It seems like this is the time of year for you to share what you’ve been learning and putting into practice with me and the Church Leader Insights team. Here’s a note I recently received from Pastor Kevin Yandell, of New Community Christian Church in Morris, Illinois about some of the changes he’s made to his church’s Assimilation System: Hey … Read More
First Time Guests that Can’t Wait to Come Back
The Church Leader Insights team and I love to read your email about how God is using what we do to help you lead your churches and reach the unchurched. Here’s one such email I received recently from Pastor Al Marks and asked if I could share with you: I have to tell you a story from Sunday. A young … Read More
Igniting Growth In Your Church – Week 6 of 6
Welcome to the final post of my six-part blog series, “Igniting Growth In Your Church.” I trust that this weekly series has taken you to a new level in your understanding of how to keep your church’s evangelism temperature at the boiling point. If you haven’t already, make sure you pick up my new book, Ignite: How To Spark Immediate Growth … Read More
How to Follow Up with New People
With the popularity of the Fusion book and all of the other Assimilation resources and training that I get to do, you can imagine how much feedback and how many questions I get about how to best integrate, or “assimilate” new people into your church. Here’s one of the more common questions: Since we already email and call (and possibly … Read More
Will Fusion Work in Canada?
I love to hear all the success stories of how pastors and their churches are able to implement the principles of our various books, seminars and resources. Here’s an email I received recently about how this pastor (one of my current coaching participants) has been able to put the Fusion assimilation process to work in his church. Enjoy! We’re located … Read More
Assimilation – Can I follow-up on first time guests too quickly?
In Fusion and in all of my other Assimilation resources, I share how vital prompt follow-up is to connecting new people to your church. I teach a practical process to follow-up with first and second time guests multiple times in the days immediately following their visit to your church. Because of how strongly I emphasize that this follow-up happen quickly, … Read More
Q & A – Investing in Newcomers (Fusion)
Here’s a question I received and replied to recently regarding Fusion: Q: Thanks so much for writing the book Fusion, about getting people plugged into our church. I recently found and read it, and it’s been very helpful. I like the fact that you lay out a clear, practical plan to improve how we connect with newcomers and I truly … Read More
Newcomers Reception Sample
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