In this Deep Dive episode of the unSeminary Podcast, the hosts explore how to make your church irresistible by discussing Rich Birch’s book, Unlocking Your Church’s Invite Culture: Strategies for Church Growth That Work Today. The conversation unpacks Birch’s insights on how churches can cultivate an environment where members naturally want to invite others into the community. This episode centers on five practical “gears” that drive a thriving invite culture:

Shareable Weekend Teaching: The hosts discuss how impactful, relevant sermons can become topics of conversation that members feel compelled to share with others. Birch’s advice is to make messages feel like “painkillers” that address immediate needs rather than “vitamins” with general advice.
Eventful Big Days: By making the most of holidays and major events like Christmas and Easter, churches can create engaging, buzz-worthy experiences. The hosts share examples of churches that take an innovative approach to draw in those who might not usually attend, transforming these days into memorable outreach opportunities.
Captivating Online Conversations: More than just live streaming, Birch emphasizes creating engaging, shareable online content that feels authentic and connects with people digitally. The hosts explore ways churches can boost their online presence to build digital community and increase shareability.
Magnetic Community Service: The best community service is both meaningful and fun, creating a welcoming space for all. Birch recommends organizing service activities that not only help others but also foster a sense of connection among participants, making it easy for members to invite friends to join.
Appealing Volunteer Service: By creating an inviting, easy-to-join volunteer experience, churches can help members feel invested from the start. The hosts discuss how Birch’s insights show that a strong volunteer culture can lead to greater community involvement and natural growth.

Throughout the episode, the hosts emphasize Birch’s approach to building an invite culture step-by-step, celebrating small wins and focusing on intentional growth. For church leaders looking to make their church a place people can’t resist inviting others to, this episode is packed with actionable insights and examples.

Disclaimer:
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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 — All right, let’s jump into this whole idea of invite culture. I’m sure it’s something you’re already thinking about…

Speaker 2 — Oh, yeah.

Speaker 1 — …especially as church leaders, you know trying to figure out how to reach more people and build a thriving community. We wanted to take a deep dive into Rich Birch’s Unlocking Your Church’s Invite Culture. He’s got some great insights on how to create that kind of environment.

Speaker 2 — It’s interesting because he really focuses on it’s not some like magic solution, right? He breaks down this concept of an invite culture into five key areas that churches can focus on.

Speaker 1 — Okay.

Speaker 2 — And kind of gears working together to propel the church forward.

Speaker 1 — I like that. Like a well-oiled machine.

Speaker 2 — Exactly.

Speaker 1 — So what are these gears? What’s what’s the first one?

Speaker 2 — The first one is shareable weekend teaching.

Speaker 1 — Okay, so that’s really about making your sermons and teaching so compelling…

Speaker 2 — Right.

Speaker 1 — …that people want to share them.

Speaker 2 — Exactly. So it’s so good, they can’t help but talk about it.

Speaker 1 — But how do you actually do that? How do you make a sermon something people want to talk about on Monday morning, you know at work or with their friends?

Speaker 2 — Well, he uses this great analogy of painkillers not vitamins.

Speaker 1 — Okay.

Speaker 2 — And he argues that your teaching needs to address real problems people are facing.

Speaker 1 — Felt needs.

Speaker 2 — Yeah, not just offered general spiritual advice.

Speaker 1 — So it’s like when you have a splitting headache, you’re not reaching for, you know a multivitamin. You’re looking for that that Advil that Tylenol.

Speaker 2 — You want that quick fix.

Speaker 1 — Yeah, something that’s gonna address that problem right now.

Speaker 2 — Yeah, people are drawn to things that offer solutions to their immediate problem

Speaker 1 — So, how do you how do you as a church leader even figure out what those what those problems or what those headaches are?

Speaker 2 — Well, he suggests looking at things like Amazon bestseller lists.

Speaker 1 — Okay.

Speaker 2 — And you know, they can actually give you a window into what are people thinking about, what keeps them up at night?

Speaker 1 — That’s so interesting. So it’s like market research but for but for the soul, it’s like what are people really struggling with at their core?

Speaker 2 — Yeah, and then how can you craft your teaching to address those needs directly?

Speaker 1 — I like that.

Speaker 2 — Yeah.

Speaker 1 — And and you know, it’s not just what’s being said, right? It’s also who’s saying it.

Speaker 2 — Yeah.

Speaker 1 — Birch stresses that you know leaders need to embody the message they’re preaching.

Speaker 2 — Authenticity is key.

Speaker 1 — Yeah, are you living out what you’re asking others to do

Speaker 2 — Right.

Speaker 1 — You know, there’s that whole, you know practice what you preach kind of idea.

Speaker 2 — Exactly.

Speaker 1 — He gives the example of Crossroads Church and how they’re known for their creative and really visually engaging sermons. It’s not just you know, someone’s standing behind a podium.

Speaker 2 — Right. It’s an experience.

Speaker 1 — It’s an experience. You want people to leave right feeling inspired feeling energized…

Speaker 2 — And wanting to share.

Speaker 1 — …and wanting to share what they’ve experienced. Okay, so we’ve got shareable weekend teaching. That’s gear number one. What’s the next gear in this invite culture machine?

Speaker 2 — Gear number two is eventful big days.

Speaker 1 — Okay, so we’re talking about like Christmas, Easter – those big holidays?

Speaker 2 — Exactly.

Speaker 1 — Those marker points in the year.

Speaker 2 — Yes, times when people are already thinking about you know, faith tradition.

Speaker 1 — And he’s arguing that churches should really lean into those moments.

Speaker 2 — Absolutely. Go beyond the expected. Don’t just you know have your regular service

Speaker 1 — Right.

Speaker 2 — He actually shares a story about Liquid Church in New Jersey.

Speaker 1 — Oh, I’ve heard of them.

Speaker 2 — Yeah, they did this incredible Star Wars themed Christmas…

Speaker 1 — Oh, wow.

Speaker 2 — …a couple years ago, complete with dancing stormtroopers.

Speaker 1 — Wait, seriously like stormtroopers in the church?

Speaker 2 — I mean they had Chewbacca in the manger scene, Darth Santa.

Speaker 1 — Oh my goodness.

Speaker 2 — It was a huge hit.

Speaker 1 — Okay, I can see that generating some buzz – that’s thinking outside the box.

Speaker 2 — Yeah, and they actually drew people in who might never have stepped foot in a church otherwise.

Speaker 1 — So you’re meeting people where they are and and using something that they’re familiar with and comfortable with…

Speaker 2 — Yeah.

Speaker 1 — …to kind of draw them in.

Speaker 2 — Right.

Speaker 1 — That’s really cool.

Speaker 2 — And then there was Hope City Church. They dropped 10,000 easter eggs from a helicopter.

Speaker 1 — A helicopter? Okay, that’s that’s next level.

Speaker 2 — It’s memorable.

Speaker 1 — It’s definitely memorable.

Speaker 2 — Right. It’s exciting. And it’s something people would naturally want to invite their friends to....