Coaching Tips: Weekend Services Tools &
Planning Guide
Summary:
Weekend Services Tools equip the Weekend
Services Team to plan services around each theme.
Also included in this category are handouts that
are primarily delivered during the Weekend
Services.
We have provided an ample number of tools to
promote the campaign and plan the weekend services. Consider the selection of tools to
be a menu, not a mold. You may choose the tools that apply to your church and work in
your scenario, and change or eliminate tools that are not suitable or necessary.
After the discussion of the Weekend Services tools you will find some coaching tips
to help you plan each weekend service.
Saddleback’s Weekend Services Examples:
Another great resource for the Weekend Services Team is to watch Saddleback Church’s
actual campaign weekend services on the Web. Log onto PurposeDriven.com, access the
Campaign Director’s area and watch each service from beginning to end to get ideas as to
how we did each of the campaign services.
In the campaign director area we also include ideas from alumni churches. Be sure to
check out the idea exchange to stimulate your creative thought for your own services.
Word files, .pdf files and professional graphics files:
There are several types of files provided for the Communications Team to assist you in
producing the various documents and communications devices for the campaign. These
files fall into three major categories:
1. Word Documents: All of the Word files on the Campaign Resource CD and the
website may be accessed, modified and reproduced for your church.
Note about Fonts: In order to preserve the layouts and create universal
documents that could be read by most types of computers, all of the Word
documents use only Arial or Times Roman fonts. So, please! Have fun and
change the fonts to reflect the look you desire.
2. .pdf Files: For all of the professional graphics files, we have included .pdf files
that can be opened by Acrobat Reader, which is a free software download from
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the internet (www.adobe.com). You can use the .pdfs to preview the professional
files.
3. Professional Graphics Files: We have provided professional graphics files for
the four-color resources. These files are usually collected in WinZip files (WinZip
is a free download that can be found at www.winzip.com) and can only be opened
by the software program indicated (in most cases Photoshop), and they can be
modified by your designer and printed in quantities by your printer.
Coaching Tips:
We have provided an ample number of tools to promote the campaign and plan the
weekend services. Consider the selection of tools to be a menu, not a mold. You may
choose the tools that apply to your church and work in your scenario and change or
eliminate tools that are not suitable or necessary.
General Campaign Promotion:
Campaign Overview and FAQs. After your leadership briefings, this document
may be distributed when you announce the campaign to your congregation (see
the Training Manual, Chapter 5, Communications, Timeline, “3 Months Before
the Campaign”).
Campaign Themes – Eight Bulletin Announcements: This series of bulletin
announcements helps the congregation anticipate the theme of the following
week. See Hints for the Church Administrative Assistant below for helpful hints
for inserting these announcements into your existing bulletin format.
We have also provided a selection of tools using a variety of media to
communicate to your congregation about the upcoming campaign: an e-mail or
letter, pulpit announcements, an interview with the campaign director and a two-
sided bulletin insert that includes a letter from the pastor and a sign-up sheet for
small groups (one version for churches doing a Connection, another version for
churches using the H.O.S.T. Home strategy).
Response Forms:
My Story Response Form: This form should be inserted in the bulletin weekly,
beginning with Week 2 of the campaign. This document is included as a
customizable Word file on the Campaign Resource CD, or you may use the .pdf
as a guide in formatting your own My Story Response Form. This is an effective
tool for finding out how God is working in lives through the campaign.
Campaign Evaluation Form: During the last weekend of the campaign, you may
wish to assess the effect of the campaign on the participants. This evaluation form
may be distributed during Celebration Sunday and collected afterwards. You may
wish to provide a space for people to include their name if they so desire. This
form may be printed on a full-sheet, or split in half and printed on two sides of a
half-sheet.
Planning Forms:
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Preparing a Testimony: An optional idea is to use the guidelines and the sample
testimony in Preparing a Testimony to coach people in preparing their testimony.
You may want to contact some of the “My Story” respondents to invite them to
give a testimony during a weekend service or during your Celebration Sunday.
