WELCOME !
TOOLS & TECHNIQUES FOR
NEW MEMBER MINISTRY
© 1992 The Alban Institute, Washington, DC.
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THE TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE: MY JOURNEY
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INTRODUCTION: DIALOGUE
Section A: Personal Issues: The Word Evangelism, Inter-Denominational Rivalry, A Ministry of Lay People, Skills and Spirituality, Personality Types, and Recounting Our Personal Journeys
Section B: Congregational Issues: Evangelism vs. Respect, Importance of Greeters, Attraction vs. Retention, and Why Bother and Why Now
Section C: Church Styles and Situations: Medium and Struggling, Tiny and Overwhelmed, Large and Successful, Making a Plan, Everything’s Done, and Without a Pastor
Section D: Personal Reflections: A Common Language About the Title, and My Prayer
CHAPTER 1
IMAGINATIVE MARKETING:
SIGNS, PROPERTY, AND COMMUNICATIONS
Section A: Concepts and Presumptions: Familiarity, Anxiety, Competition, Objections, and Mission
Section B: Considerations: Image and Involvement
Section C: Signs: Roadside, Bulletin Board, Entrances, Special Services and Events, and Interior
Section D: Property: Grounds, Buildings, and Parking Lots and Driveways
Section E: Communications: Document Audit, Suggestions for Specific Media, and Alternative Forms of Publicity
CHAPTER 2
THE MINISTRY OF GREETING
Section A: Concepts and Suggestions
Section B: Greeting Teams
Section C: Supplies and Materials
Section D: Preparation before Each Service
Section E: Procedure prior to the Service
Section F: Procedure during the Service
Section G: Procedure after the Service
CHAPTER 3
CRAFTING A RESPONSE CARD, AN INTRODUCTION,
AND OTHER WELCOMING MATERIALS
Section A: Creating a Response Card: general Recommendations and Detailed Instructions
Section B: Creating an Introduction to Your Church: General Recommendations and Detailed Instructions
Section C: Intermediate Alternatives: Welcoming Folders and Welcoming Letters
CHAPTER 4
TRACKING AND INVOLVING NEWCOMERS
Section A: Building the Basic System
Section B: Record-Keeping Components
Section C: Personnel and Functions
Section D: Related Visitation Procedures
Section E: Procedure for the Next Nine Months: The 3-6-9 Options List
CHAPTER 5
STRUCTURING GROUPS FOR GROWTH
Section A: Setting the Stage for Evaluation
Section B: Analyzing the Environment: Mission Statement, Capacity for Growth, Realistic Goals, and Open Process, and Desire for Growth
Section C: Assessing Existing Groups: Structure and Purpose and Membership Profile
Section D: Structuring for the Future: Documenting Existing Groups, Planning Future Groups, Analyzing Existing Groups, and Documenting Your Work
CHAPTER 6
FORMS AND BROCHURES
Form 1A Sign Audit
Form 1B Property Audit
Form 1C Document Audit
Brochure 2 Newcomers’ Questions
Form 3A Visitor Response Card
Brochure 3B Introduction to the Parish
Form 3C Welcoming Folder
Form 3D Welcoming Letter
Form 4A Newcomer Master File Tracking Form
Form 4B Newcomer Master File Tracking Form (Extended)
Form 5 Group Survey
My Journey
You might be wondering, why did Andy Weeks write this book? The answers lie in my slow drift away from and my painful and awkward return to Christianity. My story is not dramatic or tragic; I just slowly slipped away from the church.
But with time, I developed the urge to return. I began to search for a new religious home, and I tried a wide variety of churches. Some left me totally cold, with their complete insensitivity to and disregard for visitors and searchers. I attended churches where I felt that if I had died in the pew, no one would have noticed. These churches were not prepared to meet or greet searchers, much less to incorporate us.
As I reflected on the obstacles I encountered during my search, I began to feel a profound sense of urgency about the need for more effective new member ministry in our churches. When I rejoined my original church, I was ready to tackle the issues of evangelism.
Later, when I became an evangelism workshop leader, I repeatedly sensed a desire for the practical, how-to material that now forms the content of this book. I kept hearing people say: “I believe in the importance of this ministry, I feel called to it, but HOW can we get started and how do we proceed?”
