midwest convention

fall institute

convención hispana

dinner & auction

Looking for ways to encourage better awareness of what GCSSA has to offer and increase event attendance among the members of your church? Here are some tips for getting your church more involved in GCSSA.

At the Start of the Ministry Year

• Make a serious review of your church's training plan for the coming year. Include all training, recognition, and resourcing that you plan to do. Be sure to include GCSSA events as an important foundation stone to the overall plan.

• Get a commitment from all professional staff members (including senior pastors, associates, children’s ministers, youth pastors) and anyone overseeing teaching and discipling ministries of your church to attend at least one GCSSA training event per year.

• Set a numerical goal of at least ten (10) people to attend the training event. Set your goal high–-it is proven that this increases the overall attendance by any one church.

• Develop telephone or e-mail trees to follow up on all volunteers, teachers, and leaders to encourage their attendance at training events, disseminate logistical information, and field any questions.

Before Each GCSSA Event

• Order and distribute the program brochures to all volunteers, teachers, and leaders in your church. Make sure to include a personal word or note of encouragement to attend.

• Hang at least two event posters around your church. Make sure you also post one on the church bulletin board or near the ministry mailboxes.

• Do a special training event promotional spot in a worship service to let people know the true value of the event. Consider using testimonies of previous attendees, strong encouragement by pastoral staff, and skits involving teachers or leaders.

• Organize a car or van pool to provide needed transportation. Give that extra bit of encouragement to people by identifying the vehicle(s) and departure time available to them. Arrange a child care option for parents who need it.

Throughout the Year

• Mobilize two or more people to pray regularly for the association. You may choose to receive the latest prayer requests by joining the prayer team. Click here for more information on how to pray for GCSSA.

• In order to maximize the benefit your church can receive and to help GCSSA minister to more churches throughout the Upper Midwest, we encourage you to become a Partnership Church.