I’ve posted in recent months about how we’ve started holding regular (every two months) Newcomers Receptions at The Journey (you can read more here and here). They only last a half an hour, don’t require a great deal of planning or administration, and they really are a helpful tool in the Assimilation process. A key part of the reception is … Read More
What Do Guests At Your Church Experience?
If you have read Fusion or listened to the Assimilation Seminar, you know that we send out a brief, 30-second survey to each of our First Time Guests every Sunday. It provides good feedback to leadership and helps to reinforce a positive Sunday experience to the guest. And from time to time, these surveys remind me of why we take … Read More
Connecting with New People
I have shared before (click here for “How to host a Newcomer’s Reception”) that we love hosting regular Newcomer’s Receptions at The Journey. Not to overstate the obvious, but connecting new people are vital to any growing church. These receptions are a great time to meet new people and give them an extra opportunity to connect with the church. Yesterday’s … Read More
Are You Reaching Non-Christians This Christmas? (Part 4)
This week, we’ve been thinking about how you can work with the natural surge that God has built into the Christmas season to influence those who don’t yet know Jesus. We started by making sure we are outwardly-focused this season. Then, we talked about how to increase the number of guests at our Christmas services. Yesterday, we learned how to … Read More
Are You Reaching Non-Christians This Christmas? (Part 3)
Yesterday, we learned how you can have more first-time guests than usual at your Christmas service. But what do you do with your guests once they arrive? How can you make them feel comfortable? Is there anything you can do now to make sure they’ll want to keep coming back to your church in the new year? Turning first-time guests … Read More
Managing Wealth
Today I’m co-teaching a message entitled “How Do I Manage Wealth?” at The Journey – Manhattan. This is the first time I’ve ever addressed the subject of wealth. Should be fun. I’m co-teaching with Adam Bishop, our Groups Pastor (for some thoughts on co-teaching, click here). In part of the sermon, I reference www.GlobalRichList.com – if you think your salary … Read More
Communication Card Download
You asked for it…here’s the latest version of the Communication Card we use at The Journey. We call it a Connection Card (I stole that term from my good friend Jimmy Britt a few years ago) because it seems a little softer. Two versions for you to download (just right click and choose Save As – includes both front and … Read More
Fusion In Motion
Since its debut back in January, God has been using Fusion: Turning First-Times Guests Into Fully-Engaged Members Of Your Church to help churches of every shape and size from all over the country – and even all over the world! I am humbled by the reception the book has received and thrilled that it is truly helping to change lives. … Read More
First Time Guests Want Information
First Time Guests want to get information about your church when they are ready to receive it – not when you want to give it to them. So the question to ask yourself is: Are you making information about your church readily available to your guests? Examples of this include: – Putting out easy to find brochures about key areas … Read More
First Time Guests Want to “Fit In” With Everyone Else
On Tuesday I said that an unchurched first time guest wants at least three things… 1. To fit in with everyone else attending 2. To be anonymous 3. To get more information as they are ready Let’s talk about #1 today. A first time guest wants to fit in with everyone else attending. This means that you want to: Avoid … Read More