My response has been to write this “how-to” book, a true product of my personal story. I offer it in the hope of inspiring other lay persons to see the opportunities in new member ministry and to use these proven tools and techniques. This is not a theological, reasoned analysis of evangelism; this is a nuts-and-bolts manual for new member ministry.
I have used most of this material in various conferences and workshops and I know it works. So, I hope you wear out this copy, using and adapting it to your own needs. I cannot imagine that all of it will be applicable in your church, but if even a small section or one idea helps a program flourish or motivates someone to join this ministry, then my efforts and yours will have been worth it.
Whatever path of Christianity you follow, you are blessed with the gift of a relationship with God. Learn all you can from the Bible and theology books and become informed and educated. Combine that knowledge with these tools and techniques to develop an effective new member ministry in your church. I know that in doing so you will discover new levels of faith and satisfaction and that you will experience God’s blessing in ways you cannot imagine.
THE INTRODUCTION
Table of Contents
Dialogue
Section A: Personal Issues: The Word Evangelism, Inter-Denominational Rivalry, A Ministry of Lay People, Skills and Spirituality, Personality Types, and Recounting Our Personal Journeys
Section B: Congregational Issues: Evangelism vs. Respect, Importance of Greeters, Attraction vs. Retention, and Why Bother and Why Now?
Section C: Church Styles and Situations: Medium and Struggling, Tiny and Overwhelmed, Large and Successful, Making a Plan, Everything’s Done, and Without a Pastor
Section D: Personal Reflections: A Common Language,
About the Title, and My Prayer
While most of this book is intensely procedural, the spiritual journey that has led to its publication has centered on a vibrant and spirit-filled ministry. I have been rewarded by the fellowship of many caring, involved, and interesting people. I have relished the opportunities to share ideas, to hear about successful programs, and to listen to other people’s stories.
Experience has shown that lay persons can be most effective in promoting evangelism. But the call to evangelism often is muffled by questions and doubts. In this introductory chapter I have framed some of these stumbling block issues in a question and response format; while the questions are universal, the responses are not. They simply represent my personal reflections. Please adapt or expand them to meet your needs and circumstances.
In the next chapter you will find references to specific forms and brochures necessary for effective new member ministry. Samples of each of these are presented in Chapter Six. These are meant to be templates; although the forms are copyrighted and may not be reproduced wholesale or for any commercial purposes, we encourage you to adapt or modify them to suit your needs. The form numbers correspond to the chapters in which they are discussed so you can easily review the forms before you read each chapter.
SECTION A: PERSONAL ISSUES
The Word Evangelism: Dealing with the E-Word
Q. We would like to begin an evangelism program in our church, but people are uncomfortable with the word itself. How can we overcome or avoid this problem?
R. This question raises two issues: the use of the word and a sense that evangelism is something new. Avoiding an uncomfortable topic is rarely a viable solution. Airing of negative reactions and trying to achieve an acceptable resolution tends to be more productive. Admittedly, I do know of several churches that have avoided conflict over the E-word simply by naming their committees “Inclusion” or “New Member Ministry.” I object to these terms because they tend to encourage an attitude that this ministry strictly centers on church growth and adding members to the rolls. Our primary responsibility is to bring newcomers into vibrant relationships with God, not just into our buildings. If you believe that you can emphasize this wider ministry while using less provocative terminology, go for it; otherwise, face the issue squarely and honestly.
Facing the E-word issue may immerse you in a sea of negative reactions. To overcome that tide, encourage people to “take ownership” of the word evangelism. That may not be easy. Many Christians associate the word with television evangelists or others they consider extreme. When workshop participants articulate this perception (and they have in every one I have conducted), I challenge them to remake the image of the word by their own actions. I suggest that in doing so they and the world will then see evangelists in a new light, simply as those who are trying to share the message of a loving God. All evangelists do not harangue on television or in person with their own absolutist diatribes about salvation. Many of the practical and quiet ministries suggested in this book are good examples of evangelism that respect the comfort level of many different types of people.
I also like to disarm them by translating the original Greek word "evangelia," meaning "well" (ev) and "tidings" (angelia). I stress that it simply means carrying the "well tidings" or "good news" from God to the world, with none of the negative images often associated with the word. I then print the word as evANGELism, highlighting the word ANGEL in the middle, and use biblical examples of angels being God's messengers to us. Then, mocking myself as a not very archetypical angel, I challenge them to become quiet angels too. I have seen many people accept that challenge. More often than not, they have caught me at a subsequent coffee hour and told me in a mockingly conspiratorial tone that while they will never be evangelists, they are ready to be angels.
