Lots of bloggers including yours truly have written thousands of blogs on the issue of assimilation, which is how we keep the people we reach. How do we create a climate of hospitality that causes people to desire to come back after they visit? How do we get people really…
Most churches have new members join. It is the life and future of a congregation. No new members equals no new growth. Healthy churches not only reach new people but they keep and involve them. Most people that join a church do so with excitement and anticipation. A new member…
Like most of you reading this, I love to see churches grow and reach people for Jesus Christ. I have benefited from the writings and research of Charles Arn on this subject. Recently he wrote an article called, “Why Churches Don’t Grow” for Building Church Leaders network. He lists five…
A recent survey shows that the 80/20 principle is a fact of church life in most congregations — only 20 percent are heavily involved, while 80 percent are minimally involved and attend infrequently at best. They act more like spectators than members. Think of that for a moment. Four out…
Charles Arn is the president of Church Growth Inc. and has done extensive research to discover why people come back to a church after visiting. He says that the number one reason people return for a second time is because the church was friendly. Most of us would assume that…
In a previous blog, I listed 10 so let’s continue to examine two more with number three and four. 3. Healthy Churches have an effective assimilation process. They not only reach people but they move people to places of service. They do this very quickly and intentionally. It is expected…
Assimilation is all about the process of helping people find your church, join your church, and get involved using their gifts and talents for the kingdom. Of course, experiencing salvation in Christ would be the number one goal as you reach out to people with the Gospel. In a recent…
We are all looking for the key factors that reach people and keep them. There are no magic bullets but there are some key indicators. While serving as the pastor of one church, it seemed like every other person I met in the community said they use to be a…
Today I say farewell as the writer of 28Nineteen. On November 2, 2008, I will assume the Senior Pastor position at the First Baptist Church of Shelbyville, Kentucky. My family and I are very excited about our new assignment from the Lord. Read about our move in this Kentucky Baptist…
This past Saturday at the Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, the Kentucky Baptist Convention offered a variety of great training opportunities. If you missed the event, similar training is being offered at five other locations across the state. One of the discipleship faculty was Tim Holcomb, Director of Discipleship…
Two encounters are critical. First, the leader encounters God in His Word and is changed. Second, the leader guides the group to have a life-changing encounter.