Drama Scripts: You will not see any drama used in Saddleback’s campaign
services, but if your church would like to implement drama (and humor) as a way
to communicate the themes, the drama scripts on the CD Rom are worth
considering. There are additional drama selections that were developed by other
churches in the campaign director area of the PurposeDriven.com Web site:
o Week 1 Choices: In the “Dramas, Week 1” document are two drama
scripts that are structured so that you can emulate what was done during
Saddleback’s Week 1 services. You may choose between “The Interview”
or “The Fortune” to replace the three clips from “Everybody Loves
Raymond” that were used in Saddleback’s Week 1 service. Due to strict
copyright laws, the Raymond clips absolutely cannot be made
available. We are so sorry and apologize in advance, but we hope to avert
any frustration on your part by providing these alternative three-part
drama scripts that can be used in place of the Raymond clips.
o Standalone Scripts: There are three standalone scripts that can be used
individually or together for Weeks 3, 4, and 5 that illustrate the themes of
those weeks. These scripts may be adapted to other weeks of the campaign
as well – you will find the themes somewhat interchangeable. These
scripts are suitable for situations where you would like to use drama
occasionally, but perhaps not weekly during the campaign.
o “Ron’s Search for Purpose” series: A series of scripts that has been used
with great success by some campaign churches is called “Ron’s Search for
Purpose.” This eight-part series should be done in its entirety, starting
during the pre-campaign service and continuing weekly throughout the
seven weekends of the campaign.
Songs: The Song Selection Guide is a week-by-week chart full of song ideas that
communicate the theme of the week, along with information about obtaining the
music for each song. Saddleback Sheet Music contains the songs that were
actually used by Saddleback during our campaign services. Another useful tool is
Worship Web sites, a list of dozens of Web sites that give information on
obtaining lyrics, chord charts, and sheet music.
PowerPoint – 40 Days Backgrounds: We have provided two PowerPoint
backgrounds with the 40 Days of Purpose logo and color scheme so that you can
use them as an optional background for your announcements or song lyrics during
the campaign.
Memory Verses: This document containing the six weekly memory verses could
be helpful to those planning other weekend services features that tie in with the
memory verse.
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Base Card: During Week 6, Pastor Rick Warren refers to a card entitled “The
Life We’re Meant to Live,” or the “Base Card.” It may be distributed as a
bulletin insert that week. This document is included as a customizable Word file
on the Campaign Resource CD, or you may use the .pdf as a guide in formatting
your own Base Card.
Campaign Commitment Card: During Week 7, the text on the Life Commitment
Card may be used as a responsive reading. It may be distributed as a bulletin
insert that week and could become a keepsake for people to remind them of the
guiding principles of the campaign. This document is included as a customizable
Word file on the Campaign Resource CD, or you may use the .pdf as a guide in
formatting your own Life Commitment Card.
“10 Ways to Worship Without Music”: This article that was written by a
Saddleback staff member is referenced by Rick Warren during the Week 2
sermon.
“PASTOR’S TOOLS” MENU:
See the Pastor’s tool coaching tips and area for all of the sermons, message outline
handouts, and PowerPoints for the weekly sermons. In addition, it contains the daily e-
mails of encouragement that the pastor can send to the congregation each day of the
campaign. Make sure to note the important information in the coaching tips for using the
PowerPoints that is explained in this document.
Hints for the Church Administrative Assistant:
FONTS: In order to preserve the layouts and create universal documents that could be
read by most types of computers, all of the Word documents on the Campaign Resource
CD use only Arial or Times Roman fonts. So, please have fun and change the fonts to
reflect the look you desire.
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TIPS FOR PLANNING EACH WEEKEND SERVICE:
Week Minus 1 – Don’t Waste Your Life:
Sermon Title: “Don’t Waste Your Life”
Handouts: Kick-Off Message Outline (found on the Kick-Off menu) – Include
this as a place to follow along and take notes on the message.
Commitment Card (found on the Kick-Off menu) - It’s helpful to
include this card more than once for those who miss a weekend.
Reading Plan (found on the Kick-Off menu) – Include if you decide to
distribute The Purpose Driven Life books on the day of the Kick-Off. If
you choose another time and place to distribute the books, such as through
the host homes, then be sure to include the Reading Plan at that time.
Participant Sign-up Card (found on the Small Groups menu) – You
may distribute this as a bulletin insert
Features: One optional drama script, Ron's Search for Purpose: The Quest Begins,
may be used to communicate the themes of the campaign during Weekend
Services.
Week 1 – What on Earth Am I Here For?:
Sermon Title: “What on Earth Am I Here For?”
Handouts: Campaign Commitment Card (found on the Kick-Off menu) – It’s
helpful to include this card more than once for those who miss a weekend.