Another antidote to the E-word poison is to remember that many of our churches support missionary efforts, both at home and overseas. In the midst of predominantly nominal Christian communities, we feel an obligation to evangelize far from home, calling it “mission.” Yet, the world of the unchurched does not begin at the nearest frontier or ocean; it begins at the sidewalks in front of each of our churches and homes. So, in reality, congregations have been doing evangelism all along, just under a different name; the mission is not new, but the target has been expanded.
Inter-Denominational Rivalry: Explaining Diversity
Q. How can we respond when we are challenged to explain why there are so many denominations if Christian beliefs are so universal?
R. When someone asks me what religion I am, I always reply that I am a Christian, even though I suspect that their true interest lies in my denomination. I then continue that I have chosen the Episcopal Church as my vehicle for the expression and support of my faith. I sometimes add that I don’t “belong” to any denomination, just to God. Although that response surprises many and sometimes offends my fellow Episcopalians, it represents my true feelings. I am first a Christian; the Episcopal Church, with its blend of tradition, reason, and biblical teaching, works for me. Nevertheless, I know that my own denomination and others offer an almost bewildering array of styles and programs. When a non-churched person questions me with: “Well, if you’re all Christians, how come there are so many different churches?”, I first look to the diversity within my own denomination and then to others for a reasonable answer.
Many of us believe that all Christians are members of just one church, the Body of Christ. While I suspect that God might prefer us to present a more unified front to the world, I believe that our own troubled pasts and prejudices dictate the necessity for a broad range of alternatives for the expression of our faith. Within my own tradition, I know people whose worship and determination are fueled by traditional services; many others find that approach totally distracting. Neither view is invalid, nor is one better than the other. And I recognize the same diversity in and between other denominations, where some members are reassured by the repetition of a comfortable historical liturgy, while others are repelled by anything which reminds them of painful experiences in their immediate or ancestral pasts. These are realities. I trust that while God does not need different approaches to reach us, we need different ones to approach God.
But being humanly parochial, I also must admit that I am tempted to think that my church has all the answers and sufficient diversity to satisfy everyone; you may feel the same about yours. Nevertheless, I know many faithful Christians who truly live their faith, who could never be comfortable in an Episcopal Church. Given that I can’t dismiss or deny their faith, I must accept the validity of their denominational choice. You may also choose to respond to questions about Christian diversity in a similar manner.
I have written this book to help all of us minister to the waiting world, not just to expand the ranks of my own denomination. I challenge you to cooperate and not compete with other churches within your own denomination and to work with other denominations where possible to serve the people of God. With up to seventy-five percent of people in some communities non-churched, we have many opportunities to satisfy goals for congregational growth. Perhaps in another hundred or thousand years, when we have reached everyone with Christ’s message, we can then afford to compete with each other. Until then, let cooperation be our mandate, recognizing that our real rivalry is with the distractions and alternatives of the secular world.
A Ministry of Lay People
Q. Our clergy are trained to welcome and receive new members, so why do you place so much emphasis on evangelism being a ministry of lay people?
R. Experience has proven that one-to-one lay person contact is the most effective form of new member ministry. This ministry cannot be the responsibility of just the evangelism committee or the pastor. The simple mathematical reality is that while there is only one (or a few) clergy in any given church, there are many lay people; an effective ministry depends on all of us participating.
Let me present one perhaps startling statistic. Newcomers greeted or visited only by a clergy person will return less than twenty percent of the time, whereas eighty-five percent of those greeted by a lay person will return. Visitors seem less impressed by welcoming gestures from clergy. When a lay person reaches out to newcomers, they react to that spontaneity and presume it is because of a genuine and voluntary interest. When a restaurant owner tells you his place is great, you may be skeptical; after all, she owns the place. But when one of her employees or customers recommends it, you will be more likely to try it out and return.
However, while evangelism is a ministry for the laity, this does not mean that each one of us will be called to the same mission. Some will greet, some will visit, some will teach, some will make signs or bake loaves of bread, some will pray, and some will learn. Each of us can find opportunities to serve; we need to be open to the possibilities. I guarantee you the greatest satisfaction; if I did not believe that, I would not have written this book.
Skills and Spirituality: Practicing What We Believe
Q. If evangelism should be from the heart, personally and spiritually inspired, why are you suggesting such a mechanical approach?
