We love seeing new faces become regular faces. When people become recurring visitors at your church, there's a good chance that they’ll be looking for that next step to become engaged members at your church.
Let’s assume your regular visitors have been coming to your church for three months now. They’ve been there most of those Sundays and even joined for a coffee with the pastors – they’ve already taken a “next step” into your church. Now, they have decided they want to make your church their home and make a further step inward and become engaged members of your community.
What’s the next opportunity for people to become more involved and plug into your church?
Need some ideas?
Here are four ways to help move your regular visitors into becoming engaged members in your church.
Community Groups
One of the beautiful parts of joining a church is the community you inherit. Visitors at your church are not only looking for a place to come and worship, they’re looking for a way to connect with others as they walk with Jesus.
The good news is many of our churches already gather in small groups throughout the week to eat and pray for one another. Inviting visitors to check out or join a community small group is the perfect next step to becoming engaged in your church.
Try this:
Hey Martha, we’ve got small groups that meet all over the city every night of the week that would love to have you eat and pray with them as they reflect on God’s Word together. Would you like to see a list of options near you?
Join a Team
As you well know, the ministry of the church can’t just lie on your shoulder alone. Every week, volunteers gather to set up chairs and communion, make the coffee, shepherd the kids, and so much more. Meanwhile, there are plenty of folks visiting your church looking for a way to serve, volunteer, and use their skills for the Kingdom.
It might seem counterintuitive at first but people love being invited to help out. In return, they get to join a team of people and make friends along the way, embedding them into your community.
Try this:
Hey Josiah, have you considered joining a ministry team at Local Church? It’s a great way to meet new friends and get plugged in while you serve the church (and it’s only once a month)! Let me know if you think you’d be interested.
– Samantha, Connections Director
Classes
After visiting a few times, new guests will begin to see the vision and values of your church. Want to help them go deeper? Offer a class or series of classes to help them understand what your church’s mission is, how you do it, what you believe, who you partner with, and more.
Got time before or after service? Consider offering different Sunday School classes for adults through books of the Bible, Church History, or Theology. You might be surprised how many deep-rooted and long-lasting relationships come from these offerings.
Try this:
Hey Sarah, I’d like to invite you to our quarterly Basics Class starting next Sunday at 11am, where we share the vision and values of Local Church and how we do life together. It’s two hours long and we’ve got snacks with childcare provided! Would you like to come?
– Pastor Lamar
Give
Yep, the “G word.” Give. We know it can be scary to ask your people to consider giving at your church but it’s vital to the longevity of the church since we rely on donations to keep the doors open.
Participating in generosity isn’t a turn-off but rather helps people feel connected and a part of what's going on in the life of your church and we often do a disservice to our people by not inviting them into that out of fear of what they’ll think.
Try this:
Hey DeShawn, this month we’re partnering with a local homeless shelter to support our neighbors without homes and share to the gospel and a meal with them. Respond with YES if you'd like to participate financially and help us reach our goal of providing 100 meals from Local Church.
_______
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