Engaging the Snooze...

So, I have a bit of a challenge for everyone, if you're up for it. Too often I think our church services can get a little 'samey' and people can easily just drift through our Sunday worship times.

Of course, we all think its interesting because we're the ones who are preaching it and praying it and leading it. But maybe our people need a bit of a wake up and maybe even a kick in the pants.

So here it is (get ready...) in the next couple of weeks, do something different!

Try something that's new, or something a bit out of the ordinary, and if you're really brave you can blog about it here and let us know how it went.

So, in case you're interested in this, here are a few ideas you might like to try...

* preach the sermon first thing in the service, just start with an opening prayer and kick straight into it. I bet that will shake some people up.

* get your kids to be involved in parts of the service: taking up the offering, doing a reading or if you're really brave maybe even praying a prayer.

* make all the worship music in the service one style. I really like to use a swing/jazz feel. From the Nazarene hymnal you can use Love Lifted Me (#395) All That Thrills My Soul (#108) Just A Closer Walk With Thee (#607) A New Name In Glory (#419) are all songs that work in a jazzy style.

* at the start of the message do a quick Q & A with your congregation and throw out lollies when people get the answers right (Warning: old people have slow reflexes, last time I did this someone copped a butterscotch in the eye).

Anyway, this is just something that I've been thinking about lately and I thought I'd share a bit with you all. If you're brave (or foolish!) enough to try something new to shake it up a little please blog about it and let us all know.

Have a great Sunday everyone!