If you visit the Dodd household from Halloween to October there will only be four things to watch on television. My daughter will be watching Gilmore Girls on Netflix. I will be watching football games, football analysis, or football highlights. There will also be some Marvel movies sprinkled in. Finally, my wife will be watching one Christmas movie after another on The Hallmark Channel.
In an effort to be a good husband, I watch many of these movies with her. Mrs. Miracle anyone?
When Christmas In Love concluded this past weekend, my wife said to me, “I love Hallmark movies. Two people meet unexpectedly. They fall in love. They breakup for five minutes and then come back together and live happily after after. No surprises.”
As I thought about her words I felt they had significant application for churches. If you want your people to bring their unchurched friends to your weekend services, you must create predictable environments. No surprises.
No one wants to bring a friend who they have spent years building a relationship with and have say, “Wow! I had no idea they would talk about that this weekend.”
Smart pastors understand the power of a message series. These leaders know how to leverage the promotion of the following week’s message. This gives those attending your church a preview and sense of security that if they bring their friends, they will have a wonderful experience and want to come back.
The Hallmark Movie Channel is very predictable. And I LOVE IT!!! I know exactly what I am going to get. I am going to get a family film. I am going to get no bad language. I am going to get no sex or nudity. I am not going to be embarrassed if my daughter or mother-in-law walks through the room. I am going to get purity. I am going to get kindness. I am going to get a peaceful experience. And I know the Hallmark Movie Channel will give it to me every single time.
Give the people what they want! Give them predictability.
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