Assimilating and Retaining New Members in the Church

Assimilating and Retaining New Members in the

Church

Two Phases

Conversion Phase

Discipleship Phase

The Conversion Process

Now What?

The Discipleship Process Continues . . .

New Convert . . .

Discipleship

What it is and How it Works

Discipleship The concept of discipleship means that the process of

church membership involves the entire experience of the member.

The discipleship process does not stop at the moment of baptism, as is all too often the case.

Local churches and districts need to develop ways and means of including full discipleship processes into their regular church life program.

This process is called by various names: “body life,” “Christian living,” “responsible church membership,” etc.

The Importance of Discipleship

Discipleship is a word that describes a “churched” convert.

“Churched” means a Christian who is actively involved in the life of a local congregation by attendance, financial support, and participation in ministry, and who is growing spiritually.

The ultimate goal of any retention program is the on-going development of discipleship in the life of the church member.

The Framework for Discipleship

2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

2 Timothy 3:16, 17. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

The Framework for Discipleship

Teaching “All that Jesus taught”

“All Scripture”

Rebuking Showing the true values of Christian behavior and its various components

Correcting in Righteousness

Correcting world views and behavioral patterns of the old life and showing the “new creation” (Eph. 4:1, 20-24) believes, lives and acts.

Training in Righteousness

Learning the essence of the gospel and how to share it with others.

Discipleship and the Great Commission

Matt. 28:16-20Mark 16:14-20Luke 24:44-49John 20:19-23

Discipleship and the Great Commission - Matthew

Matthew 28: 16-20 indicates the teaching aspects of the Great Commission using the formula: Go-Make Disciples-Teach them. The original language of the New Testament indicates that this is a circular process.

Confirming new converts in the faith must include a Christian education program in the local church where they can learn “all that Jesus taught.”

Go Make Disciples Teach them

All one process

Discipleship and the Great Commission- Mark

Mark 16: 14-20 indicates that as the Great Commission is put into practice, miraculous things happen. So new converts can expect to see in-depth changes in their lives as a result. Church membership should produce dynamic changes in lifestyle, attitude, understanding and commitment to the cause of the Lord.

Discipleship and the Great Commission- Mark

The Great Commission in Mark also forms the basis for a regular revival system in the church, involving forgiveness, rehabilitation, and recommissioning of all church members.

Discipleship and the Great Commission- Luke

Luke 24: 44-49 indicates the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in the discipleship process and the dedication of the new member to service to humanity.

Discipleship and the Great Commission- John

John 20:19-23. The evangelistic “sending.” All disciples are called to share their faith and pass the gospel on to others. This “sending” involves modeling in our personal lives the various elements of discipleship.

Discipleship, New Members and Your

Church’s Personality

New Members and Your Church’s Personality

The personality of your congregation marks your new

members for better or for worse!

Is Your Church Here?

What Are the Biblical Signs of a Church Personality?

Allelon {al-lay'-lone}: one another, reciprocally, mutually

Allelon: The "One Another“

CommandsInter-RelationshipsMutual EdificationMutual ServiceNegative “One Another's”

Inter-Relationships

Love one anotherReceive one anotherGreet one anotherHave the same care

for one another

Submit to one another

Forebear one anotherConfess your sins to

one anotherForgive one another

Mutual Edification

Build up one anotherTeach one anotherExhort one anotherAdmonish one anotherSpeak to one another in Psalms,

hymns, and spiritual songs

Mutual Service

Be servants to one anotherBear one another's burdensUse hospitality to one anotherBe kind to one anotherPray for one another

Negative “One Another's”

Do not judge one anotherDo not speak evil of one anotherDo not murmur against one anotherDo not devour one anotherDo not provoke one anotherDo not envy one anotherDo not lie to one another

Basic Elements of a Discipleship System

DefinitionsHow to measure discipleship?Why do people drop out?What do new members not understand?What do new converts not know?What happens when a person visits the church for

the first time?What do new converts need to know?

Definitions

Evangelism: “To evangelize is so to present Christ Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit, that men and women shall come to put their trust in God through Him, to accept Him as their Savior, and serve Him as their Lord in the fellowship of His Church.”

Definitions

Unchurched. An individual who does not participate in the spiritual life of any congregation except possibly by rare attendance at events such as weddings, funerals, etc.

Definitions

Accession: To add a member to the membership rolls of the Seventh -day Adventist church by baptism, profession of faith, or transfer.

