Sunday Services

Welcome back to our training podcast for Lead Pastors. Today, we’re talking about Sunday services. I know I’ve heard multiple guys on our staff say, “Sundays keep coming”. They are obviously an important part of the responsibilities of a lead pastor in our structure. We have Pastor Gerrod with us today and I’m excited to hear his insights as he has overseen more Sunday services than anyone on our staff at Alpine.

I want to start with a verse -

1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.[h] - give context for the verse -

One of the things I’ve noticed is there is always a sense of peace when Gerrod is there. Things are going to be OK. Obviously God gets the glory for that. He’s doing the heavy lifting, but as pastors we have a responsibility to try and help create an environment of order and peace.

It might sound overwhelming as we start to dig into all of the different elements of Sunday services.

Gerrod, what would you want to communicate to the LP who might be feeling overwhelmed as we dig into all of these responsibilities related to Sunday services?

We want to make sure we communicate that we’re not saying the Lead Pastor is responsible to execute everything we’re going to cover today. He’s not. You’re a leader of leaders. It does mean, however, that you take extreme ownership and you know that these things are being done, even if you’re not the one doing them.

Hebrews 10:25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

We’re called to meet together on a regular basis. This is part of God’s plan for his church. Historically, and in our cultural context, that regular meeting takes place on Sundays.

Sunday Morning Philosophy

We view our Sunday worship services as a “gateway” experience.

G, what does this mean practically for the LP?

This means that we always seek to make our services a place where unchurched people take their first steps toward trusting Jesus and our services also serve, as a gateway into actual, measurable discipleship relationships. In other words, we desire them to be catalytic.

Are there elements of the service that need to be explained to someone who didn’t grow up in the church? Communion, baptism, commissioning elements, baby dedications, etc.

Adequate signage and directions for people who are new

Convenient parking for visitors

To accomplish this it takes a team approach. Core value number 3 we win as a team not as individuals. You see that team approach on Sunday mornings.

It takes a minimum of 40 volunteers/staff per service.

16 - kids’ church, 1 - coffee, 2 - greeters, 2 - ushers, 1 - welcome desk, 1 - media, 1 - sound, 4 - clean team, 5 - worship team, 1 - service host, 1 - weekend service leader, 1 - teaching pastor, 2 - safety team, 1 - lead pastor, 1 - youth leader = 40 people.

Service Order

Creating the service order from the time the countdown begins to the close of the service.

Songs, welcome, announcements, video elements, prayers, message, communion, baptisms, baby dedications, etc.

Being aware of time and reducing elements as needed, eliminating a worship song for example, reducing announcements

Trying to limit video elements in the service

Baptisms on different Sundays than communion, not a hard rule, but something to consider.

Careful Consideration to allowing others to speak from the stage during a Sunday service - baptism prayer offered up from someone from a different religion

Communicating Service Order

Email service order to volunteers

Worship team

Sound/Media

Teaching Pastor

Lead Pastor

Weekend Services Leader

Welcome Desk

Service Host

Building the service in proclaim

Are there any slides that need to be created.

Announcement, baptism, baby dedication, Holiday, etc.

Videos, Central videos should be located in AC Media folder in the folder with this Sunday’s date on it

Duplicate previous service, ensure you’re duplicating your campus’ service

Facilities

Before Sunday Morning

Overall cleanliness of the building

1st impression - parking lot, Lobby

Auditorium

Maybe the most important - Restrooms

Chair arrangement/ seating

add/take away chairs on heavy/light Sundays

Open - Sunday morning

Thermostat

Lights

Resources in the lobby

T.V.’s

Close - Turn everything off and lock up!

How would you describe the LPs role once Sunday rolls around and people are showing up if he’s not delivering the sermon that Sunday? What if he is teaching that Sunday?

G - contrast before the service and after the service

Before - cheerleading, connecting, relationship building

After - Connections to next steps - people and resources

One last thing - it’s easy to lock up and think the service is over and we’ll do it again next week. But, we would be missing an important praise opportunity. Explain praising God for his work in the service. Prayer, connections, etc.