Choose a venue and check its schedule. The easiest option, if you belong to a church, is to ask its administrator if you can hold the show there. You will need 8 to 12 weeks, ideally even more, for successful planning.
Work out your budget. Will you need sound and/or lighting equipment and people to run it? Will you dress your stage? Provide refreshments? What is your seating plan -- chairs set up theater style or arranged at round tables? Will they require decorating? Plan in detail.
Decide what sort of event to hold. Will you invite a headline act or a church choir? Will artists be judged, competing for a prize or raising money for charity, or will it be a purely social event? Will you need an emcee? A stage manager? Sound and lighting technicians?
Decide your time frame and create an estimated running order for the show, allocating five minutes for each artist and however much more time is needed for the finale. The number of slots available will tell you how many gospel singers you need to register.
Work out the details of the night and your estimated costs so you can determine how much to charge for tickets and the registration fee for talent show participants.
Book staff or helpers and equipment according to your budget. List everything you'll need and note the companies or people providing the items. Confirm the bookings with partial payments, if required, and full details about the event, plus your contact number. Keep this list handy.
Create an eye-catching poster using gospel music images. Include the title of the event, date, venue, what it is, who it's open to, whether people need to audition in advance or register the day fo the event, prices of tickets and where to buy them. Don't forget to include contact details.
Check, double-check and triple-check posters carefully to ensure all information has been included. Check spelling and grammar, and make sure the date, time and address are correct. It's hard to make changes after you go to print or send out an email.
Publicize your event by word of mouth or using invitations. Send posters and a letter of invitation to whoever you think would be interested -- churches, youth groups, music schools, colleges, friends. Reach out with e-mail and on social networking sites.
Keep a list of all who register. If you are screening talent, give singers a time and place to audition, or ask them to sing over the phone.
If you hold auditions, treat all singers with respect. Keep a record of the ones you like so you can figure out how to include them in your program.
Make sure your cell phone is fully charged so you can keep in contact with all those who are helping you. In the morning, call your suppliers to double-check that they are able to make deliveries or arrive at the venue when expected. Visit the venue during the afternoon to be on hand for last-minute changes or decisions.
Welcome your participants and make sure they know when they're expected on stage. Remind them what will be required during the show, then direct them to an area where they can change if needed, and warm up. Then have the front-of-house team in place to welcome and seat your audience.
Start on time. Do you have an emcee? Brief him or her about the mood you want, who's singing and who's headlining. If there's a panel of judges, they will also need to be in place, along with your sound and lighting team and stage manager.
Once you've checked every detail to provide your audience with an exciting evening of entertainment, relax and enjoy the show.