New member: A recently accessioned member who is within the first months of church fellowship.

Definitions

Baptism: The event which marks the new believers entrance into the church and the local congregation

Definitions

Profession of faith: A term that describes how a person may enter membership other than by baptism.

Since Adventists affirm baptism by immersion, this term is reserved for those who have been baptized by immersion in another denomination and now choose to join the Adventist church by professing their faith, thus indicating they have accepted the Adventist beliefs and lifestyle.

Definitions

Transfer: A new member to a local congregation whose membership has come from another local church.

Definitions

Assimilate: To incorporate new believers and/or newly transferred members into the life of the congregation

Assimilation process: This phrase includes the whole process by which an individual moves through the various phases of the Engel Scale.

Definitions

Churched: A Christian who is actively involved in the life of a local congregation by attendance, financial support, and participation in ministry.

Definitions

Active membership: Members who attend church services regularly and reflect a lifestyle consistent with church beliefs and standards.

An individual moves through the various phases of the Engel Scale.

Definitions

Inactive: An individual who once was churched but who has voluntarily chosen, for whatever reason, to cease participation in congregational activities.

Dropout: Interchangeable with inactive. The term usually connotes that the individual has made a conscious choice to leave, and the congregation has given up hope of reclaiming the individual to active membership.

Definitions

Casually churched: An individual who claims to be a Christian and may even hold membership in a local congregation, but whose attendance is limited to special occasions or unique events, and whose participation or financial support is minimal to nonexistent.

Definitions

Apostasy: Abandonment of Christian doctrines or lifestyle.

Apostasy rate: The percentage of apostasies as compared to baptisms.

Definitions

Disfellowship: The removal of a member from church membership for disciplinary reasons.

The Church Manual now uses the term “remove from membership.”

Engel Scale

God’s Role Our Role People’s Response

Proclaim

Conviction

Reveal Awareness/little knowledge-8

-7

-3

-6-5-4

-2-1

-8

Per

suas

ion

First awareness

More understanding

Grasp implications

Positive attitude to gospelGrowth in knowledge

Decide to act

Repentance & faith

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Engel Scale

God’s Role Our Role People’s Response

Follow Up

Sanctification

New Creature

+2

+3

+4

+5

+1 Evaluation

Incorporation

Growth in knowledge & behaviorCommunion with God

Stewardship, witnessing

Page 41

Regeneration

Cultivation

Why do People Drop Out?

Call of the worldLack of fellowshipPersonality clashesForce of habit and

lifestyle issues

Problem 1- The call of the world

Friends, relatives, former lifestyle habits, examples of inconsistency in church members.

Sabbath problems at work.

Problem 2- Lack of Fellowship

Function Ratio Explanation

Friendship 1:7 Each new member should have a minimum of seven new friends in the church within the first six months.

Member/group involvement

75:100 75 of every 100 church members should be involved in a group.

New member group involvement

9:10 Nine of every ten new members should be involved in a small group.

Problem 3- Personality clashes with people in the

church

Problem 3- Personality clashes with people in the church

“Old guard” “gatekeeper” traditionalists who do not really want new members in the church because it disturbs the power structure.


Church members who “lock out” new members and don’t even know they are doing it.

They unconsciously want to “protect” their “church home” from “outside” influences, and they see this as a perfectly legitimate attitude in line with Christian “standards.


Intolerant church members who insist that new members must immediately meet their personal standards.


Impatience of church members with new member’s unfamiliarity with Adventist church practices.


Unfortunate use of Adventist “vocabulary” and lack of common sense in dealing with new members.


Inability of the new member to find a social “home” in the church.

“Locked out” new members is one of the most common reasons why people leave.

Problem 4- Force of Habit

People's lifestyle cause them to form habits that keep them from church.

Tired, too much to do, etc.

If someone is absent three Sabbaths in a row, If someone is absent three Sabbaths in a row, and no one knows where they are, it is a sign and no one knows where they are, it is a sign that something is wrong!that something is wrong!

What New Members Do Not

Understand

New members come from many different backgrounds and usually do

not understand many Adventist ways of doing things.

A New World Church

Right now only about 20% of world church members have any Adventist heritage.

The rest are all newBy 2020 only about 12% will

have any Adventist “heritage.”

Worship Practices

Other Protestants have a variety of schedules.

Roman Catholics have communion available at all kinds of times.Adventists have communion once a quarter.

Muslims pray five times a day.

Adventists pray whenever they feel like it.

