26. ASSIMILATION • The process of moving
people in from outside to
maturity
• " ... that you may become
mature Christians and
may fulfill God's will for
you.”– Colossians 4:12b
• Our Community is Lagos
Mainland
• Our Crowd are those who
have come before (first
time visitors)
• Our Congregation is those
who have a sense of
Ownership of the Church
29. Step #1: From 1st Time Guest to 2nd Time Guest
• A. PRE‐SERVICE: First Contact : The first impression a person develops of a church
and of the people who make up the church is the most important impression. It’s
very difficult to shake a first impression.
1. Greeted A first time guest wants to be greeted with a smile in a friendly and
welcoming way without being bombarded or made to feel uncomfortable.
2. Directed
A first time guest wants to be directed to where he or she needs to go in a simple
and polite way. Having no direction adds anxiety and greatly reduces the positive
impact of a church’s first impression.
3. Treated
A first time guest wants to be treated with respect and in a way that makes him
or her feel like the church is glad that they are there.
*An important way to do this is by making high‐quality food and/or snacks readily
available. This makes a great first impression and is something that will pleasantly
surprise the first time guest. They won’t forget that your church cared enough to feed
them.
4. Seated
Ushers are very important to making a first time guest feel comfortable and to
helping them form a positive first impression of the church.
30. Step #1: From 1st Time Guest to 2nd Time Guest
First contact areas you can control
1. ‐ Greeted (you can control how someone is greeted. A smiling face that welcomes a
person without bombarding them but makes them feel comfortable. Let them be
greeted warmly, not over the top. It’s great to see you today, We are glad you are
here. (SET up a greeter ministry – have outgoing people do this role, also find a way to
check this out from time to time) Go over with them what they need to do every
week.
2. – Directed (shown where to go, make it simple to know where to go). Have signs
and clear directions. Make it clear once they walk in. People want to be directed to the
rest rooms, and to the children’s ministry. Walk them over there, make sure someone
guides them and walks them over to the area.
3. – treated – how are they treated. How do you treat them with respect. Clean the
bathrooms, deodorizer. Get the children’s area cleaning. Analogy of Restaurant. Let
people feel special. Make high quality snack readily available. You can control the
food, make them leave memorably. You have a chance here to wow people. ($169
from marketing to get one person to church – how much does a donut cost)
4. – Seated – who do I sit by? Get someone to walk with them and help them get a
seat. Make the ushers walk the people down and help them to get a good seat. Help
them feel comfortable. Remove their anxiety, worries and fears.
Define for the volunteers exactly how you want it done. People want to know exactly
what you want them to do. They want a format and a structure. It frees them up to do
it better.
Start on time. Think through when your people get there. Make the most of your first
7 minutes. Get your Greeters up 20 mins before.
32. B. DURING THE SERVICE: Communication Card
1. Everyone fills out a Communication Card every week
.
2. Everyone places the Communication Card in with the
offering.
3. Everyone has a next step to take every week .
The teaching pastor announces that first time guests may drop
a completed Communication Card in the offering in exchange
for a free book after the service (see Fresh Start Table below).
Note: Whether or not a church uses a Connection Card,
it is imperative that it finds an effective and non‐
threatening way to collect the contact information of all
first time guests. Otherwise, follow‐up is impossible.
34. D. Post Weekend – Follow Up
Thank them for coming and invite them back. – Think about how to do this.
Get the follow up as soon as possible. Start on Monday. Let them think about
the church immediately.
1. A first response team (Create a team for this) – Go through the cards, push
it into a database and prepare for follow‐up. This team prays for them by
name and it’s an important team. Meets on Monday.
2. 36 Hrs Response via eMail: By Monday, let them get an email.
3. 96Hrs response via Mail: Small cards, put it in the mail on Monday so they
get it on Wednesday. (Think it through) Make it handwritten for the first
time guest. Add a gift in that can be seen valuable and doesn’t cost so
much. Discount cards, a little gift, create a system for a gift that goes with
the letters. (Take out of town guests off your list for follow‐ups.)
4. One month follow up via mail: This gives another touch in their lives
(optional) Keep working on the first time list. Raving Fans, Wow Factor, ‐
the whole idea is to create raving fans. Who would you be known as? How
can you create a wow! How will they feel, what are you communicating to
your first time guests?
38. Step #2: From Second Time Guest to Regular Attender
Post Weekend ‐ Follow Up
1. 36Hrs Email response. – 1 Page. (it can be a phone call)
(first time email is thank you, come back again)
the second time email thanks them for coming again, and gives a link…
to something fun to get plugged into. Community meeting e.t.c. (movie
hangout)
2. 96Hrs mail.
Post Weekend – Engagement Opportunities
Small Groups
Fun Events
Service Teams: Never too early to ask people to serve. Chose where
you can make them serve in.
People are looking for relationships and responsibilities.
Give people an opportunity to serve – it matters. People want to be
asked to do something that makes them function. No need to do a 6
weeks training for someone to serve at the car park.
40. Step #3: From Regular Attender to Member ‐ 1/3
Service Teams. Give leadership before membership. Get them to join
service groups. Teaching on Baptism and Membership. – allow people
to share their personal stories. Create signup opportunities.
Market the Next Membership Class.
Post weekend – Small Groups
Notify regular attenders about small group meetings. Target people in
small groups for membership.
Small Groups
Growing Church needs to be structured. Either for growth or control.
Semesters for small groups?
ASK people to become members. Become a master asker. Why don’t’
you come next week and serve with me. The parable of the hired
hands. Teach your people how to ask people to ask. (Never eat alone)
(The Aladdin Factor) You can train people on this.
42. Our Statements
A. Purpose: Why we exist
– To make disciples of all nations ‐ rescue people
to God through Jesus, relate them to His family
as believers, raise them to Christ‐like maturity,
equip and release them to manifest God’s love
and lead in their spheres of influence, in
absolute reverence to God.
B. Vision: What we intend to do
– To build global leaders
– Our Mission: To Find, raise and release people
who will take or accept responsibility as God’s
representatives in their spheres of influence.