You know the scene. You have witnessed it happen time and again. A church guest walks into your Sunday School class for the first time. The excitement grows, but so does the anxiety. The questions begin to crowd your mind? Did I prepare well enough? Will Jill be pushy as usual? Will the guest feel overwhelmed? Will they enjoy the class and come back?
These questions and more come to our mind when trying to connect with prospective members. We want prospective members to join our class for many reasons, the most important being that we truly desire them to grow in their relationship to Jesus. So how can we connect with these prospective members? Below are a few ways we can connect with prospective members who visit our churches.
- Make a Joyful First Impression
While welcoming facilities are important, they are not as important as a joyful first impression. Guests do not expect nor really need a gift bag, but what they do need is joy. From the greeters to the ushers, to the members, show the joy of knowing and growing in Jesus. Joy is inherent in the church and can be felt by those who visit. Help them feel and know the joy of following Jesus through genuine smile, laughter, and insightful questions.
- Make an Intentional Appeal
Many of our guests do not know the various options for Sunday School and since most Sunday School times take place before the service, they do not have the opportunity visit the same day they attend worship. One of the ways to help people connect is for the pastor and/or person who is making the announcements to share what is happening in Sunday School. Avoid listing classes. Highlight a class each Sunday and share what God is doing through that class. This helps to show the vibrant nature of the class and makes it more appealing to prospective members.
- Make a Personal Connection and Follow-up
One of the most effective ways to connect with prospective members is for Sunday School teachers to make a personal invitation to the guest to visit the class. Encourage teachers to carry extra lesson guides or handouts with them so when they invite a prospective member, they have something to hand them that will be informative of the next class. Additionally, if a guest visits the class be sure to personally follow-up with that person within 48 hours.
God brings prospective members to our churches and when he does, we can take a simple approach to connecting with them. Let’s make a joyful first impression, an intentional appeal, and a personal connection. These three tips can help take a connection to a marriage between the church and the individual.
by Brad Delaughter, PhD, First Baptist Church, De Soto, MO
