Groundwork: Crowdsourcing Your Next Message Series
What if pastors were more deliberate about how we listen and work with congregational members, and bring them into the process of preparing messages? What? Say that again.
What if ushers, vocalists, parents, children … everyone had a role shaping the weekly message, would it change congregational engagement?
Would you hear the same sermon? Or would the message start to shift in ways no one predicted?
Increasing Engagement
When participants in a faith community get the chance to share their perspective, they often ask insightful questions that lead pastors to dig deeper for answers in new areas.
This leads to new understanding, and the applications suggested by members of the community can get people thinking and living the gospel together.
Elise Stolte is leading the Edmonton Journal in launching Groundwork (edmontonjournal.com/groundwork), a pilot project to crack open the newsroom and let in community voices where they’ll have the most impact. Pastor, what if you created the same context for your next message series? Message Groundwork?
Pastors need to up their level of congregational engagement. What better way to help congregations engage than for congregants and members of your local community to have direct input into message content?
Sounds interesting. How can I try this?
7 Steps to Engage
Announce what you’re about to do. Invite anyone with an interest to help shape the message series content.
Offer engagement options.
Create an online survey for anyone who wants to leave a written note.
Host virtual “office hours” on Zoom for anyone who would like to talk “face-to-face.” Sign up through email. Lead an informal discussion in a small group setting so you can hear from each other.
Host actual “office hours” – one hour during the week when people can meet together. Provide coffee.
Provide a safe setting where people can honestly share. Promise to listen with both ears and to continue the dialogue.
Reach out to people in your congregation who would have helpful insight into the subject.
Seek out people in your community who are engaged with the subject. Doing a series on mental health? Ask a counsellor or social worker for input. With permission, share your sources in the message.
With permission, record a brief (40 second) comment in an iPhone video to share in your message.
When the preparation cycle for the topic finishes, announce a new topic and start again.
Adaptive Leadership
Isn’t this risky? Isn’t it a pastor’s sole responsibility to craft messages? Won’t this process make more work? I’ve already got my system for sermons. Why would I want to try something new?
Because you are an adaptive leader.
What if you could make your messages more effective, more sensitive, and relevant to your congregation and community?
Elise Stolte testifies to the benefits to her reporting from an inclusive process, “My online community came out time and time again to share anecdotes and diverse perspectives at the beginning of the reporting process, when it was most effective, making my work more sensitive and relevant to the needs of the community.”
This can be your path to a stronger, healthier congregation, one where people are empowered to speak the truth and help build solutions.
It’s time to lay some fresh Groundwork.
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.