Christmas is in a few weeks! In the hustle and bustle of the shopping season, we often hear many saying Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays but the more we hear it, the more the importance of it fades. When a church or pastor says it, is there a way to make it have real impact?

Here are 3 authentic, impactful ways to demonstrate the words:

• Treat them to something special on your website. Everyone loves a gift. This Christmas, share a personal short story from your Pastor on your website about an authentic truth they’ve experienced at or because of Christmas. Maybe it’s a short video or picture album with captions. Whatever it is, let your congregation know (the Sunday before Christmas or at your Christmas Eve service that it’s there and give them a reason they won’t want to miss it). Let them know it’s your special way of telling them Merry Christmas. Perhaps have it disappear on December 31 (and tell them to hurry!).
• Get your Pastor to be personal and transparent on your social media. Maybe the Pastor can highjack the church’s social media (or make it look like it) for 2 or 3 days leading up to Christmas Day. Tell them how they or their family gets ready. Help your leader to be brave and transparent. And then on Christmas Day release a video that feels like the Pastor recorded it with they’re family on Christmas morning. Keep it short but let them know how Christmas feels and how you want them to feel. Be thankful, transparent, and vulnerable. Maybe the Pastor can share an appropriate secret that will reveal something about them. Bonus points: direct them to your website message we talked about above!
• Send a personal email from the Pastor. It’s too late to send a postal letter but you can always share an email to your congregation (you do have Constant Contact or MailChimp don’t you!). Don’t ask for anything. Simply get your Pastor to share what they’d like for each person this Christmas, what the church is going to give them after Christmas, and what the leadership dreams for the church to receive this Christmas. Ask them to pray about being part of giving that gift. Keep it short and authentic. More people will open the email if it looks like it comes from the Pastor personally. Don’t design it, just write a regular all-text email with the regular email signature for your Pastor.

This Christmas, be open, genuine, and engaging with your church congregation. This gift alone will transform your church and set up 2019 to be your best year yet.