The promise is clear, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18).

Each week, God faithfully sends guests to your church. Sunday after Sunday, He sends a steady stream of guest families who represent those He desires to redeem spiritually. They are the volunteers you need, the tithers you seek, the musicians you want and the leaders you have been praying for. The question is: Do you know how to partner with God and connect first-time guests to the life of your church?

What if you could retain just one more family unit each week? One family unit a week represents 52 new families a year! For many churches, this would represent significant growth. Think of it: Simply by establishing a comprehensive assimilation strategy, your church could begin growing immediately.

Three Crucial Elements
A gesture of genuine hospitality is the first element your church needs. Each weekend, guests enter the life of your church as they share their time with you and your congregation. In response to their visit, I encourage churches to present a simple gift to their guests as an act of hospitality. This single act speaks volumes about the church’s culture and leaves a favorable lasting impression.

The second is an assimilation team. Regardless of church size, the formal establishment of this hands-on team is necessary. Don’t let the word “formal” scare you. Someone must take responsibility for identifying, tracking and reaching your guests. While it is true that helping people become a part of the church is everyone’s responsibility, I have found that “everyone’s responsibility” can easily become “no one’s responsibility” unless a formal team is in place.

Do you know how to partner with God and connect first-time guests to the life of your church? 

A weekly communication or connection card is the final component, and the key informational gathering piece of an assimilation strategy. In a real sense, it enables you to engage in a dialogue of sorts with everyone who attends your church on a given Sunday. Communication cards take the guesswork out of figuring out how many guests were in the service. A communication card standardizes your process and tracks your progress with guest retention.

Once you establish these elements, take it a step further by using the following seven-step retention strategy. According to our internal tracking in the North Texas District, churches that successfully implement this strategy consistently retain 20 to 25 percent of all first-time guests. In contrast, churches without a comprehensive assimilation strategy retain less than 10 percent.

The strength of the strategy is its sequential framework and flexibility. I suggest churches experiment with the timing of each step to discover what works best for their individual communities. Note that the first four steps immediately follow a guest’s first visit to your church.

Step 1: Thank-You Call
This brief Sunday afternoon call by a member of the assimilation team is a critical first step. A thank-you call within the first eight hours increases the potential of a return visit by 30 to 40 percent, in comparison to a first contact within the first 24 hours.

Step 2: Deliver Personal Gifts to the Guest’s Home Monday Night
Two team members deliver gifts on behalf of the church and pastor.

To alleviate safety concerns, do not enter a guest’s home, even if someone offers. The newcomer will probably be glad you decline.

Step 3: Send a First-Time Guest Letter from the Church by Tuesday or Wednesday
Personalize this form letter by a handwritten note on the bottom of the page. If you met them, recall an important piece of information from the conversation.

Step 4: Senior Pastor Call
The Saturday following their first visit, the senior pastor initiates a brief call. This includes a thank-you and an invitation to come back tomorrow. If the pastor did not greet the guest on the first visit, this connection assures the guest of the pastor’s desire to connect personally.

Steps 5 and 6 are initiated upon each guest’s subsequent visit to the church.

Step 5: Senior Pastor Calls Second-Time Guests on Sunday Afternoon
Guests returning to the church for a second visit signal that the church is on their short list of churches worthy of consideration as a home church. No one is better equipped than the senior pastor to answer any questions they may have. This second visit also triggers a second-time guest letter.

Step 6: Send Third-Time Guest Letter
Third-time guests are indicating, “We want this to be our church home.”

To affirm this, sign the third-time guest letter, “Your Pastor.” Additionally, invite all third-time guests to a monthly/bimonthly dessert night at the pastor’s home. (The visitor flow will determine the frequency of this social gathering.)

Key to the success of the event is the invitation into the pastor’s home. Including other key church leaders in this dessert night ensures the establishment of the broader relational networks. There is only one rule for this event: Do not discuss deep questions about the church. This is purely a social event.

Step 7: Communicate Appropriate Next-Step Opportunities
Regularly scheduled newcomers’ and membership classes create clear paths for deeper connection to the church family.

These seven steps create a framework every church can use in growing the local church.

This article first appeared in the February-March 2016 issue of Influence magazine.