Earlier this year, Kara (not her real name) visited our church with a friend. Not only had she been away from church for decades, but Kara was also deeply involved in witchcraft.

That Sunday morning, however, Kara and her friend came forward together during the invitation. Weeping, Kara repented of her sins and received Christ as Savior.

Kara shared her contact information and accepted an invitation to attend Connections, a ministry for new converts that meets immediately after worship.

That first week, Kara discarded her occult paraphernalia, joined a Bible study, and connected with a number of Christians who reached out to encourage her.

Over the next two months, Kara was baptized in water, became a church member, and received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. She also brought family members and friends to church and saw her two children come to Christ.

Kara’s story is remarkable but not unusual. Her experience at the altar and the follow-up support she received are part of our congregation’s standard approach to making and retaining disciples.

Although our church is 56 years old, more than 10% of Sunday attenders have been Christians for less than 18 months. Every week, people come to the altars for salvation. Nearly all welcome discipleship, grow in their faith, and develop relationships within the church community.

It wasn’t always this way. We used to count raised hands to determine who had made spiritual decisions, only to find that few of those individuals ever became integrated into the life of our church.

So, what changed?

Rethinking Conversions

We started by asking questions: Do people understand their salvation decisions? Are new converts growing as Christ followers? Are they taking spiritual steps — and doing so quickly, as in the Early Church? And are they ultimately becoming disciples who make disciples?

Whenever the answer was “no,” we adjusted our methods and ministries. As a result of this discovery process, we made at least nine crucial changes in our church culture.

1. We emphasized salvation and relationships. Following Jesus’ teaching in Luke 15, we prioritized the lost. Our ministry focus is helping the unchurched and dechurched engage, belong and stay.

Personal relationships are at the heart of everything we do. This emphasis helps everyone feel welcome and represented.

2. We became more intentional about teaching Pentecostal distinctives. Over the past two years, hundreds of people have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

I am convinced that without this increased focus on the Spirit’s work, we would not be witnessing weekly salvations.

3. We made salvation altar calls the climax of every service. At the end of each message, we have an invitation, with the house lights up and worship team singing.

The first altar call is for people to respond specifically to the sermon. The second is a salvation presentation.

Volunteers walk the aisle with those who respond, as the congregation cheers. Our pastor prays the sinner’s prayer with everyone who comes forward. Volunteers then collect their information and invite them to Connections.

It is important to interact personally with people who respond to a call for salvation, making sure they understand their need, prayer, decision, and next step.

4. We restructured our new believer discipleship process. Our goal is protecting the gospel seed the moment it takes root in a person’s heart. This is why we created Connections. The four-week program teaches faith basics, covering connections to God, His family, His process, and His mission. Individuals can join at any point.

When new believers finish Connections, they transition to another group that digs deeper into Christian fundamentals. Most Connections participants move to the next step because they’ve already formed relationships with one another.

If we fail to build connections and incorporate new believers into the
life of the church,
we can’t expect
them to keep
showing up.

5. We started conversations. In both groups, the approach is relational rather than programmatic. In a living room setting near the worship center, we sit in a circle and talk about our spiritual journeys over light refreshments.

After everyone has shared, we read Scriptures on foundational faith topics. Additionally, we explain why personal Bible reading is important and how to start.

6. We formed connections. We pair each convert with a Connector — a trained volunteer who provides relational support. Connectors are the first Christian friends many new believers have.

Connectors accompany new Christians during their early spiritual steps, helping them find a place of belonging.

Befriending each believer is like packing good soil around seeds. It helps insulate them against the enemy’s attacks and life’s distractions (Matthew 13:19,22).

Relationships are vital to retention. If we fail to build connections and incorporate new believers into the life of the church, we can’t expect them to keep showing up.

7. We involved the congregation in outreach. We started training Connectors by inviting several spiritual leaders to help us during response times.

Connectors offer to walk with individuals who raise their hands for salvation, remain with them during the salvation prayer, invite new believers to Connections, exchange contact information, and follow up during the week.

Once congregants started participating in spiritual transformations, they were hooked. The entire church has become more attuned to what God is doing in our midst.

Laypeople who are personally engaged in evangelism and discipleship make for a healthier church. The pastoral staff regularly participates in Connections as well, but this ministry is no longer dependent on us.

8. We altered our metrics. Rather than counting attenders, we started tracking spiritual transformations — a metric that aligns with Scripture (Acts 2:41; 4:4).

New Testament authors reported salvations, water baptisms, healings, and Holy Spirit infillings. The Early Church multiplied as new converts became active in worship, giving, evangelism and leadership.

We have found that more than 90% of the people making salvation decisions during altar calls are developing relationships within the church.

Over the past 18 months, 85% of new believers started a process of ongoing discipleship. They are getting baptized, joining small groups, becoming church members, serving, and participating in outreach.

Our emphasis on relationships over attendance numbers creates an atmosphere of inclusivity and family. Connectors stay in touch with new believers and encourage their spiritual growth.

Some converts eventually go on to become Connectors, and the cycle repeats.

9. We communicated results. To encourage evangelism and reception of new people, we started sharing transformation stories through videos and personal interviews.

These testimonies are energizing. They keep seekers and new believers at the center of our ministries. They also inspire members to live the gospel outside of church by loving their neighbors and serving the community.

The Mission

Last year, a new member of our Connections group asked me, “Is six hours too long to read the Bible every day?

“I can’t stop reading,” she explained. “It’s like the Bible is alive!”

This woman is still reading her Bible and experiencing the life-changing power of the gospel. She has recovered from debilitating depression. Her marriage was restored, and she led her husband to Christ. She loves to pray and regularly shares her faith with others.

Pew Research Center reports that about 3 in 10 U.S. adults today are religiously unaffiliated. Yet according to Barna Group, 74% of Americans want to grow spiritually, and 44% say they are more open to God than they were before the pandemic.

There is a vast mission field in our own backyards. Are we reaching the lost and making disciples? When people come to church and accept Christ, do they feel supported enough to stay and belong?

The Holy Spirit is drawing people to Jesus. Our mission is to invite them, welcome them, walk with them, and teach them. When we open our eyes to this work, we will see that the fields truly are ripe for harvest (John 4:35).

This article appears in the Summer 2024 issue of Influence magazine.