People Spots Online
Produced by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants
Provided as a service by New Life Ministries

It's Advent

by James W Moss, Sr

I know it is a shock. As I age, I am constantly amazed how much faster the years roll over. It is Advent. I know you are busy. The calendar is raging at you. Your body is saying, “How am I going to get to December 26?" In spite of that, let me give you a heads up.

Pay special attention to visitors in this season of the year. Be sure to get the names and addresses so you can follow-up. Recruit some helpers. Be bold in asking for names and addresses. Unless your church is averaging more than 500 in worship, your visitors are not looking for anonymity. They are expecting some attention.

It has been clearly established that more people who have been absent from church for an extended period of time will return during the Advent season than at any other period of time during the church year. Why do they come during that time?

First, the baby Jesus is very attractive. What a marvelous gospel we share. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). This all began during the first Christmas.

There is a tremendous amount of pressure on people during December. Did you know that more suicides occur during December than any other month of the year? The financial pressures are building. Creditors are pressing delinquents hard so their bottom lines will look better for the year end. People feel a need to give gifts, even when they can’t afford them. There is the pressure to get together with family and friends. Need I go further?

When people who are unchurched or who have been absent from church for an extended period of time show up during Advent, they have been driven there by their pain. They are in the midst of a teachable moment. A window of opportunity has opened in their lives that will stay open no more than 6-8 weeks. Your church needs to take advantage of that open window. If there is no follow-up, the window will close and that opportunity may be lost forever.

Harry and Mary are struggling. They attended First Church during Advent. They were impressed. They liked the spirit. They even went back a second and third time. There was no follow-up. Harry and Mary concluded the church was not really interested in them. They stopped attending. The window of opportunity passed. By the time First Church contacted them 6 months later, it was too late. They were no longer interested.

The first key is to get names and addresses. I know this is difficult, but please try. I know that most churches are packed on Christmas Eve. But please try even then to get names and addresses. If you do no more than put a response card in your bulletin and ask them to put it in the offering plate. Please make an effort.

Before Wednesday of the next week, take a gift from the church to their home. It could be a mug with some candy or teas and coffees wrapped nicely. The person who delivers can say, “We so appreciated your visit with us. We would love to have you back.”

Then for a while, send them a bulletin with a hand written note each Sunday they miss.

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told (Luke 2:15-20).

It is very possible that there will be some people who will be motivated to “return to Bethlehem.” Frankly, I am still amazed by this beautiful story. We can still praise and glorify God by treating these honest seekers with tender love and care.

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Read about Jim's seminars and books.

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December 1, 2007. Volume 10, Issue 7. People Spots Online is prepared by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants. It is provided as a service by New Life Ministries, www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org. Articles may be duplicated and reproduced in any way with proper credit. A new article is produced about every two weeks. To be added to a list to receive these messages directly by e-mail, send a request to churchconsultants@yahoo.com.

It's Advent

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