1. IN CHURCH MINISTRY

First time attendees need four friends in the first month, or they are out the back door. Without personal attention for the first time attendees, they will not come back.

We must have the vision of the harvest to meet the needs of our first time attendees.

Matthew 28:18-20 "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." NKJV

 

Mark 16:15-18 "And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." NKJV

2.                 PURSUIT MINISTRY

One of the core values of the Care Ministry is Need Fulfillment Ministry. The first time attendee has one question, "Can you meet my needs?" The Pursuit Ministry convinces the first time attendee you personally care for them.

INCOMPLETE FOLLOW-UP

We must develop follow-up that meets the needs of the first time attendees. Pastor driven ministry is 85% less effective than layman ministry.

**First time attendees make up their minds in the first eleven minutes if they are not coming back to church, they do not make up their minds if they are coming back until the next week. How we minister to them during the week will determine if they return. When they do return the next week, you have a 56% chance of them staying.

3.                 ASSIMILATION MINISTRY

Another value of the Core Ministry is relationships. The church is made from relationships. The Assimilation Ministry builds relationships so people feel like part of First Assembly of God. 

NO ASSIMILATION BRIDGE

The biggest crack in the ministry to the first time attendee is between the church service and the groups or Sunday School classes. The most effective bridge is a personal relationship with a friend who will escort the first time attendee to the groups or classes. The assimilation process must begin the first Sunday the first time attendee comes to First Assembly of God. The last Sunday the first time attendee is contacted by a strangers is the first Sunday he/she attends.

4.                 ATTENDANCE BARRIER

An attendance barrier is the result of either low visitor volume or the inability to keep the first time attendees who are coming. Because you have a strong first time attendee volume, the barrier is from your church's inability to shut the back door. The longer First Assembly of God suffers under the resistance of this barrier, the more difficult it will be to get off square one.