From the very beginning of my life in ministry, God has impressed upon me the need for excellence. Why? Simply put, excellence attracts. We see it all around us. Those entities who exude excellence are the ones that people are drawn to. And excellence within the one-hour window of weekend worship not only motivates people to keep coming back, it motivates them to come back with more people!
1. Keep the main thing the main thing.
The weekend. The weekend. The weekend. So goes the weekend, so goes your church. Like you, your church can only do so many things and still maintain a level of excellence, so stay true to your vision. Your weekend experiences are the gateway to reach your community. I’m not saying don’t have other ministries, those are important. But, not if they are distracting from the main thing. The weekend.
2. Inspect what you expect.
Excellence is achieved when we check our egos at the door. Each weekend at FC, I gather the team after our Saturday service to watch the experience and critique it. We evaluate the flow, the length, and especially the message. Cut what doesn’t work and be open to suggestions. A culture of constant critique is not always easy, but it ensures that you and your leaders are being stretched to greater heights for greater impact.
3. It’s a no-go if it doesn’t flow.
We all want to avoid those “music screeching to a halt” moments. The same is true for achieving excellence in every worship experience. Get with your team and inspect your last experience:
- Does the worship and production set up the message?
- Does your emcee understand how to come out of a worship moment and turn the corner to greet people?
- Are announcements too long? People check out quick so it’s important to keep those tight.