Great Ways to Modernize Your Church Service
We all like to keep things fresh, and every once in a while, it’s nice to change things up. Maybe there are some songs you’d like to hear during worship; maybe you noticed your pastor could use an extra hand announcing upcoming events, or perhaps the people sitting around you could benefit from a little more variety in their spiritual diet.
So, how can you modernize your church service? There are many ways you can bring your church into modern times including incorporating technology, switching up the order of service, using different speaking roles, changing the pastor’s monologue, updating the bulletin, incorporating a Q & A session, creating a dynamic between the pastor and the congregation, and having volunteers sing or pray during the service.
Keep reading to learn more about how to update your church’s flow of service!
Church, The Old Way
Church services can be long and boring. At some point, we all feel like we’re watching paint dry or waiting for our water to boil on the stove. We come to church with good intentions, but then the time drags on and suddenly we’re wondering why we even bothered coming. I can’t tell you how many times it has been over an hour long.
We were created for fellowship with him. Worship is supposed to refresh us spiritually, not make us feel as if something is being drained from our souls as we sit in the pews week after week.
But really, who wants to be a part of a boring church service? No one! And that’s exactly what God doesn’t want – worshipers or guests alike leaving his presence not feeling refreshed and invigorated but drained and exhausted instead.
But we attend because we know that time with God is worth it. We also know that if the people around us are engaged and having fun, then it’s easier for us to focus on worshiping God instead of looking at how bored we are. Go ahead; read that last sentence again!
Ways to Modernize Your Service
Tired of the same old church service? Got a little too comfortable with your suburban, homogeneous congregation? Or perhaps you’re just looking for ways to spice up your ministry. Here are 8 fun ways to modernize your church service:
1. Incorporate Technology
A slideshow is a simple way to add some life to your service while still being relevant to your message. And adding a video component will help reach a younger audience without forcing them out of their comfort zone.
Finally, getting the word out about upcoming events has never been easier thanks to email marketing software like MailChimp or Constant Contact – they make it easy for small groups to get the word out about meetings and services with very minimal effort!
2. Switch Up the Order of Service
Instead of going through everything in order from memory, why not plan things in a way that fits better in our modern schedule? For instance: instead of starting a Sunday morning with a prayer and then singing songs, why not start by praying and then move on to sing some songs?
You’ll get rid of any monotony by changing up the routine while giving people something entertaining to look forward to.
3. Use Different Speaking Roles
Why does the pastor always have to be the one giving announcements? Just because that’s how it’s always been done before doesn’t mean anyone should stop having fun!
The banter between members, band members looking up lyrics on their phones (and doing a little dance), heck – use puppets like they do in some churches out west. Creative ways of sharing information are good for the church AND are super fun to watch.
4. The Pastor’s Monologue
If there’s anything we don’t miss about old school civic meetings, it’s when one person would drone on endlessly until everyone wanted to suffocate themselves with boredom.
While there is always the option of talking less, why not modernize this situation by turning it into a light-hearted skit? Since this will allow everyone in attendance to join in on the fun, even if they’re used to sitting still for an hour, they’ll feel entertained and appreciate the break.
5. An Updated Bulletin
Having a nice big bulletin at the beginning of your service is great for letting people know what’s happening. But if you want to give it an update, try adding in some pictures or diagrams so people can catch on faster than ever before.
6. Incorporate a Q&A Session
Instead of having people prepared for the sermon, why not ask questions and give them time to think? This way, they’ll prepare themselves better and you can gauge how much people are learning from the service.
7. Create a dynamic Between the Preacher and Congregation
It is awesome that they have this awesome relationship but why not mix things up? Have them meditate for 5 minutes before service starts, then let them talk during communion. Give it a shot – they might enjoy their new conversation time!
8. Volunteer to Sing or Say a Little Prayer
This one may seem weird, but many churches have members of their congregation volunteer during service to either lead worship songs or say something short in front of everyone.
It’s awkward at first, but it keeps things fresh and allows people more involved with the church community to take more responsibility for the content of the services!
Why Does Church Need To Be Modernized?
People want things to be entertaining. When people watch a movie, they don’t just want some light entertainment – they expect laugh-out-loud jokes and over-the-top action scenes. When people go out to eat, they demand more than just an edible meal: They crave new flavors and unexpected spices.
And when the majority of the world is “unchurched,”* churches would do well to provide engaging worship experiences that set them apart from the competition.
Churchgoers just aren’t impressed by tired services anymore. And if we’re being honest with ourselves, neither are pastors. I have heard preachers say that what used to thrill their congregations no longer does, so they try to find ways to spruce up a service.
*”Unchurched” is a term to describe people who have not attended church recently, or do not currently attend one at all.
How Can Modernizing Help Church Attendance?
But you don’t need an up-to-the-minute degree from a seminary to modernize your services. I would encourage churches that are struggling with attendance and stagnant giving to simply look back into their history for ideas on how to reconnect with congregants.
Sometimes, the best way to find inspiration is to look for it in your past.
For example, the Reformation churches had services that people are still talking about today. They were dynamic and engaging to listeners who’d never experienced church before because these parishioners were unchurched – they hadn’t seen what church could be like.
Use this as your guide: Whatever was engaging then should work now too!
I’m not trying to say that we need something flashy or spectacular to get people into our pews every Sunday morning. Churches have thrived for centuries without access to smartphones or computers, so you can easily find creative ways of modernizing your service by looking back in time. This is important in not just increasing church attendance now, but also in the future. As it is important to impress the word of God on children now so that they will continue their faith later into their life.
In Conclusion
Don’t feel intimidated if you don’t think you can lead service by yourself either! You might be surprised how much a little research can do.
By all means, continue with what’s working at your church – but why not give these ideas a try too? The worst thing that could happen is nothing! But I have a feeling you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how effective they are.