Participant Sign-up Card (found on the Small Groups menu) – You
may distribute this as a bulletin insert
Features: No one is better at questioning why they are here on this Earth than
adolescents. Place a large bulletin board in your foyer or patio/front
entrance area. Ask the teens some time before the service (maybe even at
the youth group meeting the week before) to write questions, make
statements, or draw symbols or pictures about the topic “What on Earth
am I here for?” As people enter, they can read the board and begin
thinking about the topic for the day. SAVE THE BOARD to bring out
again at the end of the 40 Days campaign. Read the “Celebration Sunday”
ideas area for how to incorporate the board again. (You should ask an
adult to monitor the activity and censor the material if necessary.)
NOTE: You can use an ordinary bulletin board on stilts for students to
post things, or even better, create your own board that students can
actually paint/draw/write directly on. Simply purchase 4x8 foot doorskins
from your local hardware store and nail them against 2x2’s for support.
Prime the board twice and place it on stilts. You are ready!
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Two optional drama scripts, “The Fortune” and “The Interview” OR
Ron's Search for Purpose: Wal-Mart, may be used to communicate the
themes of the campaign during Weekend Services.
Week 2 - Worship:
Sermon Title: “Planned for God’s Pleasure”
Handouts: My Story Response Form (found on the Weekend Services menu)
Participant Sign-up Card (found on the Small Groups menu) – You
may distribute this as a bulletin insert
List of Groups (found on the Small Groups menu) – You may distribute
this as a bulletin insert
Features: There are a myriad of ways we can bring pleasure to God; he longs for us
to offer our gifts to him. Here are a few ways you can help your
congregation worship with “other” ways besides music:
This weekend, invite visual artists in your church to display their work
in your foyer, or even on stage or at the front of your sanctuary. The art
does not have to be themed or even “Christian” in nature because God
loves to see us acknowledge the beauty he has created. Visual art can
include painting, photography, sculpture, poetry, ceramics, etc. Beside
each work of art, post a few lines written by the artist about how they
worshipped God when creating the art.
Note: If you don’t have any artists, call around to other churches to find
some local Christian artists who can display their work.
Create a pantomime or even a dance to the song “Heart of Worship” by
Matt Redmond. The pantomime could follow this storyline: You see a
person surrounded by others (representing “music”) who have encircled
him. One by one, each person peels away, leaving him alone. At first he is
uncomfortable without the crowd, but then he realizes God is there and is
calling to him for his heart. You can ask the actor to be creative with the
song and create more motions, or simply have him leave the stage as the
congregation finishes the song.
One optional drama script, Ron's Search for Purpose: Auditions, may be
used to communicate the themes of the campaign during Weekend
Services.
Week 3 – Fellowship:
Sermon Title: “Formed for God’s Family”
Handouts: My Story Response Form (found on the Weekend Services menu) -
We include this every week in our bulletin, with new testimonies that were
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turned in the previous week printed on the back, for encouragement and to
get others to send in their stories.
Features: Word Poetry: Create a large, blank space on the wall of the church, on the
backdrop of your stage, etc., where people can tape words together to
indicate how fellowship in small groups has changed their lives (double
sided tape works great!). Have words written out on paper ahead of time
and allow people to place them together, like the refrigerator poetry you
see in game stores. Use different colors for the words and make multiple
copies of more common words and of words that might be used for this
topic. Also, leave several blank pieces for people to write their own words.
Depending on how large your space is, you may want to provide ladders to
fill the entire space.
Your pastor can choose to share some of the poetry during the service if he
likes.
HINT: Avoid “churchy” words.
Two optional drama scripts, “Church in the Box” OR Ron's Search for
Purpose: Small Group Leader, may be used to communicate the themes of
the campaign during Weekend Services.
Week 4 – Discipleship:
Sermon Title: “Created to Become Like Christ”
Handouts: My Story Response Form (found on the Weekend Services menu) –
Include some actual stories from previous weeks on the back
Features: Create a “man on the street” video where an interviewer asks people at a
local public area, “What does it mean to be like Jesus?” or a similar
question. You should spend several hours and ask as many people the
question as possible. Then edit together the best comments. Your pastor
will have plenty to comment on!
On your patio or parking lot area, cordon off a small area and allow
several of your artist members to create paintings with chalk. Give them
this week’s Bible verse as the theme and let them go! Leave a comment
book nearby for onlookers to respond to the art. If you don’t have any
artists in the church, then call local churches to see if they have any
interested artists.