R. I agree that evangelism should spring from the heart. I promote this tactical approach to evangelism to strengthen spiritual ministry. I believe in Jesus Christ and in spreading the good news. But I know that in many of our introspective and personal approaches to Christianity, we have failed to reach out and minister to the world. For many of us, evangelism is a rather spooky subject. We are reluctant to discuss our faith and to carry God’s message to the world at large. Practical ministries help us overcome our reluctance and get to work.
Personality Types: Doing vs. Feeling
Q. Most of our church members are very practical people who relate more to bricks and mortar than to spiritual things like evangelism. How can we involve all of our members in evangelism?
R. I’m a “doer” and I have worked with plenty of “feelers.” Experience has made me very conscious of these two personality types and the wide range of their gifts for ministry. I believe that you will discover challenges for all types of people as you explore different possibilities. The format of this book provides those whose approach is passionate rather than procedural tools to develop form and structure for effective programs. The “doers” tend to want to get started before they have developed a really complete program, or thoughtfully considered the potential impact of what they are doing. For them, this book’s structured approach is appealing, while its detail and constant emphasis on ministry encourages them to keep an eye on the spiritual side. In short, commitment to evangelism demands the strengths of all types of people. If you manage to develop and employ the gifts of both “doers” and “feelers,” you will be exponentially more successful in your ministry.
Recounting Our Personal Journeys: Humanizing the Process
Q. Regardless of specific programs, what is the most effective tool or technique for carrying out new member ministry?
R. Many leaders in the field of evangelism believe that one of the most powerful vehicles in new member ministry is that of storytelling.2,3 Telling our stories to others is far more gracious and effective than simply telling people what we want them to know and do.
Yet, for storytelling to be effective, it must be a two-way dialogue of telling and listening. To involve your listener, you might begin by telling the story of your own personal journey. For example, you might be surprised to learn that for fifteen years, I was not even remotely a Christian. Even after I started attending church again, it took a door-to-door preacher to provoke me into really facing the issues of my faith. The more I reveal about my personal spiritual vulnerability and growth, the easier it becomes for you to tell me where you are, the course you have traveled, and maybe where you want to go. But my telling my story will not help you unless I also have the patience and genuine interest to really listen to your story.
Everyone has a story; hearing yours will make it easier for newcomers to tell you theirs. You will discover new power in your story each time you tell it, and you will be strengthened and enlightened by the stories you hear. This, in turn, produces an ever-widening circle of growth because as you make yourself available to newcomers through storytelling, you make the church more approachable and less intimidating.
SECTION B: CONGREGATIONAL ISSUES
Evangelism vs. Respect: Attracting Rather Than Offending
Q. We try to respect others’ beliefs. Our parents taught us that faith was a private matter; now we feel pressured to be “evangelists.” How can we attract people and talk with them without offending them?
R. The majority of mainline Protestants do not knock on people’s doors or advertise for converts. Yet, in many communities, ten to seventy percent of the population have no religious affiliation and many are looking for some spiritual connection and community.4 We do not have to recruit them; if we are inviting, they will walk in our doors. (Remember the “build it and they will come” concept?)
We can make our churches accessible and approachable to those with no personal connections to the congregation. But to do so, we must work at it. We need to ask ourselves if our properties are well maintained. Do our signs merely state our existence, or do they invite visitors to join in worship? Is an entrance clearly marked for visitors? Are there reserved parking spaces for visitors, with signs that say so, showing that this church not only invites guests but expects and respects them? If visitors arrive with children, are there clear instructions about child care and church school arrangements? These are all simple ways we can be available to and accessible for searchers while leaving the choice up to them.
On a personal level, it is possible to balance our desire to invite with our desire to respect others’ choices; we can be determined without being pushy. We can augment an invitation to Sunday brunch with an invitation to precede it by going to church. Business owners can place copies of their church’s monthly newsletter in reception areas. We can encourage our children to invite their friends to special church events. On the holy days that are almost civic holidays, we can suggest to others how much fun it would be for us if they would join us and sing Christmas carols. Yes, the first time you try it you may feel awkward, but each time you reach out, it will be easier. In simply being present and open to others, we can share the message of God’s love without being offensive or aggressive.
