lead-ins to the message or as a reflection or call to action after the message.
4. Community and Authenticity:
Assign personnel and resources to minister all 7 days of the week.
If you haven’t shifted your focus beyond Sunday, now is the time. And retain this mindset when you return onsite.
Host a daily, 3-minute Facebook Live devotional. Engage all of your staff and key volunteers for the devotional.
Host online small groups and keep them online after onsite re-opens – Alpha parenting course, mental health, finances, Bible studies.
Host an online, coffee time, 30 minutes before the service in a Zoom meeting.
Engage with congregants and invited guests as you would onsite.
Vital outcomes demand focused energy over time. Start and keep improving. Trust God to make more of your less in your half hour this Sunday. Post in the comment section below. Thank you.
Resources
Bob Jones is the founder of REVwords.com, an author, blogger, and coach with 39 years of pastoral experience. Bob is also an Advance Coach with the ABNWT Resource Centre. You can connect with Bob here.