As part of your creative summer series planning, try tying in fun events to complement your teaching.

For example, during the God On Film series, we have weekly “play groups” available where people can go see one of the featured movies with others from the church, and then grab dinner to discuss it. This goes hand-in-hand with your creative outreach. People will want to go see the summer blockbusters anyway, so why not invite them to go with you?

They’ll meet new people, have fun, engage in relevant conversation, and be more likely to attend church the day you are discussing what they’ve seen. When you can creatively tie your outreach and your messages together, you will see exponential results. 

In addition to your attractional series, keep in mind that the summer is a perfect time to spice things up and draw a crowd by bringing in guest speakers.  Think of the respected pastors that you would like to have preach at your church and then make the invitation. Their schedules will be more flexible in the summer, so they may just agree. Your attenders will be excited about having a fresh, new face come in and you can take your summer vacation without worry!

Learn how your church can maximize the opportunities of summer.

Sign up for  your FREE Grow Your Church This Summer Webinar here:

http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/index.php/free-stuff/grow-your-church-webinar

“If it is a mist in the pulpit, it is a fog in the pew.”
- Howard Hendricks, Professor, Dallas Theological Seminary

Those of us who are teaching pastors tend to be quite protective of our preaching – sometimes to the point that it hinders us from having the impact we should.

One area I’m rarely asked about, but I see as an issue over and over again in churches is that the people on Sunday mornings just aren’t tuned in – they aren’t listening to what the pastor is teaching.

And I’m going to give you one sure-fire, God-honoring technique to make sure people will listen to what you have to say…

Preach what the Bible says about the real issues your people are facing!

The truth is, there’s not a single issue being faced by your people right now that God’s word is silent about.

For example, one of our most frequent prayer requests at The Journey is always about relationships (both for singles and marrieds).

Of course we pray for every request that gets shared, but as a pastor I couldn’t help but feel a little heartbroken that my people were suffering in an area that scripture has so much to say about.

So a few months back, I took advantage of one of the greatest discipleship tools at my disposal – the Sunday morning stage – to equip my people with God’s truth about relationships.

We taught a four week series called “Undressed: Uncovering the Secrets of Sex, Self-Image and Successful Relationships,” and the results were tremendous – we saw:

• New believers each week
  All relationships are affected when our primary relationship with Christ is right. Without an evangelistic focus, we still saw people beginning that relationship each week of this series.
• Marriages experiencing renewed passion
  Dozens of married couples renewed their vows during our on-stage vow renewal. Many of these couples expressed thanks that they now had the tools to honor God with their marriage.
• Singles deepening their commitments
  Each week, I heard from singles in our church, thanking us for tackling these issues and sharing how their lives and choices were changing by implementing God’s principles for dating.
• And much, much more!

In fact, the results and feedback was so powerful, I had the team at Church Leader Insights pull together everything we did and we just released it this week to you.

You can pick up this complete sermon series – including audio files, message notes, transcripts, graphics, connection cards, memory verse cards AND the information you need to conduct your own Marriage Vow Renewal ceremony during the series.

Click here now to read more and secure your copy of “Undressed: Uncovering the Secrets of Sex, Self-Image and Successful Relationships”

PLUS – Pick up this series before tomorrow (Friday) at 11:59pm Eastern and receive over $90.00 in Additional Bonuses!

For several years now, we’ve planned our preaching calendar one year in advance and it never surprises me how God is able to know exactly what our church will need to hear, especially when we take the time to pray, fast and plan one year in advance.

I just received an email from one of my Coaching Alumni that reminded me of the power of this principle:

You guys teach us to set the preaching calendar and then avoid the temptation to change it. I was tempted two times this year to change what I had prepared, but in the end stuck with the original plan (and I’m so glad I did).

1. I decided to do a series through the book of Colossians, but as the series approached I realized that no one (and I mean no one) out there has done a series on that book. I was tempted to go in a new direction but stuck with the plan. Long story short, the exact problems that prompted Paul to write Colossians in the first place, began happening in our church right before the series started (i.e. some anti-Christian beliefs that were circulating in culture began to infiltrate the church). God could not have planned it more perfect. Exactly when we needed it, Colossians was there to address the issues we were facing.

In the series we addressed:

1. the lie that Jesus was less than God (chapter 1)

2. the lie that salvation is a mixture of faith and works (chapter 2)

3. the lie that you can become a Christian without changing your life (chapter 3) we spent two weeks here: one week on the evil deeds of the sinful nature that need to be stripped off and a second week on the Christian virtues we need to clothe ourselves with

The other example of when I followed this was that God led us to NOT do “God at the Box Office” this summer. When it looked like we were going to relocate to a movie theater, it seemed logical to change the sermon series we had planned and to repeat “God at the Box Office.” But I followed your advice and stuck with the plan. Good thing I did. RIGHT BEFORE we would’ve been starting God at the Box Office the movie theater location fell through.

Just wanted to encourage you guys with these stories. Keep telling people to fast and pray over what to preach on and then to STICK WITH THE PLAN. If God leads us to put something on the calendar, it’s for a reason!