The Importance of Greeters: Recognizing and Respecting Visitors
Q. Why do you put so much emphasis on the role of greeters?
R. Greeters are our front line “troops,” welcoming God’s guests. Experienced greeters are able to recognize visitors by their body language and unfamiliar faces and are prepared to respond to their needs and questions. Greeters are trained to offer simple directions about seating, the order of worship, and the prayer books, Bibles, or hymnals used in the service. When someone has made the effort to visit, the very least they deserve is to be recognized and respected. This personal touch and readiness is powerful; I know from my own experience because it was the attention and warmth of just one man that drew me into the church.
In 1980 I visited a church for purely social reasons. The elderly man who greeted me made it abundantly clear that I had made his day by visiting the church he loved. He told me that my presence there had made it more special for him, and he invited me to return, assuring me that he would be there for me if I did. As the week passed I remembered his smile, I began to realize that I wanted to return, just to see the look on his face! So I did, and it was worth it.
The mere presence of someone dedicated to serving visitors will deliver the message that your church is truly a welcoming place.
So greeting is not just saying hello, shuffling visitors off to a pew, and then forgetting about them. Greeting requires responsibility, asking, “How can I serve you?” This is not easy; it requires courage to ask someone what they want or need. They may dump a torrent of sorrow at you, or they may freeze at the intrusion. But serving visitors means receiving them into our hearts; it is a deliberate decision to care for these persons, for whatever time and at whatever depth they require at the moment we encounter them. It means ensuring that visitors will never be alone, physically or spiritually.
The first time I really took responsibility for a newcomer, I tried to comfort a crying young woman who was sitting alone in the back pew after the service. I had absolutely no idea what to do; I am not a trained counselor. But I could not ignore her distress. So, I sat down and waited for her to respond. She leaned against my shoulder and cried. I asked her what I could do to help. She replied that I already had, simply by ending her aloneness. I invited her to coffee hour. To my surprise, she accepted and was gracious and warm with those she met.
Postscript: Today she is a member, attending every week with her husband, and her two children are in Sunday school. She also has introduced her best friend to the church and she and her child are now regulars. So from my small, awkward effort, three adults and three children now are in community with us. This stuff works!
Attraction vs. Retention: Going the Extra Mile
Q. Our church attracts many new and different people, but we have trouble keeping them. How can evangelism address this problem?
R. No congregation can be everything to everyone.5 However, we can make every effort to be inclusive. Is there room in our hearts to accept the widow, the teenager, the unwed mother? Are we prepared to set aside our prejudices and address the needs of someone whose last name we cannot pronounce? What about single parents and those recovering from any form of addiction?
I am a tall, white, Anglo-Saxon male. I usually wear a tie to Church. I do not have much in common with a seventy-year-old widow or a teenage mother. When I meet a Latin American, an African-American, or someone who is disabled, I know that I will tend to hesitate. Most of us have had very little experience with people who are not like us. But God accepts all of us, with all of our failings and peculiarities. So we too are challenged to make room for all of God’s children, not just those who mirror our own image.
But being open is only the start of the process. We must be businesslike in managing growth. I often hear: “We get lots of new people, but we lose track of them.” A good tracking system will provide you with no more than good records if newcomer programs are ineffective. But wonderful programs will fizzle if they aren’t supported by good tracking mechanisms. Does your church have the administrative and human resources to ensure that newcomers are met, encouraged, incorporated, and included? If not, how can you help rally those resources?
Attracting newcomers and keeping track of them only addresses half of the issue; the other is how to truly open the church to them as children of God, with their unique gifts, skills, and other abilities. One of the most powerful means of integrating new members is to allow them to share in the power. But be careful; don’t do it unless you mean it. That new person may want to put orange flowers on the communion table or altar or put up a sign you consider really garish. Sharing power means accepting and respecting individual differences.
“That’s not the way we do things around here.” “We’ve always done it this way.” “We tried that once, and it didn’t work.” Do these phrases sound familiar? If so, ask whether your church is concerned more with preserving the status-quo or in growing as a community of faith dedicated to mission? Another warning: if you let too many new people in, the place will never feel the same again. For many individuals and institutions, change is negative and threatening; for others, it is positive and growth sustaining. Many congregations say they want to grow, but they are seeking more bodies to share the work, not more spirits to share and expand the ministry. So you may have to wrestle honestly with why growth might be a goal. The real challenge is not simply in attracting newcomers, it is in making room for them in the community. Experience has shown that if visitors are not accepted and supported, they will feel devalued and will leave, probably sooner than later.
