Worshippers can stay for as little as 45 minutes, or as long as 90 minutes. Allowing worshippers the freedom to dash out has helped Highfields attract a bumper crop men and young adults.

The service begins with 10 minutes of worship music. Pastor Peter Baker then takes the stage for announcements and about 30 minutes of teaching. He invites the congregation to write down any questions they may have on cards or slips of paper.

After 45 minutes has elapsed, Peter concludes his sermon and the offering basket is passed. Then it’s time for an intermission. Worshippers are free to go if they like, or they may stay for tea and soft drinks. Beverage carts are rolled to the front of the church and the saints enjoy refreshments and a few minutes of Christian community.

Once intermission is over, worshippers have three options: 1) leave 2) adjourn to one of several small group discussions in different areas of the church building, or 3) stay in the auditorium while Peter answers the questions that emerged from the sermon. Peter leads a lively Q-and-A session, sometimes throwing out tough questions with a flourish, or issuing a mock challenge, “All right, who’s the troublemaker who wrote this question?” If time permits, he takes additional queries from the floor.

Once all the questions are answered, the meeting is formally adjourned, but individuals are invited to stay as long as they like, while prayer is offered to those who request it.

Highfields’ unusual format is man-friendly in a number of ways:

·        Men’s most common complaint about church services is their length. Highfields allows blokes to shove off whenever they want. This is an option very few men choose, but simply having the choice increases men’s comfort level. In fact, the church was still packed with men and women enjoying conversation half an hour after the service adjourned. 

·        Men like to ask provocative questions. They learn from argumentation and give-and-take. Highfields lets its members participate in the service and play “devil’s advocate.” Guys love seeing Peter on the hot seat every week – answering pointed questions and taking tough stands on the issues.

·        The intermission gives high-testosterone males an opportunity to get up and stretch.

·        Highfields has eliminated one of the most awkward elements of modern worship: the turn-and-greet time. Instead of a few seconds of forced friendliness, worshipers can enjoy a leisurely fellowship time and find out what’s really going on in the lives of others.

·        The day I visited Highfields I couldn’t help but notice a trio of burly rugby players in their early 20s sitting in the front row. Young single men are rarely seen in UK churches; young single men with muscles are practically an endangered species!

So what might happen if your congregation gave people the opportunity to get-up-and-go? How might your pastor handle Q-and-A from the congregation? What if you turned your turn-and-greet into a full-fledged intermission?

Highfields “get-up-and-go” format

·      10 minutes music

·      5 minutes announcements, etc.

·      25 minutes teaching

·      2 minutes offering

·      15 minutes intermission

·      30 minutes discussion

·      end service, prayer and community building continue