This series of blogs will help you keep the people you reach and help you discern if your church is more like Teflon or Velcro?
We have a twofold challenge…getting new people to attend and getting people to stick after they join and not slide off. Without new people coming to Christ and joining your church you will not grow therefore every person reached needs to be connected and involved.
So is your church currently more like Velcro, people stick and stay, or Teflon, people join and then stop attending and slide into oblivion?
“Assimilation” is the whole process of creating a climate where people feel welcome, “practicing hospitality,” showing people the love of Christ, leading them to become followers of Christ, and connecting them to the church.
If churches are not intentional in this process, they become a revolving door with as many people going out the back door as they have coming through the front door. We are taking the letters of the word V.E.L.C.R.O. to illustrate some ideas and specific helps. We now come to letter C.
C is for Connect
Intentionally connect (Velcro) members to other people and a ministry.
Research has demonstrated that newcomers who remain in a church more than six months have an average of seven friends in their church.
Newcomers who drop out of a church after six months have an average of only two friends!
The more we can connect people to each other the more they will stick. As quick as possible get people involved, give them a place to serve. As a pastor I found that new members are some of the most eager people to serve.
A church should keep these three goals in mind:
- KEEP those you reach.
- CONNECT people in meaningful relationships. “When people visit your church they are not looking for a friendly church they are looking for a friend.
- INVOLVE more people in the life of your church for the glory of Christ!
On a scale of 1 to 10 how is your church doing connecting new members to other people and to a specific ministry assignment? Are people going out the back door?
R is for Recognize
Recognize that relationships are the glue (Velcro) that cause people to stay and stick!
Assimilation ministry is all about creating a warm, caring atmosphere where people feel welcome, make new friends, and experience the love of Christ in serving.
Remember that relationships are best formed in “small groups” or “Sunday School classes.” The big event may attract some people but what causes them to stick is the small group. Churches need to grow big (worship) and small (Bible study classes) at the same time.
Start some New Groups! New classes grow faster and reach more people!
O is for Organize
Organize to reach the unreached. Research shows that nine out of ten pastors call their church “evangelistic.”
Yet less than one out of three church attendees has shared his or her faith with a non-Christian within the last 12 months. Churches must provide training for folks and plan opportunities for people to share their faith which will lead to life style witnessing. Become a Contagious Christian.
Is your church organized in the area of outreach, training people to witness, keeping up with guests, and making consistent contact with prospects?
Get your people praying! Organize a prayer ministry and use a Top Five prayer card where people list five lost or un-churched persons they pray for each day. What would happen if all your people prayed for five lost persons every day?
REMEMBER…
- Reserve your best parking spots for guests.
- Station greeters outside and inside your building.
- Set up an information table.
- Have taped music playing when people enter.
- Allow guests to remain somwhat anonymous in the service.
- Offer a warm, casual public welcome that relaxes people.
- Begin and end each service by having people greet each other.
- Offer a refreshment table for guests.
- Put your best people at the front doors as greeters.
BIG TRUTH…If a church keeps everyone it reaches, it will grow. If it doesn’t, it will simply maintain or decline.
QUESTIONS? Is your church more like Teflon or Velcro? Now, what do you plan to do about it?