I’ve had some personal experience with this business of power sharing and making room for newcomers, and it can be very uncomfortable. When my church elected a new executive officer, I was treasurer. I warmly accepted her and offered my support and encouragement. But when she changed my Sunday counting sheet without even consulting me, I blew up. Sure, she should have asked for my input, but, oh boy, had she ever disrupted my nice little structure, and I resented it. I apologized and we both recovered, but it was such a waste of time and energy. The only good part of it was that it gave me this story to tell you about the ups and downs of power sharing. This is a real example of the difficulties you will encounter in trying to open up your church’s structure. If we had not resolved this conflict, the church would have lost a dedicated and competent manager because of my petulance.
Why Bother and Why Now?: Seeing Beyond the Church Parking Lot
Q. Why should we bother with evangelism now? We’ve done fine without it so far.
R. The answer is simple. A significant proportion of those in our communities have no religious affiliation. Although they may be materially comfortable, their spiritual poverty is genuine, even though it may not be very apparent. Many do not have the support, comfort, and caring of a community. In times of joy or distress, they may have no faith. Often, they are so frantic with work and activities that they have no time to address the spiritual and ethical needs of their families. When something surprising happens, some say: “Oh my God,” but it has no meaning. To me, that is a tragically empty and lonely way to try and cope with life.
We know the greatest story ever told, but if we do not tell it, it is dead. And, if we do not tell it now, who will? Are we willing to abdicate this responsibility to cults and sects, or are we going to accept the challenge?
SECTION C: CHURCH STYLES AND SITUATIONS
Medium and Struggling: Doing the Right Thing for the Wrong Reason
Q. Ours is a medium-sized church, and we are struggling to survive. We’re worried that evangelism may be a tempting cure-all for all our financial and membership problems. How can we avoid this trap?
R. Many churches are struggling to survive. It is a strong temptation to use evangelism to attempt to solve problems. But be cautious about doing the right thing for the wrong reason.
Evangelism is not a growth program. If our primary goals are to add bodies, fill the pews, and raise cash, our successes may be spectacular, but short-lived. With time, newcomers will sense that they are being used, not served, and they will leave. However, when we truly desire to proclaim the Gospel and to serve those who seek a closer relationship with God, our congregation will grow spiritually and in numbers. The lesson is simple: when self-serving growth is our primary goal, we will fail; but when we strive for witness and service, growth is virtually assured.
Tiny and Overwhelmed: Confusing Size With Capacity
Q. Our church is tiny; we’re intimidated by our lack of resources. What should we do?
R. Many small churches are learning and teaching about evangelism. And many originally shared your sense of intimidation. But, they didn’t want to give up. So they chose to do what they could and not worry about what they couldn’t do. They also recognized that they had one huge advantage over many larger churches; they could mobilize almost immediately. So, although being small prevented them from doing some things, their nimbleness accelerated their timetable in accomplishing what they could.
I offer two stories from small churches. In one small church there simply were not enough people or funds to attempt to create a brochure for newcomers (like the sample in the last chapter). However, there was one member who could devote some time. With an old computer she created one of the best welcoming leaflets I have ever seen; she completed a first class product of which she (and her church) could be proud. She did what she reasonably could do and was not discouraged.
In another very tiny church, fielding a team of greeters at coffee hour would have included almost the whole congregation. Recognizing the futility of forming a team, the lay leadership chose instead to learn all they could about being sensitive to newcomers and being present for them at every event. They didn’t need a committee; they did it informally, although not casually.
At the risk of sounding glib, let me try to encourage you about what you can accomplish, remembering that given time, the newcomers you successfully incorporate will add their gifts to your talent pool.
Large and Successful: Running the Long Race
Q. Ours is a large, successful church without any concrete new member ministry programs, partly because of complacency and possibly also because of strong prejudices against television evangelism and emotionalism. How do we counter those attitudes and really begin to grow?
R. If your church is large and apparently successful, but lacks any concrete new member ministry programs, you need to know why. Is it successful because it has maintained its membership (at least in the short term), perhaps in spite of itself, or because the community itself is growing, or because the birthrate is replenishing the rolls?7 Churches with this profile can survive for a very long time because they offer inherent and significant value to their membership. Yet, successful maintenance of membership needs to be gauged over forty or sixty years, across at least three generations.
