Twists & Turns VBS at Broadway
VBS concluded last week at our church. Now is the time for follow-up. After children attend, someone from your VBS team, will want to contact every child who attended VBS and thank them for attending.
You might be tempted to call only children who don't list church homes, but many parents list churches they attend on registration forms that they don't actually (or rarely) attend.
One time our church in Georgia knocked on every door in our zip code. I visited a home and the twenty something man who answered told me he attended the church I pastored. I had never seen him. 🤷🏼♂️
I personally like to call parents and thank them for attending. 60% of phone calls go to voicemail, but the 40% who I do get to speak with are positive, yet brief, conversations.
Why call families for VBS follow-up:
1). The conversation is personal. You rarely hear back from anyone with a postcard or email.
2). The conversation opens the door for other ministry opportunities. I always ask, "Is there anything I can pray for you about? Anyone I can include on our church's prayer list?"
If the parent empresses interest in visiting our church, I ask their permission to include their email on our church's email list, this way every Friday, they receive upcoming information about our church. I only add them with their permission.
From my experience, people will research your church before they visit. They'll check-out social media accounts, church website, and watch worship services.
Visitors want to feel in control. They decided to attend VBS, they'll decide to visit one Sunday - they don't want to feel coaxed.
A weekly email helps them feel "in the know" of everything going on.
3). Ask if there is anything we can do to improve VBS? Parents will occasionally make suggestions, they seem to appreciate the fact you asked for feedback.
Some of your best feedback for improvements will come from attendees / parents.
Related Posts:
3 Pastor's Principles at VBS
VBS: Before & After
Five VBS Takeaways
You might be tempted to call only children who don't list church homes, but many parents list churches they attend on registration forms that they don't actually (or rarely) attend.
One time our church in Georgia knocked on every door in our zip code. I visited a home and the twenty something man who answered told me he attended the church I pastored. I had never seen him. 🤷🏼♂️
I personally like to call parents and thank them for attending. 60% of phone calls go to voicemail, but the 40% who I do get to speak with are positive, yet brief, conversations.
Why call families for VBS follow-up:
1). The conversation is personal. You rarely hear back from anyone with a postcard or email.
2). The conversation opens the door for other ministry opportunities. I always ask, "Is there anything I can pray for you about? Anyone I can include on our church's prayer list?"
If the parent empresses interest in visiting our church, I ask their permission to include their email on our church's email list, this way every Friday, they receive upcoming information about our church. I only add them with their permission.
From my experience, people will research your church before they visit. They'll check-out social media accounts, church website, and watch worship services.
Visitors want to feel in control. They decided to attend VBS, they'll decide to visit one Sunday - they don't want to feel coaxed.
A weekly email helps them feel "in the know" of everything going on.
3). Ask if there is anything we can do to improve VBS? Parents will occasionally make suggestions, they seem to appreciate the fact you asked for feedback.
Some of your best feedback for improvements will come from attendees / parents.
Related Posts:
3 Pastor's Principles at VBS
VBS: Before & After
Five VBS Takeaways
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