Consider having a missionary speak or have an interesting ministry update 30 minutes before the evening service. State that there will be a 15 minute psalm- or hymn-sing before the evening service. Do this once a month. State that there will be a 30 minute ice-cream social before the evening service. Do this on a different Sunday of the month.

Do you have an evening service at your church? Is so, and especially if you are a Reformed pastor or elder, you’ll likely be wanting to encourage better attendance at your church’s Sunday evening service. Many of the Young, Restless and Reformed that entered the Reformed churches ten years ago are more “restless” than they realize. My guess is that you’ll be praying about this regularly as elders and deacons. As a pastor or more mature elder, you’ll no doubt be encouraging or asking the officers of the church to attend both services – after you’ve done some teaching on why this is so important. But perhaps your efforts would also be advanced if you’d consider saying the following during your morning announcements, changing it up week by week.

1. Mention the evening service! I’ve been at churches that have an evening service but routinely miss this first, obvious step.

2. Tell people who is preaching, or the passage or series being preached.

3. Mention the main point or an important point that will be addressed in the evening service. Mention a question that will be answered in the evening service. If the sermon has a hook, use it.

4. Consider celebrating the Lord’s Supper or baptism in the evening service (but you’ll have to have a shorter sermon, or people will tire of this).

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