Why Your Church Isn’t Seeing Christmas Growth

Jul 21, 2025

Many churches yearn for a significant impact during Christmas but often find themselves disappointed. The key lies in a structured invitation strategy rather than random efforts. A full system is essential, as simply adding more tasks won't suffice. Passionate communication from the congregation can ignite growth, while repeated messaging fosters momentum. Utilizing tools like the Christmas Invite Accelerator can enhance outreach, ensuring that the invitation process is effective and engaging.

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ADVICE

Never Skip Invite Steps

Do not skip any steps in your Christmas invite plan to get full results.
Use multiple tactics like emails, social media, stage mentions, and personal invites consistently.

ANECDOTE

Cooking as an Invite Metaphor

Rich Birch shares his love of cooking with meal plans that require every step.
Skipping any steps changes the results, similar to skipping steps in Christmas invite planning.

INSIGHT

Work the Plan, Not Harder

More effort does not guarantee more guests at Christmas services.
Having a proven, start-to-finish invite system is what drives growth, not just working harder.

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You’re not alone. Many churches hope for big impact at Christmas but end up seeing minimal growth, and it’s not because your people don’t care or your services aren’t good enough.

In this final installment of our 3-part summer series on planning for Christmas, Rich Birch unpacks the real reasons why churches miss the mark—and how to avoid them. If you’re tired of putting in effort only to feel like Christmas could’ve reached more people, this episode is for you.

Inside today’s conversation:

You’re Skipping Steps
Sending one email or making a single announcement doesn’t move the needle. Rich shares how churches unintentionally undercut their invite efforts by doing only pieces of the plan—and how you can fix it.

You Need a Full System, Not Just Hard Work
More energy doesn’t automatically mean more guests. Rich explains how having a proven, start-to-finish invite system is more effective than just adding to your team’s to-do list.

Lukewarm Culture Doesn’t Spark Growth
If you aren’t passionate and consistent about inviting people, your congregation won’t be either. Learn why clear, repeated messaging builds the kind of momentum that leads to overflowing Christmas services.

Repetition Is Not the Problem—It’s the Plan
Don’t be afraid to sound like a broken record. Great churches aren’t afraid to repeat the invite over and over again in a clear, practical way.

This is part 3 of a special 3-part series designed to help your church plan ahead for Christmas—starting in the summer.
Missed the first two episodes? Catch up here:

Part 1: Why Christmas Can Still Be the Biggest Service of the Year At Your Church

Part 2: 3 Churches That Leveraged Christmas Well … and What You Should Copy This Year

Ready to Build Your Most Invitable Christmas Ever?
It’s time to stop guessing and start planning with confidence. Join the brand-new:

Christmas Invite Accelerator

A done-with-you, 8-session coaching cohort designed to help your church:

Build a complete invite system from scratch
Launch a VIP guest experience
Equip and inspire your volunteers
Design tools, landing pages, signage, and more
Maximize your last 3-week invite push
And most importantly—see real growth this Christmas

Use code PODCAST at checkout to save $500.
Space is limited. Don’t wait.

Join now at helpchurchleaders.com/christmasinviteaccelerator

Let’s make this your most impactful Christmas ever.