Do You Use Bulletins During Your Message?

Something we integrated into our ministry a few weeks ago was bulletins. Our church culture does not use bulletins so they don’t really do them but it was something I learned from Saddleback HSM and I loved it. We are 6 weeks into making, printing and handing them out and I love the impact they have had. They are super simple. It’s just a landscape 8.5″x11 piece of paper with two outlines on them and we cut them in half. Despite the fact that some students use them to write notes for each other or leave them behind for us to clean up, the good outweighs the bad (and the cost to print) for me.

Here are just some of the reason I love bulletins:

It gives them something to do during your message. Even though some might messa around, a majority of them will take notes with you as you go.
It helps them write stuff down and it helps them remember. Writing down helps you remember stuff better… it’s science.
It gives them Scripture in hand. as much as we would like it, they don’t bring their Bibles (most students). This gives them something in hand to look at and follow along with as you go through passages and go through your points.
They can take it home and look it it later. Granted, not all students do but those few that do are all in and have something to remember what they learned from. I have a few students who have said they have kept everyone in a folder to go back to. That’s awesome!
For those who do take them home, parents see. That is always a good thing.
I feel they take the professionalism to that next level. Maybe it’s just me, but I think they look good and they lok like we put effort into them.
When students are engaed, they listen. The attention span has gone up since we started doing these. quite noticably I might add. They want to fill in every blank so they pay attention.
I truly do think they learn better. That’s why we do it.

Again, you may or may not do them. I love having them and these are just some thoughts on why I love it. Something we are going to move to is put announcements on the back. That way it also comes an “in-hand” flier and reminder of up and coming events. I’m excited for that. Do you use something similar? Why or why not?