Without a broad sense of mission, two factors will contribute to a church’s ultimate decline. First, without a vision of proclamation and spiritual service to the community individual, members will have no sense of Christian responsibility. And second, without that corporate vision, atrophy and complacency eventually will take hold. Decline will be dramatic and may be irreversible.
Making a Plan: Building Programs
Q. Our church has a positive attitude toward newcomers, but we lack a plan to attract, retain, and educate the unchurched in the community. How can we reach out to and then incorporate those who are not committed to any denomination?
R. Many of us have belonged to a church which reacted well to newcomers, but which did not have a strong sense of purpose or long-term goals for evangelism. Often these churches seem to be committed to programs to respond to and incorporate newcomers who show up on their own, but are without the vision or courage to reach out into the community. They do not challenge newcomers and themselves to proceed beyond being inviting and friendly to genuine incorporation, education, and commitment. This type of church is usually a warm and friendly place for those who enter its doors where members react positively to newcomers.
The first challenge in such a church is to reach out into the community, to those who feel that they might not be accepted or "fit in," and to others who once may have had a religious affiliation in which they are no longer welcome. The second challenge: is the congregation genuinely prepared to incorporate and educate newcomers and to meet their spiritual and personal needs? Are you willing to try to serve those who want or need a closer relationship with God? These are the challenges such a church faces if it wants to really grow, both spiritually and in numbers, as a community of active and committed Christians. Because if such a church continues only to react rather than attract newcomers, eventually growth will cease.
Everything’s Done: Well, Maybe
Q. Our church has good incorporation programs in place; why should we be concerned about this work now?
R. Perhaps your church does have good incorporation programs, and has had for several years. Maybe everything is working well; if so, there may be other more pressing issues. However, very often as programs are handed down from one group or generation to another, they get stale, and the original sense of purpose and direction becomes obscured. Enthusiasm and fresh ideas may have faded away. My experience with existing evangelism groups gone stale is that the most productive way to revitalize them is to constantly invite and add the newest members of the congregation to join in the groups.
Without a Pastor: Missing the Boat
Q. We are without a pastor and there is great reluctance to start anything new until we get one. Should we wait?
R. No. No. No. Although new member ministry needs strong pastoral leadership to survive long-term, it does not need it to get started. Recently, I visited a church and asked to sign the guest book. The greeters could not find it. It turned out that the old book was full, and the interim pastor had told them to wait and let the new pastor order a new one. The greeters were embarrassed, and so was I. I wondered how many searchers might be lost until someone ordered a new book. God’s ministry cannot be put on hold!
A church in the search process is at a pivotal point for refining and redefining its evangelism efforts while developing a new congregational profile. The awakening of attitudes, exposure of prejudices, and level of potential commitment will certainly help in finding the new pastor.
SECTION D: PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
I want to close this introduction with a few personal thoughts.
A Common Language
I believe that all Christians are called to the ministry of proclaiming the Gospel, so I have tried to speak to all denominations. I have tried very consciously to be inclusive. When I began to speak with others outside my Episcopal tradition, I really was flabbergasted at the variation in church-related terms. For example, deacons are ordained clergy in the Episcopal Church, but in many protestant free church traditions the word deacon simply refers to a lay leader. For the sake of a common term, throughout the book I refer to ordained clergy as pastor, a word that includes priests, vicars, ministers, and bishops.
About the Title
The process of choosing a title for this book was challenging. Both I and the editors wanted one that would not only grab your attention, but that would also reflect the totality of new member ministry. We chose Welcome! because we wished to welcome you, the reader, and challenge you to consider the opportunities of this ministry. We also wanted a title encompassing the wide range of activities required to support attracting, inviting, greeting, incorporating, and retaining newcomers.
This expansive view of welcoming newcomers into our faith communities and into a new life far exceeds what most of us have traditionally regarded as newcomer ministry. Its totality is well summarized in Paul’s Letter to the Romans: “Welcome one another then, for the sake of God’s glory, as Christ welcomed you.”
I believe that Welcome! does indeed reflect Paul’s deep and wide theology of welcoming.
My Prayer
I hope that these common questions and my reflections have inspired you. I hope you will remember the elderly man who greeted and evangelized me. I encourage you to emulate him and to grow into this ministry with others in your church. Jesus asked Peter to walk on water; God asks us only to open our doors and risk our hearts. I pray for all of us that God will give us the courage to try and the faith to succeed.