HINT: Many artists have never used chalk as a medium but could be
capable chalk artists nonetheless. Give them a day or two to practice to
build their confidence level. Also, provide knee pads!
A variation of chalk art: Live chalk art! Have an artist “painting” before,
during, and after the service!
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Two optional drama scripts, “Eye on Maturity” OR Ron's Search for
Purpose: Like Christ NOW, may be used to communicate the themes of
the campaign during Weekend Services.
Week 5 - Ministry: This is the week that your church will hold a Ministry Fair.
Sermon Title: “Shaped for Serving God”
Handouts: My Story Response Form (found on the Weekend Services menu) –
Include some actual stories from previous weeks on the back
Brochure Outside With Map (found on the Fair menu) – You may
distribute this as a bulletin insert
Brochure Inside (found on the Fair menu) – You may distribute this as
a bulletin insert
Commitment Card (found on the Fair menu) – You may distribute this
as a bulletin insert
“Next Step to Spiritual Growth” (found on the Weekend Services
menu) – This article may be distributed to new believers after the Week 5
sermon
Features: The puzzle piece is a great shape to represent this weekend’s theme. Here
are several ways you can use this shape during this week’s service:
Post large puzzle pieces all over the stage and on your video screen
graphics to set the mood.
Give each member of the congregation a small puzzle piece as they
enter. The pastor should ask the members to keep the piece in their pocket
as a reminder that God has a place for them to serve and has shaped them
uniquely.
Give each member of the congregation a paper puzzle piece that they
should post to a cross or other design (maybe your church logo?) at the
end of the service signifying that every member has a place and fits
uniquely in the church.
Ask a potter to create a vase or other work of art during the service,
signifying how God has created each of us uniquely, like a potter shapes
his clay. Or create a video of the potter’s process, or even simply flash
photos up on the screen, to play during a song about that theme.
Two optional drama scripts, “Gifts Exchange” OR Ron's Search for
Purpose: Hospital Visit, may be used to communicate the themes of the
campaign during Weekend Services.
Week 6 – Evangelism: This is the week that your church will hold a Missions Fair.
Sermon Title: “Made for a Mission”
Handouts: My Story Response Form (found on the Weekend Services menu) –
Include some actual stories from previous weeks on the back
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Brochure Outside With Map (found on the Fair menu) – You may
distribute this as a bulletin insert
Interest Card (found on the Fair menu) – You may distribute this as a
bulletin insert
BASE Card (found on the Weekend Services menu) – You may
distribute this as a bulletin insert
Features: Ask each member of the audience to write a short mission statement at
the end of the sermon. In an attitude of prayer, perhaps along with
communion, they should then fold the paper and pin it to a large wooden
cross, symbolizing their commitment to following Christ and his mission
for them.
Show video clips and/or tell the stories of some recently famous
“missionaries” like Cassie Bernal, the Christian student who gave up her
life at Columbine High School or Ronnie Bowers, the missionary killed in
the plane in Columbia. Or share the story of Heather Mercer and Dayna
Curry, prisoners in Afganistan. A great way to tell their stories is to ask
actors to play these women and tell each story as a monologue.
One optional drama scripts, Ron's Search for Purpose: Ron the Baptist,
may be used to communicate the themes of the campaign during Weekend
Services.
Week 7 – Celebration: This is a wonderful service that will widely vary from church to
church. This is where your congregation gets to shine! Feature them in a strong way
through testimonies, video features, and don’t forget to give your children and youth a
chance to share.
Sermon Title: “What We Have Learned”
Handouts: Campaign Evaluation Form (found on the Weekend Services menu) –
Hand out during service, collect at doors
Life Commitment Card (found on the Weekend Services menu) – This
may be used as a responsive reading and may be distributed as a bulletin
insert to remind your congregation of the campaign’s guiding principles.
Features: Revisit your project from Week 1. Bring out the “Why on Earth am I
here?” board your students created. Stand this beside a new board that
reads “My purpose on Earth” or similar statement. Allow the congregation
to write, paint, or draw pictures of what they have learned over the last 40
days. The contrast of the two boards will be stunning!
One optional drama scripts, Ron's Search for Purpose: Ron’s Purpose,
may be used to communicate the themes of the campaign during Weekend
Services.
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