It’s the presents under the tree 2 days before Christmas. It’s the upcoming date that’s been planned for weeks. It’s the long awaited wedding day of two lovers. It’s feeling you get when you KNOW something amazing is about to happen. Anticipation. And when it’s created and used properly, it can be one of the most useful tools in the the church’s arsenal. Let me explain.
Sid and I had to let our Disney World passes run out in December. We just COULD NOT afford to re-up them. But there are a few places in Orlando that are Disney, but FREE! Downtown Disney is one of them. If you have never been there, imagine an outside shopping mall, that’s Disney themed and filled with the sights, sounds, smells, and feel of any of the Disney parks. And yesterday, Sid and I got to go there and spend the afternoon.
As we woke up in the morning, we both started chanting, “We’re going to Disney, we’re going to Disney…” And as we loaded up the truck, we both had our Disney sweatshirts and hats, just in case it got cooler. And as we got on I-4, we got even more excited, because I-4 goes to Disney. And we passed our favorite Disney landmark, the Mickey Mouse shaped electrical transformer. And the anticipation grew. And we pulled on to the road to goes to the parks…and there it was, the “Welcome to the Magic Kingdom” archway, and we both cried a little. We took pictures, we acted like dorks…you know, how we USUALLY act at Disney. And we could just see over the treetops and we say the Tower of Terror and Magician’s Hat at Hollywood Studios, and the Swan and Dolphin Hotel, and the Epcot Ball, and all of the water parks and resorts. We finally rounded the corner and saw the Cirque de Soleil and DisneyQuest buildings and all the lovely, magical signage that proclaimed, “You are at Downtown Disney!” And we could barely contain ourselves.
The sense of anticipation was palpable. We could taste it. And that is why Disney is still succeeding, even in this down economy.
So the question becomes, why don’t people generally feel that same type of anticipation when it comes to church. Most of the time, when I ask people why the attend a church, the answers vary from “I like the music,” to “I like the pastor,” or even “All my friends are here, and I want to spend time with my friends.” But very rarely do I hear, “What? Just look around…this place is awesome! They have a great kids program and the music is awesome and the pastor is AMAZING!” And when you walk around those God blessed, but very few churches, who actually have that sense of anticipation in them, you can see, feel, and almost taste it. And that anticipation, just like at Disney, is by design. It’s intentional, you have to build in a “sense of anticipation” throughout your congregation. You have to talk it up, preach it up, communicate it up, and pray it up…and then start the process all over again.
Think of it this way: most people attend church because they HAVE to, because that cannot decide of themselves or a responsibility compels them. But very few feel that they GET to go to church. Figure out how to get your people to fell THAT, and watch the anticipation build into an experience that rivals even Mickey Mouse!
