How do you maximize Christmas? Of course, it begins by focusing on the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Everything we do from a leadership standpoint flows from the intentionality of lifting Him up. When we make Jesus the centerpiece of our ministry endeavors, there’s no way we can fail.

We need to see December as a month full of opportunity worth maximizing. We’ve already talked about the rise in attendance and visitors you’ll see this month. We’ve also talked about how to schedule outreach and special services. Now, let’s zero in on the follow-up. How will you ensure those first-time guests get the personal attention they deserve during the busiest time of the year?

Follow-Up Is Essential

Following up on your first-time guests is one of the most important parts of maintaining growth in a healthy church. Your catchy marketing may have enticed them. The people in your church invited them. And the level of creativity in the service kept their attention. But if you fail to follow up, you’ve dropped the ball.

Follow-up is often overlooked when planning December holiday services and outreach events. Keep this constantly on your radar as you approach any large-scale endeavor. For one, it sharpens your team to value people over programs. But it also sends the message you want to send: that each person is important to you.

It’s so vital that you get the entire staff involved in some way with follow-up. Those team members who lead age-specific ministries should greet visitors within their context, of course. The rest of the staff should share responsibilities for the other service areas. Clearly define and distribute tasks so that follow-up has the best chance of success.

New Christ Followers

The focus on Jesus Christ at Christmas should result in new lives coming into the Kingdom. That means it’s your responsibility to present the gospel in a clear way and then provide an opportunity for people to respond. Follow up first with those who indicate they want to receive Jesus into their hearts — and do it right away.

In Part 1, we talked about outreach and service events. If your church is not the primary partner for such an event, you may be limited in how you present the gospel.

That’s why it’s always important to understand clearly how you can incorporate the message of Jesus into a program that may involve other churches, or even secular agencies. At minimum, you’ll want the opportunity to invite each guest to your church for a special service at a later time.

The focus on Jesus Christ at Christmas should result in new lives coming into the Kingdom.

For outreaches that you are running yourself, don’t skip a salvation invitation! I never let a service go by without giving unsaved people in the pews an opportunity to accept Jesus. And the first follow-up can happen right then.

Whether it’s raising a hand and filling out a decision card, coming forward and saying a prayer together, or being paired up with a volunteer for individual prayer, the spiritual touchpoint that day will have an eternal impact.

One of the best follow-ups to any salvation decision is water baptism. Studies have shown that those who give a public profession of their faith are more likely to stick with it. And the sooner they do it, the better the chances are that they will follow through with discipleship.

Why not offer each person who receives Christ that day the chance to be baptized? Make it a part of the service — providing towels, a change of clothes and dressing rooms for each individual — and encourage them to follow through right away.

Whether you do it on the spot or not, make baptism a part of your discipleship pathway. And then give clear guidelines on how these new believers can get plugged into your church right away. The key is not to let another month pass without getting them on board. December may be busy, but following the Great Commission doesn’t take a holiday.

New Year, New Opportunities

The majority of your first-time guests are probably looking for a new church home. And the new year is an excellent opportunity to provide them one. Start the year off in January with a series focusing on a felt need that will interest them. Tie it into everyone’s good intentions of setting New Year’s resolutions. Provide a hook to reel them in to see what your church has to offer.

To do that, make your follow-up prompt and personal. The less time you wait before contacting first-time guests, the more likely they are to come back. And provide a personal touch. Maybe you as the senior pastor can give them a phone call. Or have staff members drop by the house for an in-person visit.

A great way to show your appreciation is to give a gift, like fresh-baked cookies or a gift card to your church’s coffee bar that is valid for the following Sunday. The point is to show genuine and authentic appreciation.

The increase in visitors you have in December can create momentum through the new year only if you are intentional about following up. The calendar has given you a great built-in opportunity to reach more people than usual. And God has given you the imperative to preach His gospel to those who don’t know Him.

When we make the invitation clear and follow up soon after, not only are we building healthy churches, but we’re creating disciples. And that’s what Jesus commanded us to do.