Mike Sorcinelli
Lead Pastor
www.newdaychurch.cc

—

Mike is just one of over 1,200 pastors who have benefitted from this life changing preaching calendar which is just one of a hundred ideas presented in my Tele-Coaching Network.

I am now accepting applications for my upcoming Coaching Network that starts on August 30th. Apply today to receive the Early Bird Rate and over $696 in bonuses!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER USING THE ONLINE APPLICATION OR TO LEARN MORE.

For those of you who have implemented my weekly message run-through, I have found a great tool I want to share with you.

If you don’t know what a weekly message run-through is, check out this past blog where I explain it: http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/blog/2011/04/18/how-to-make-this-sundays-service-excellent-at-your-church/

Simply stated, the way you do the weekly message run-through will greatly affect the way the message goes on Sunday morning. We try and get everything the same for the run-through as it will be on Sunday morning.

The teaching table we use at the run-through is the same. If there is a clip, we play it. We use the same teaching notes and all the Sunday slides are on the screen. We do everything at the run through identical to how it will be done on Sunday mornings with the exception of one item… a countdown clock.

On Sunday’s we have a countdown timer on stage to ensure that the service is able to stay focused on what God has called us to accomplish for each Sunday and instead of having to haul that large countdown back and forth to the office, I have begun to use a simple and free online version.

It is found at http://www.online-stopwatch.com/countdown-timer/

This gives me that ability to have a timer but keeps me from having to break my back!

So, if you are not yet doing a sermon run-through, make steps today to get it on your calendar. If you are doing a run-through, use this great online timer to make sure that your message is the length it should be!

Let me know how it goes!

Nelson

P.S. To learn more about implementing a proven message run-through strategy, starting this week, download your FREE copy of my brand new “Double the Effectiveness of Your Preaching” E-Book by clicking here.

One of the most common question I get asked is for recommendations on books to improve in the area of communication through preaching and teaching.

Today I wanted to suggest some books that may be a little more obscure:

1. Everyone Communicate, Few Connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently - John Maxwell

Available on Amazon

2. You’ve Got to Be Believed to Be Heard: The Complete Book of Speaking… in Business and Life - Burt Decker

Available on Amazon

3. Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Thrive and Others Die - Chip Heath and Dean Heath

Available on Amazon

4. The Seven Laws of the Learner: How to Teach Almost Anything to Practically Anyone. - Bruce Wilkinson

Available on Amazon

I hope you will find this list beneficial as you continue making a difference by helping your church to apply the Word of God to their lives.

Nelson

PS – My Renegade Pastors Network will help you grow personally and in your leadership. If you are the kind of pastor that is not satisfied with “average” you should take a minute to sign-up for the  Renegade Pastors Network today!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

With Easter only about six weeks away, now is the time to plan what you’re going to preach.

And since I am committed to helping you experience a powerful Easter at your church, I’m offering eight of my most effective sermon series resources at 50% Off – THIS WEEK ONLY.

Sermons available for 50% Off include:

	From Stress to Rest
	This five-part message series will help you teach your church how to move from the overwhelming stress of life into the rest that’s available in Christ.Click here to Download Now for 50% Off
	Unstuck
	This six-part message series give your people the teaching and the tools they need to “move beyond mediocrity” and experience the abundant life.Click here to Download Now for 50% Off
	Forgiveness: The Real “F” Word
	Use this series to teach your church five powerful and life-changing truths about forgiveness.Click here to Download Now for 50% Off
	Relationship Rescue
	Your church will learn the keys to experiencing successful relationships despite the challenges of life with this four-part series.Click here to Download Now for 50% Off
	Unshakeable Faith
	Teach your church how to “Stand Strong When Things Go Wrong” with this six-part sermon series.Click here to Download Now for 50% Off
	Pure Sex
	This five sermon series will teach the people of your congregation and community how to experience pure sex, God’s way.Click here to Download Now for 50% Off
	Work Matters
	The seven messages in this series will help you teach your church how to find harmony and satisfaction when it comes to their work.Click here to Download Now for 50% Off
	Se7en
	This eight-part sermon series teaches what the Bible has to say about the “seven deadly sins” and how to overcome them.Click here to Download Now for 50% Off

Click the picture above to read more and order now at 50% Off.

These series have all proven to be not only attractional at reaching people, but effective at helping people grow.

Each sermon series comes complete with:

• Sermon Notes
• Sermon Transcripts
• Graphics
• Presentation Backgrounds
• Memory Verse Cards
• And more!

But don’t delay – your 50% Off is available this week only!

Click Here to See more than 35 Sermon Series available for HALF OFF!

You’re invited to join me next week for one of 4 free webinars I’m leading called “Planning Your 2012 Preaching Calendar.”

After coaching more than 1,000 pastors over the last few years, I’ve learned that one of the best tools for reducing your stress, maximizing creativity, honoring God and working with the natural patterns of your people is planning your preaching calendar months in advance.

With that in mind, I am committed to doing everything I can to help you plan out what you’re going to preach in 2011.

