Are you a pastor hoping to fill your pews and build a vibrant church community? When I met Pastor Joe Angelo, he and his family were about to leave everything they knew behind and move from the Midwest to southern California to plant Vivid Church. They drained their savings and stepped out in faith, trusting God’s call to build a church in a city they didn’t yet know. In our conversation on the ChurchCandy podcast, Joe shares how that leap of faith, combined with social media ads and personal invitations, led to a marketing strategy anything I’d seen before.
Joe didn’t just pack a moving truck and hope people would show up. He studied California culture, wrestled through hospitality differences and spent months building a launch team through Facebook and Instagram ads. More importantly, he used those ads to create personal connections long before their first Sunday service. Below is Joe’s story and the lessons any pastor can use to attract more guests and grow their church.
Leaving Everything to Plant Vivid Church in California
When Joe told me he’d used his family’s savings to move to California, I almost didn’t believe him. “We emptied our accounts to obey God’s call,” he told me. “We knew the cost would be high, but we also knew that God provides where He guides.” Joe and his wife didn’t have a guaranteed salary or congregation waiting; they had a vision for a life‑giving church and a conviction that their obedience would open doors.
The transition wasn’t smooth. California’s culture felt foreign to a Midwesterner, and the cost of living was shocking. Joe said the first year was filled with questions: How do we adapt without losing who we are? How can we honor the community we’re called to serve? Those questions pushed him toward relational ministry. He began inviting strangers to coffee, listening to their stories and learning the rhythms of the city.
Key takeaway: Growth starts with sacrifice. Many pastors want bigger attendance but aren’t willing to do something uncomfortable. Joe’s willingness to sacrifice time, money and familiarity created the foundation for everything that followed.
Building a Launch Team with Social Media Ads
Vivid Church’s launch team didn’t materialize by accident; Joe leveraged Facebook and Instagram ads to reach people who would never see a flyer or drive past their signage. He targeted ads at local residents with simple messages inviting them to connect over coffee or attend an interest meeting. “Ads are like digital billboards,” Joe said. “They get attention, but they only matter if you follow up personally.”
Key takeaway: Use ads to start relationships, not to replace them. Every form submission is a real person with real needs. Your job as a pastor is to connect, listen and serve.
Intentional Relationships and the Power of Personal Invitations
As effective as Joe’s ads were, he’s the first to admit that personal invitations made the biggest impact. “Nothing beats looking someone in the eye and inviting them yourself,” he told me. He modeled this by meeting dozens of people for coffee each week. He learned their names, remembered their stories and sent hand‑written notes after each meeting.
This approach aligns with what we teach at ChurchCandy: run ads that spark curiosity, then build a system to move people from online interaction to real conversation. Joe organized dinner parties, coffee dates and small group gatherings. Each ad included a clear call to action—fill out a form to grab coffee with the pastor—which started a conversation that often led to new friendships and future leaders. Within months, Vivid Church’s interest meetings grew from a handful of people to dozens of engaged volunteers who felt like family.
One of Joe’s favorite moments came after an ad invited a young couple to coffee. They had never attended church, but Joe listened without judgmen and shared his story. Weeks later they visited Vivid, and today they lead a small group. “A personal invitation from someone they know beats any Facebook ad,” Joe laughed.
Key takeaway: Don’t rely on ads alone. Challenge your team to personally invite at least one person every week. Teach them how to share their faith story in a sentence and how to follow up with genuine care. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Balancing Ministry, Family and Setting Boundaries
Ministry can consume every waking moment, especially when you’re planting a church. Joe was candid about the toll it can take on your family. “My kids didn’t sign up to plant a church,” he said. “So we set boundaries: dinner is sacred, phones go away, and our date night is non‑negotiable.” This discipline protected his marriage and ensured that his children experienced planting a church as an adventure rather than a burden.
Joe also spoke about maintaining devotional time in the midst of chaos. He scheduled prayer and Bible reading into his daily routine and made sure his team did the same. He believes that a church will never be spiritually healthier than its leaders.
Key takeaway: Healthy churches are built by healthy leaders. Set practical boundaries around your time, prioritize your family, and guard your spiritual life. When you model balance, your team will follow.
Lessons for Pastors Who Want to Grow Their Church
Joe’s journey offers practical steps that any pastor can implement:
- Step out in faith. Growth rarely happens in comfort zones. Don’t be afraid to make bold decisions when you feel called.
- Target your community with social ads. Use Facebook and Instagram to reach people in your city who aren’t looking for a church but are open to connection.
- Create a clear next step. Invite interested people to coffee, dinner or an online call. Make it personal, simple and immediate.
- Train your team to invite. Empower volunteers and leaders to share their stories and personally invite friends.
- Prioritize family and spiritual health. Set boundaries, schedule family time and keep your devotional life strong.
Planting Vivid Church required courage, creativity and a commitment to people. Joe Angelo’s unique marketing strategy didn’t just fill seats; it built a community where people feel seen and loved. If you’re a pastor looking to attract more guests and grow your church, learn from Joe’s example: use ads wisely, but invest most of your energy in personal relationships. That’s where real growth begins.
About The Author
