FEATURE : ADVICE FOR CHURCH LEADERS
Sticky Situations
By Nelson Searcy
Relationships are the glue that will cause your second-time guests to stick . Connections with the body of Christ are the most effective adhesive for keeping your guests and your church bound together . So how can you help your second-time guests form these important connections ? By getting them involved in sticky situations .
We have discovered four effective engagement opportunities that give people the best possible chance to be comfortable getting involved : small groups , fun events , service teams , and newcomer receptions .
1 . Small Groups The Sunday service is your front door . It ’ s where people are introduced to your church for the first time . What you don ’ t want is for people to walk through the front door , stay a while , and then head out through the back . Small groups are the single best way to close that back door . Research shows that once someone gets involved in a small group , that person is much more likely to stay in church . Why ? Because he or she will know people and be known to them . Relationships with other spiritual-growth-minded people will be formed . The church and the small group will be thought of as a type of family — as a home .
We know that if we want someone to stick around long enough to discover the truth about Christ and experience true life change , we need to do all we can to encourage that person to sign up for a group . When it comes to assimilating your guests , your job is to create opportunities and environments that will serve them . Setting up your small groups in a way that most effectively encourages newcomer participation will help your new attenders form solid relationships with other believers , thus keeping them on the
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