Less Teflon, More Velcro

Church consultant Lyle Schaller estimates that in many medium and large congregations, a third of new and active church attenders drop out within two years of becoming involved. These aren’t people who move away; they just stop coming.

To make sure newcomers stick:

Assign responsibility to leaders Trinity Presbyterian Church in Anchorage, Alaska, assigns a deacon to a person or family who attends worship for several Sundays. At Berean Baptist in Burnsville, Minnesota, the persons responsible are called “enfoldment coordinators.” They link visitors with a “first friend,” who visits the new persons at their home. The “first friend” learns the visitors’ interests and refers their names to the appropriate ministry area.
Close the loop Moorpark Presbyterian Church in California, the church I serve, uses an “Integration Czar.” When a person expresses interest in a program or ministry, the czar assigns a specific leader to extend an invitation to the newcomer. The czar then follows up with the leader, asking about the newcomer’s response. This ensures all invitations get made.
Enfold into networks Hillcrest Christian Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Michigan, assigns a mentor family to each new person or family. The church attempts to match the backgrounds and interests of its mentor family with those of the newcomers. To gauge the effectiveness of the mentor program and to identify needs, a committee tracks people’s attendance in worship, involvement in service, and giving habits.
Create a culture of accountability Bethel Baptist Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, puts its people on notice: “If we don’t see you, we’ll call you.” In its tracking of attenders, Bethel focuses on changes in a person’s attendance pattern. A call or visit is made when someone’s pattern changes.

—Dave Wilkinson Moorpark Presbyterian Church, Moorpark, California