Sometimes the smallest adjustments can make the biggest difference. When our Lead Team debriefed the success of Transformed, our fall campaign, one of the observations was that I functioned as the "Transformed Nazi." The person who said this was noting that I was carefully watching all of the language (sermon references, announcements, bulletin promotions, pre-service slide roll, website, emails, etc.). If anything, and I mean anything, was even slightly off-script I corrected it.

Example: At the 4:00 p.m. Saturday service on the very first weekend of our ramp up to Transformed, our service host (the person who makes the announcements) said, "If you'd like to start a group and invite a few of your friends..." I spoke with her immediately after the service to correct the language.

5 Tiny Language Tweaks that Make a Very Big Difference

1. "Give us an hour, we'll help you get connected."

Think about the significance of this line. "Give us an hour." One hour. It's a subtle difference, but a very big difference. If you're currently saying, "Sign up today for our fall semester (and semester means 10 to 13 weeks)," can you see how this might be an advantage? If the people you're trying to connect are hesitant to commit to anything long term, isn't an hour an advantage over almost anything else?

2. "If you have a couple friends you'd like to do the study with..."

Note two important details. First, there is no mention of a "group." It's only a "couple friends." Second, there's no mention of "leading." It's only "do the study with." It's still the HOST strategy, but this tweak takes it from 10 people to a couple friends and from leading to doing the study with them. Can you see it? Can you feel it from the point-of-view of the person who hears it?

3. "Feel like a face in the crowd? Test-drive a six-week group."

This is not a lifetime commitment. It's not even a semester. It's six weeks. What are we counting on? Once you break through a certain threshold, it's easy to feel like a face in the crowd. Check your kids in. Slip into the auditorium. Leave during the prayer. Check your kids out. In the car and heading for lunch without talking to anyone. Anyone. "If you feel like a face in the crowd, would you test-drive a 6 week group?"

4. "Would you help a couple newbie group leaders get off to a great start?"

Recruiting coaches? Never start with form. Always start with function. Never start with job description and lifetime appointment. Always start with "help a couple newbie leaders" and "8 to 10 weeks." Do not miss this. It's much easier to get someone into a job than to get them out of it. Pay attention to this nuance. Always test-drive potential candidates. When the dust clears, it's easy to assess their fruitfulness and fulfillment.

5. "Open your home six times."

Note the difference between six weeks and six times. Language is enormous. People who are considering hosting a group are paying close attention to the length of commitment. If you want to maximize the response...zero in on the right verbiage. And then closely monitor every mention.

Listen. Are you listening?

Put yourself in the position of the person who is kind of okay with just attending the weekend service.

They don't know anything different. They do NOT know anything different.

If you learn to hear what unconnected people hear, your percentage connected will increase. If you learn to invite them to a next step that is easy, obvious and strategic, your percentage connected will skyrocket.

If you learn to hear what unconnected people hear, your percentage connected will increase. If you learn to invite them to a next step that is easy, obvious and strategic, your percentage connected will skyrocket. Click To Tweet

Image by Worship Ministry

Further Reading:

• 6 Communication Mistakes that Limit Ministry Effectiveness
• Help! We Need Fresh Ideas for Communicating with Unconnected People