You lead a congregation where attendance has been stuck at 45 or 65. God laid it on your heart to reach lost people in your community. You want to lead healthily and see your congregation grow.
The 100 Opportunity is just that – an opportunity to get unstuck, reach people, and grow yourself and your church. We all know that attendance is not the be-all and end-all of the church. However, it is one part of the character of your church. Some leaders see 100 in attendance as a “barrier,” but it really is an opportunity. An opportunity to spur congregational prayer, community impact, and make new disciples. Isn’t that what you pray for?
Reaching 100 in Sunday attendance means:
The congregation was mobilized to pray, invite, and share Jesus.
Newcomers showed up, came back, and stayed.
Lost people became followers of Jesus.
New believers were baptized.
New volunteers were recruited, trained, mobilized, and supported.
There is joy in the house.
Unity was strengthened.
God’s purposes are being fulfilled.
Doesn’t that sound like kingdom work and glory for God?
Objective
The objective is to have 100 people at a regular Sunday service in the next year and 100 people on four of the following eight Sundays. To sustain and grow from 100.
Are you in? You can do this. We can help.
There is a cohort of pastors who are committed to the 100 Opportunity. You don’t have to work alone. We share ideas, practises, pray, and cheer each other on.
Your first step is to call 780-707-5569 to talk more about this or email coach@abnwt.com.
All In
Your second step is to include your board in this journey. Share the goal of 100 with them. Together, cast a vision for the goal of 100 to your congregation because the congregation is the way to 100.
Setting a vision for growth is crucial. And deep, kingdom-centred prayerfulness that looks beyond immediate needs to ask bigger and bolder things of God is the kind of thing a true gospel vision produces.
The 100 Opportunity is about people, not numbers.
The journey is about forming the congregation into a team aligned with a purpose.
Celebrate small wins along the way. “We reached 70!” “We are 20 away from our goal!” “10 more to go.” “We did it!” Plan a big party on the Sunday following your first 100 Sunday. This is a big deal!
Form your party planning team now. Budget now.
Host a celebration with balloons, cake, and whatever else to make it exciting.
We’ll journey together on a step-by-step journey with Jesus to learn, apply, adjust, and achieve the first of many harvests for your church.
Five operating principles we will work through in the next year
Growing PEOPLE leads to growing churches.
There is a two-step to this dance: Grow the leader within you. Grow the leaders around you.
Too often, pastors are the lid on growth. Some pastors can lead 100 or more by themselves. But why rob the people around you of the joy of making disciples? Share the challenge.
Disciples grow through facing the challenge of change. Change leads to personal transformation and congregational growth. Growing churches face growing challenges. Increased capacity to trust God and your team will see you through challenges.
Challenges are what make life interesting.
Overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.The process: Leave your comfort zone ➡ pain zone ➡ learning & growth zones ➡ success
Shifts for growth: Preference gives way to purpose. Pastors morph from lone rangers to leaders and hero makers.
Read Heromaker by Dave Ferguson. Learn how to bring real change to your church and community by developing the practical skills to help others reach their discipleship potential.
Less is more. Focus your energy on leading and preaching.
Lead by equipping, building, and mobilizing your congregation (Ephesians 4:12).
Focus your existing prayer meetings on discipling your people and reaching your community.
Make every part of the Sunday experience irresistible.
Be friendly and make friends with newcomers.
Train volunteers to serve in hospitality, congregational care, facility, and property upkeep.
Know your orbit (people of all ages who give you their phone number, address, or email).
Grow your orbit. Collect contact info for every opportunity you have. You need at least 200 in your orbit to get 100 on a Sunday.
Work your orbit – connect to inform and mobilize regularly through email, text, and phone calls.
Preach 28-minute, Bible-based, engaging messages that answer questions people are asking every Sunday.
Help your congregation bring newcomers by providing shareable invitation cards and social media posts.
That’s 80% of your energy focus for the next year.
Get clear on your church culture.
Culture is based on behaviour. Behaviours are based on belief.
To change culture, change the beliefs about what is normative Christian behaviour.
Create a culture where everyone serves in one role. There is a fulfilling role for everyone. Roles are not about doing tasks but developing disciples.
Create a culture where leadership is about discipling people.
Define maturity in disciples as reproduction.
Optimize healthy systems.
A healthy body functions by 12 major systems. A healthy, growing body of believers has healthy systems that will create and sustain growth.
i) Follow-up system: Moving people from first-time guests to fully-engaged members.
ii) Outreach system: Training and mobilizing your people to reach more people for Christ.
iii) Giving System: Developing extravagant generosity.
iv) Serve Teams: Mobilizing people for fulfilling ministry.
v) Small Groups Systems: Starting and reproducing small groups.
vi) Leadership Pipeline: Developing a leadership pipeline at all levels.
vii) Sunday Planning System: Planning, implementing, and evaluating your weekend gathering.
viii) Communication System: Creating content, choosing channels, and consistently engaging your orbit.
Build on evangelistic practises
i) Organized outreach – event, net fishing
ii) Lifestyle evangelism – invite, invite, invite people to services
iii) Social Media Outreach
Understand the needs of your community.
Partner the congregation with the community.
Meet physical needs to speak to spiritual needs.
Think Harvest
You and the congregation are the labourers.
Your community is the harvest field.
The Lord of the harvest is calling.
The harvest is waiting.
Call 780-707-5569 to talk more about this, or email coach@abnwt.com.
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.