The Disappearance of the 11:00 AM Sunday Service

Episode #304
February 21, 2017
Rainer on Leadership Podcast Logo

Podcast Episode #304

The post this podcast is based on really caused a stir. Today, we give a little more explanation as to the reasons the 11:00 AM worship service is disappearing and offer tips on changing your service time if needed.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

  • When deciding what time to have a worship service, survey the church and the community.
  • 11:00 AM is rarely, if ever, the preferred time for a church’s single Sunday morning worship service.
  • Too many church leaders want to reach Millennials without changing what they do or how they do it.
  • Most members would choose a mid-morning worship service instead of 11:00 AM service if given the option.
  • For many Millennials, a single 11:00 AM Sunday worship service doesn’t fit their normal, everyday routine.
  • It’s ok to have a single 11:00 AM Sunday worship service if your church has a good reason for it.
  • When changing things in a church, begin with the “why.”

The five trends related to the 11:00 AM worship service which we discuss are:

  1. When a church moved from one service to two, the 11:00 AM slot no longer made sense.
  2. Churches with one service began to realize the disadvantages of the 11:00 AM service.
  3. More people choose a mid-morning time if they have a choice.
  4. Millennials are particularly averse to 11:00 AM services.
  5. Some people perceive a church with a lone 11:00 AM service to be too traditional and out-of-touch.

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Resources Mentioned in Today’s Podcast