Here’s the last part of the section called Planning My First Service From Scratch:

6. Risk it all on the Launch.

Your launch day should be promoted during each of your monthly services, on your website, and in every conversation with people that you have–it’s the goal so promote it to the max.

  • Spend 50% of your marketing money on monthly services and the other 50% on the Launch.
  • If you have very little marketing money, you might want to save almost all of it for the Launch.

Launch Lessons from Starting Churches from Scratch

  • Have your people commit to inviting their friends.
  • Launch with a new teaching series that hits a high felt-need of your target.
  • Promote the next week and challenge people to come back.
  • Challenge new people to tell their friends about the church.
  • Don’t use an outside band or teacher for the Launch service.
  • Ask those who have attended the monthly services to serve at the Launch.
  • Collect contact information on everyone who attends.
  • Count how many attend and distinguish between in town and out of town attendees (don’t deceive yourself–count only local attenders who might potentially be/become regular attenders).
  • Serve refreshments.
  • Set up your room so that it feels full (rooms feel full at 70% capacity).
  • Keep the service to one hour.
  • Receive an offering.
  • Meet as many people as possible at your launch.
  • Don’t do a greeting line; it’s weird to unchurched people. Be somewhere, mill around, and meet people.
  • Thank all your volunteers.
  • Be ready for the Sunday after your Launch!


Launch Day Do’s and Don’ts

  • Do: Serve fresh Krispy Kremes
  • Don’t: Serve day-old, store-bought anything
  • Do: Offer sweet, salty, and healthy foods
  • Don’t: Offer small portions
  • Do: Offer name brand drinks
  • Don’t: Offer Sam’s Choice
  • Do: Offer water
  • Don’t: Have a sign pointing to the fountain
  • Do: Put smiling people out to serve
  • Don’t: Let your team eat all the food
  • Do: Provide foot for your set-up teams
  • Don’t: Tell anyone he or she can only have one of anything
  • Do: Provide more than enough food
  • Don’t: Comment when people take seconds or thirds

“Spectacular achievements come from unspectacular preparation.” –NFL quarterback Roger Staubach