How To Get More Traction From Sunday’s Message

Ever wonder how many “gigabytes” your brain could store if it were a computer? Scientists estimate that the answer would be equivalent to up to 2.5 million gigabytes of storage! For reference, the biggest hard drive to date is only 10,000 gigabytes. 

However, if you ask someone from your congregation what you spoke on this weekend, chances are, they won’t have the slightest clue.  Now, before you get discouraged and quit the ministry to apply for Chick-fil-A, know that it likely has little to do with you. There could be many reasons why the message you spent days preparing doesn’t make it to Wednesday. Whatever the reason, here are a few creative ways to get more mileage out of your content.

1. Blog it out

Many people have a blog these days, and starting one is easy. You already have a weekly following, so why not kick off a new and modern way to connect with your congregation? Take each week’s content and compress it into a concentrated form that’s quick and easy to read. Use this as a midweek refresher and a lead-in to what’s coming next weekend.  

2. The 3-minute video

If you or someone you know has the skills and knowledge to do some basic film/editing, creating a 3-minute summary video is a great idea. Take the week’s message and highlight some of the key points in video form. Getting this into social media circles could be very intriguing to many who may not have heard of you otherwise.

Be careful- this could go south on you quick if it’s not done well. Make it short, consistent, and easy to follow for your viewers.

3. Host a Q&A

Host a weekly Q&A session on social media. It doesn’t need to be long and drawn out. This will give those wanting more information the opportunity to reach out for questions and will give you a platform to share more of your heart surrounding the topic.

It’s a bit less rehearsed and there is potential for someone to steer things in the wrong direction, but the direct access is valuable and could help guide future sermon preparation.

4. The leftovers

“Blessed are those who are short winded, for they will be invited back.”

The struggle is real for so many; cramming a ton of research and preparation into an abbreviated service can be a tall order. Often, the answer is to leave strong points and valuable content on the cutting room floor. Instead, why not re-purpose those ideas and rabbit trails as a chance for midweek inspiration? Your ideas will trace back to the weekend’s message and will give you a chance to bring things back around for your congregation.

Our lives are so busy and consumed, it’s easy to slip into going through the motions of our daily routine. With these four easy ideas, our hope is that you’re able to capitalize on today's trends and technology to keep God’s Word before His people beyond Sunday and into the busy week ahead. 

How are you able to engage your congregation with a message during the week?