As someone who works in ministry, I’m sure you are well aware of how busy the end of the year can be. The most wonderful time of the year brings us Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s—and those are just the holidays—let alone events, school schedules, and family get-togethers. It can be a lot.
Everyone at your church is feeling that busyness, in one way or another. Your staff, volunteers, and regular attendees are facing a lot of demand this time of year, in more ways than one.
How can you, as a leader at your church, help to cut through the noise and meaningfully engage your church community this time of year?
Here are three ways to boost church engagement this holiday season.
1. Create Two-Way Conversations
Many churches fall into the trap of strictly using top-down communication, where they simply share events, dates, and updates. When on the receiving end, it can feel like you’re being talked at and not to. Meaningful engagement happens when communication is more of a conversation than always trying to advertise what’s next.
Utilize tools that allow for back-and-forth conversations, like messaging apps, text communication, and social media interactions. Encourage your team to ensure that your interactions are organic, not pushed on people. Create meaningful discussions by replying to comments, asking for feedback, and making people feel heard.
Your online tools are central hubs for two-way engagement. By incorporating a service like Subsplash Messaging, you open the door for deeper communication in a space where people are already engaging with their church community. Whether it’s asking questions about services, connecting to a small group, sharing some encouragement, or requesting prayer, a church-managed forum for community can make a huge difference.
2. “Own” Your Digital Space
There is a fierce battle happening for our day-to-day attention with streaming platforms, texts, social media sites, constant news, and more. It can be difficult to focus with the information overload and constant distractions.
And that’s when having your church’s own digital space can make a big difference.
Consolidating all of your church’s important updates in one place, like a Subsplash Mobile App, gives your people clarity. Text chains can get lost, emails remain unopened or buried, social media is distracting, and websites aren’t engaging enough alone.
By creating one space that your church can moderate every aspect,you eliminate the noise and keep the mission and message top of mind.
You wouldn’t let someone interrupt your in-person Sunday service to invite people to watch a movie or shop for Christmas gifts, would you? Make sure that the same mentality you apply to your church’s physical space also applies to your digital presence.
3. Provide Helpful Discipleship Resources
Creating ways to help your congregation grow spiritually throughout the week is critical. Preaching a great sermon Sunday is enhanced when there’s additional content for people to learn more about, build on the teaching, and help apply it to their lives.
By developing short form, accessible digital content, you can equip people in their busy daily lives. This time of year, having discipleship content readily available is key. For example, creating your own Bible reading plans or Advent studies can make your message resonate more strongly and help your people grow.
In other words, you’re equipping your people with Gospel resources so they can live out the mission of the church and reach others.
Engagement Leads to Growth
The last couple of months of the year are the busiest—for you and your staff as you prepare for Christmas—but also for every person who walks through your doors. Make sure your message and mission are accessible to everyone. And having those resources available to engage your people digitally every single day can make a huge difference.
If you’re looking to engage your church and community in this season, our team at Subsplash would love to have a conversation and help you make a big impact.