My bestselling “Planning a One Year Preaching Calendar” resource lays out the principles of how to plan your preaching a year in advance, but next week I want to go a step further!

That’s why next week I’m doing a series of FREE WEBINARS for pastors called “Planning Your 2012 Preaching Calendar,” where I will literally walk you (by phone and on your computer) through the 2011 calendar during the course of our 75 minutes together and help you plan what you’re going to preach over the next year.

You can register now at this link:

www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/preachingwebinar

This is NOT the same general training that I teach in the 1 hour preaching calendar CD resource…

Instead, I will help you APPLY the preaching calendar ”principles” to the unique makeup of the 2012 calendar.

In each of these webinars, I will walk you through:

* When, specifically, to plan your 2012 Big Days (and when not to plan them).
* The pitfalls and possibilities built into the 2012 calendar
* How to make the most of people’s natural seasonal patterns.
* The best times in 2012 for each of the 3 different types of sermon series (attraction, growth & balance).
* How to make Easter in 2012 more effective than ever at your church.
* Which days you can expect fewer people and how to best use those days.
* Plus much more!

I don’t remember being more excited about any of the webinars we’ve done than I am about these!

Church Leader Insights exists to help you “maximize your ministry” and this webinar is my virtual opportunity to sit down across the table from you (over the phone and on your computer) and walk you through this planning process.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2011
2:00pm – 3:15pm Eastern
1:00pm – 2:15pm Central
12:00pm – 1:15pm Mountain
11:00am – 12:15pm Pacific

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2011
7:00pm – 8:15pm Eastern
6:00pm – 7:15pm Central
5:00pm – 6:15pm Mountain
4:00pm – 5:15pm Pacific

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2011
2:00pm – 3:15pm Eastern
1:00pm – 2:15pm Central
12:00pm – 1:15pm Mountain
11:00am – 12:15pm Pacific

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011
2:00pm – 3:15pm Eastern
1:00pm – 2:15pm Central
12:00pm – 1:15pm Mountain
11:00am – 12:15pm Pacific

www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/preachingwebinar

Thanks for your continued support of Church Leader Insights and I can’t wait to talk to you next week!

If you have any questions or prefer to register by phone, simply call             1-800-264-5129      .

Remember, all you need is a phone line for the long distance call and computer access to join me on one of these webinars. Oh, and did I mention that each one is FREE!

Your partner in ministry,

Nelson

P.S. Do you know any other pastors who would benefit from one of these webinars?
Please forward this invite to them — I’d love for them to join us!

Here’s the address to sign up again:

www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/preachingwebinar

Around The Journey, we call it “The Hook” – it’s the first 3 to 5 minutes of the sermon that is designed to capture the attention of your audience and set the tone for the message you are to deliver.

As a communicator, I’m always looking for examples of how to ‘set the tone’ to share God’s word and ‘capture the attention’ of my too often disinterested audience.

I try to learn from many different sources…including Hollywood.

Below is a fun link to 30 Classic Opening Movie Scenes.

According to the site, these are the “First moments that sucked us in, from old-school (”Citizen Kane”) to newbies (”The Dark Knight”).”

A reminder of just how powerful the first few minutes of a movie (or sermon) can be:

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20483133_20407866,00.html

Enjoy!

Nelson

We are fortunate to live in an age when so many great ministry tools are available to us.

One powerful ministry tool at our disposal is video preaching.

Whether you’re in a multi-site situation or simply a solo pastor preparing to be away for a Sunday, the ability to record a sermon on video and play it back during the service is one way to multiply your ministry.

Here are four tips to maximize the impact of your preaching video:

1) Be sure to look straight at the camera.

Don’t look at the actual audience in attendance. Remember that people will be watching the screen on Sunday.

If you’re not looking at the camera, you’re not looking at them. Their perception will be that you’re looking off in the distance.

2) Try to incorporate some simple engagement devices.

Tell them to take out their outline/message notes. Have them circle a word in a verse. Have them stand up, read a scripture verse aloud.

I know it might sound and feel odd, but you’ll be amazed at the feedback. People really enjoy it.

BTW – if you tell them to stand, pause and give them a moment to stand.

For example, you might have them read a verse out loud with you. And “interact” with them just as you would if you were live – stop and ask them to read the second half twice as loud.

3) Don’t make any apologies for being on video.

This is a BIG point.  Don’t imply in any way that because you’re not there in person, their life won’t be changed by the message.

Don’t treat this message any different or any less impactful as a live message

4) Preach like you would normally preach.

Once you start recording, commit to it. You wouldn’t stop mid-message on a Sunday morning and start over, so don’t do that on video either.

Commit to it and preach the Word with passion and purpose.

These four tips will increase the impact of your video preaching and allow you to multiply your ministry even when you can’t be there live.

Do you have any tips you’d like to add? Leave a comment below to share.

P.S. Looking for a way to increase the effectiveness of your preaching (live AND on video)?  

Check out my new e-book, “Double the Effectiveness of Your Preaching.”  It’s a FREE Download here.