House concerts are awesome opportunities not only to enjoy some great music, but to create a worshipful experience and an evangelistic opportunity in an intimate, welcoming, and disarming way. One of the most important factors to accomplish this logistically is to make sure everyone has an opportunity to sit together, close to the performance area. Though tables are convenient if you elect to serve snacks (or even a meal), they tend to interfere with establishing rapport with the audience. Remember, the goal here is to envelop people in God’s love with music as a tool; we don’t want to create any barriers to whatever the Spirit might do. Even chairs are optional—carpet seating is fine, too! Also, if you’re planning to have the concert outside, have a backup plan in case of bad weather.
Invite your friends! Invite acquaintances! Invite family members! But when you do, please stress this in whatever you say: “This is a donation-based concert. Please come prepared to make a donation to the artists at the end of the show.” This may seem awkward, but not as much as everyone will feel if you pass a plate and no one is ready to contribute!
The minimum number of attenders at a successful house concert is between twenty and thirty adults. Fewer than twenty and the atmosphere lacks excitement. In addition, a donation-based concert needs at least twenty contributing adults to make the evening financially viable for us. To achieve this number, the rule of thumb is to invite at least twice the adults you are planning for. So if 20 is your target, invite 40, and so forth.
Ask your invitees to RSVP. This helps you plan (both for space and refreshments, if you choose), and underscores the importance of their commitment.
We’ll arrive at your venue an hour before guests to set up our equipment—5:30 p.m., for example. Guests should come an hour before the performance (6:30) so we can all mingle. As the host, you’ll invite people to their seats about ten minutes before the concert. At the beginning of the concert (7:30), you’ll give the audience a quick introduction of our family. The concert itself will last about an hour, after which you’ll come back with a box or basket to receive donations. After that (8:30), we all hang out a bit more as the guests purchase some music, visit, or enjoy your refreshments, before heading home.
As the host, we rely on you to communicate to your guests that this is what we do for a living, and to come prepared to contribute in exchange for a night of quality entertainment. Your donation announcement should go something like this:
“Thank you all for coming tonight. I know you enjoyed this as much as I did. Please remember, this is a donation-based concert. Your donations will directly benefit the Mays family and their ministry, and will show our appreciation for this amazing experience we’ve shared tonight. I’m leaving this vessel right here and encouraging you to give generously. Thanks again!”
If this looks like an experience you’d like to pursue, there are a few things we need to know at least a month before we arrive:
What is your mailing address?
What is the space you’re thinking for the concert? (inside your house, backyard, etc.)
Please indicate dates the next three months that you will be unavailable to host, as well as dates you would prefer. This helps us in scheduling.
Please give us your best email and phone number so we can keep in touch going forward. We’ll talk with you soon about locking down a final date, as well as making sure you have everything you need to help us make this a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Please make this a matter of prayer—God could use this in a powerful way!