Growing Churches # 3

Idea # 3 - Visiting Newcomers

On an average Sunday, how many visitors do you have at your church? If you don’t know, you really need to find some way to greet them and get some basic information. Not to be nosy or pushy, no newcomer wants that. But there are ways to get a name, address, and phone number that aren't intrusive or unsettling, and what an aid they can be to following up on new people.

One interesting statistic suggests that if a newcomer is contacted by a layperson from the congregation with a phone call within 36 hours of their visit, there is an 85% chance that person will be back the next week for a second visit. Imagine what good follow up would do in your congregations situation. Most churches have regular visitors. To get them to stay is the challenge.

After getting the newcomer's name and number, the next step, of course, is to make the phone call or visit. Note that either seems to work. And note that the call is made by a layperson, not the pastor. In fact, statistics suggest that when only the pastor calls within 36 hours, less than 50% of the newcomers come back! The reason seems to be that newcomers expect the Pastor to call (please note clergy), but are surprised and warmed by a call from a caring person in the church.

And the emphasis needs to be on caring. What seems to be important in this kind of call is not information sharing, about church activities and the like, but an open call that says "thanks for
visiting our church" as well as "is there anything we can help you with".

If this kind of call can be made by Tuesday evening at the latest, people seem to respond. Of course, that means a lot of work must be done and quickly. Names and phone numbers have to be in
the hands of those who will call by Monday morning. And the callers have to be people who can talk openly to newcomers.

And then, when the newcomer responds to the call with, "well, actually I'm glad you called, what I really could use is a baby-sitter for tomorrow afternoon, so I can go to the doctor," comes the next
step.....