Creating memorable church services

I just finished listening to a wonderful talk by Bill Hybles which he gave at the end of last year’s Leadership Summit at Willow Creek Church in South Barrington, Illinois. In this talk, he gave the 4 things that we must do as leaders within our local churches. The first one was the need to keep the vision clear. The second one was the need to get the people in our churches engaged in the ministry of the church.

But it was the third statement that really struck a chord within me. It was the need to make our gatherings memorable. In other words, create great church services that really make a difference. He encouraged the need for creativity and time being put into our planning of each and every weekend’s services.

He quoted Acts 2:43 where it says that everyone in the early church was “feeling a sense of awe.” He asked if a feeling of awe described our services. He didn’t mean, “Aw, I have to sit through this again;” or “Aw, is she still singing?” I wonder…do people really feel a sense of awe as they come to Grace week after week? Is this a place where people sense the presence of God? Is this a place where people wouldn’t think of missing a Sunday and “kick themselves around the block” (that’s Bill Hybel’s term) when they do come because they didn’t invite someone else to come experience it with them?

Bill Hybels went on to say that he believes that what people are saying when they walk through the doors of our auditorium week after week is something like this:

Move Me!
Scare Me!
Inspire Me!
Convict Me!
Stir Me!
Anger Me!
Surprise Me!
Ignite Me!
Thrill Me!

Just don’t leave me the way you found me
when I walked through your doors!