If you look at church attendance trends, you will begin to notice that attendance often grows and declines with the season.  While there are stand-alone high days (like Easter), and certain spikes or declines attributed to specific events (move to the movie theater or staff member leaving), it’s helpful to look at the year from the perspective of seasons.

Winter, spring, summer and fall. Spring is a growth season, while things remain alive but dormant in the winter.  And different seasons evoke different feelings.   Summer is laid back.  Fall is for football.  In the same way, your church has seasons.  Two of your prime growth seasons are probably January and back to school time.

However, it’s time to take this principle to the next level.

THE SERIES BEFORE THE SERIES

When your are doing a series where our people need to invite and where we are focusing on the Gospel, your should do a series BEFORE that on the mission of the church, personal evangelism, etc.  Tell our people during one series what is coming during the next series, and let the two things work together.

Instead of just marketing the A-game series,  take several weeks to fire up your people about the mission of the church.  Lead them to pray for their friends, challenge them to invite their neighbors and connect them with what is coming.

Connect Bible reading, prayer, or fasting, making the series a real time of preparation.  You’re preparing the soil, and spiritually leading your people to understand that they are missionaries.  Even baptizing people is prepping the soil, showing your church that you’re praying to see more of that in the coming weeks.

Instead of just advertising the coming series, connect what’s coming to our people, and inspire them to invite.  Not just with an announcement or a video or by providing an invite card, but with a sermon series designed to communicate the Biblical imperative of evangelism.

THE SERIES

An A-game series is a series that is focused on the Gospel…giving people the opportunity to cross the line of faith.  You should be prepared for hundreds of people to respond to the Gospel.  You should do the advertising and marketing things to get people there.  You should pull out extra stops with set design, graphics, creative elements, etc.

When you’re doing a key invite series with adults, sync with what’s happening with kids and students as well.  Consider bringing in a guest speaker.

THE SERIES AFTER THE SERIES

After a key-invite series,  be prepared to help people take a next step.  Follow up with an appropriate series on volunteering,  connectivity, or spiritual growth.  During this series, continue to reference the people who have recently become Christians.  Baptize people and tell their stories, celebrating the wins that just happened.  Take just as much time to celebrate as you did to prepare.

Understanding how seasons of growth work will build momentum in our church and provide us natural breaks and times to focus on discipleship and systems.