Category: The Church

Every pastor feels it this time of year—
the weight of the calendar, the pressure of the season, and the ache to see your people re-engage before the holidays hit full speed.

And while every church is scrambling to polish the Christmas program, finish the year-end giving plan, and survive the annual volunteer migration to Panama (physically or mentally)…
one strategy still outperforms almost everything else:

Have your team call every single person in your database. YES. Shocking. And why it works.

Seriously. Pick up the phone. Together. As a team.

It’s shockingly simple. It’s ridiculously effective.
And it works every single time—especially November through Christmas.

Why?
Because we live in a world where nobody calls anymore unless there’s a crisis, a car warranty, or a political ad pretending to be your “friend.”
So when someone from your church calls just to pray… it hits like a warm fire in a cold season.

People don’t forget it.

Here’s what happens when you do this:

• Dormant families re-engage.
• Guests return and bring others.
• Volunteers feel seen, not used.
• Giving increases because trust increases.
• People feel shepherded heading into the holidays.
• Attendance grows from now through Christmas Eve—guaranteed.

No gimmicks.
No shaky “growth hacks.”
Just shepherds acting like shepherds.

The Script That Opens the Door

Here’s the exact script we recommend (use it word-for-word if you want):

“Hi, this is __________ from __________ Church.
I’m just calling to say hello, and see if there’s anything I could pray for you about today?”

After they get up off the floor from pure shock, they’ll say something like:
“Oh… wow. Yes. Actually…”

Let them talk. Pray for them right there.
And finish with:

“It’s great to connect by phone—almost nobody does that anymore.
And before I let you go, here’s the info for this Sunday’s new series:
We’ll be in the book of ____________.
It’s a great time to bring a neighbor or the one person the Lord puts on your heart.”

That’s it.
Simple. Intentional. Pastoral.
And it moves the needle more than 90% of what churches spend money on.

Why This Works So Well Right Now

Because people are lonely.
Because December magnifies everything—joy, grief, hope, loss.
Because households are spiritually open in ways they aren’t in July.
Because churches that love well… grow.

And because shepherding is still God’s design for impact.

If you want attendance to grow, trust to deepen, and your people to feel known before Christmas—
start dialing.

If your church wants help organizing this, writing call sheets, segmenting your database, or designing the follow-up strategy, we’re here when you need us.

But honestly? You could start this Monday letting the staff know. Prepare the lists. Get them assigned. And get ready to connect. You know, like we used to.

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