Pentecostals all pray at the same time.

Adventist pray one by one.

Roman Catholics can go to mass at different times.

The Concept of “Studying”

Sabbath School lessonEGW booksAdventist literatureMissionary magazinesBible studies

Clean and Unclean Foods, Entertainment, etc.

Adventist Social Structure

Adventist Social Structure

Adventist Vocabulary

“Spirit” of Prophecy“Great Controversy”Union and DivisionThe “mark of the beast”

Adventist Vocabulary“The pen of inspiration”

Adventist Vocabulary“Spirit” of Prophecy

Adventist Vocabulary“Great Controversy”

Adventist Vocabulary“Union”

“Division”

Adventist Vocabulary

“Mark of the beast”

Building a Retention Program in Your Local

Church

What to Include and How to

Organize the System

Iceberg Principle

Relationships

Programs

The Key – Friendship Evangelism

Sabbath School Action UnitsSmall Groups

Visitors to the Church

Sabbath School Action Units

Care CoordinatorCare Coordinator

TeacherTeacher

Social systemSocial system

Small Groups

•Fellowship

•Learning

•Social system

Building the Social System

Go – Make Disciples - Teach

Building the Social System

Building a Retention Program in Your Local

ChurchSome things need

to be learned in a more formal educational setting.

What New Members Need to Learn

Adventist LifestyleThe Doctrines of the ChurchAdventist HistoryChurch Involvement

New Member Training Classes

Baptismal Class

New Members Class


It is also beneficial for church members to circulate through these classes on a rotating basis. – It allows church members to fellowship

with the new converts.– It is beneficial for church members to

review what is presented in the class for their own spiritual progress.

Rotating MembersDo not ask questions that confuse new

believersDo not criticize the churchDo not raise controversial theological issuesDo not bring up about in-depth prophetic

interpretationsDo not focus on Ellen White’s writings


An effective way to set up on-going training classes is on a 13 week cycle that parallels the Sabbath School.


A person can enter here and go all the way

around the cycle

Week 1

Week 3

Week 1

Week 4

Week 6Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Week 5

Week 2Week 12

Week 13

Key Elements for New Member Training Classes

1. Make every class a unit in itself. The purpose is that people can enter at any time and leave when the cycle is over.

2. Organize teaching teams for the classes. Don’t leave it to the pastor.

3. Rotate church members through the classes for their benefit and for fellowship with new members.

4. Have a carefully organized curriculum for the classes.

Three Keys to Success

1. Some people in the church should be trained to run these classes.

2. Do not leave it to the pastor, except as the pastor wishes to be involved. It is impossible for a pastor, especially of a large district, to even be physically present for all training classes.

3. Classes do not have to be given every week of the year. Organize the system and then implement it as the need arises.

New Member Training Using Sabbath School

Regular Sabbath School Classes

Baptismal Class

New Member Class

What Should be Taught?

Bible doctrines Adventist lifestyle Adventist history Discipleship and

church involvementConfirmation

Class

Bible Doctrines

The 7th day Sabbath Non-immortality of the soul The priesthood of Jesus (Sanctuary) Prophecies and the second coming The role of the remnant church The Spirit of Prophecy

Adventist Lifestyle Health principles Entertainment and recreation Dress and adornment The Christian home Devotion, worship and prayer Stewardship

Adventist History1844 and the beginnings of the churchKey peopleThe beginnings of the church in your

part of the worldThe international unity of the

Seventh-day Adventist Church

This knowledge builds an Adventist heritage into people’s thinking!

A New World Church

Right now only about 20% of world church members have any Adventist heritage.

The rest are all newBy 2020 only about 12% will

have any Adventist “heritage.”

Ellen White and the Spirit of Prophecy

Show people how to read Ellen White books

– Conflict of the Ages series

– Compilations on different subjects

How the Seventh-day Adventist Church is Organized

World Adventist Church

33%

8%

33%

3%

3%

2%

18%

Growth - 2002

Growth rate = 4.65% One Adventist for every 482

persons in the world.

Accessions 980,920Per day 2685.61Per hour 111.90Per minute 1.87

New church organized

every 3.63 hours

Basic Characteristics

Official language – English

Most spoken language - Spanish

Most Adventists per country:

Brazil – 1,063,962 members.

Key Local Church Concepts

The role of local church officials

The election processThe use of the Church ManualThe various leadership

positionsThe church financial systemThe role of the pastor

Local Church Concepts

PentecostalPentecostalRoman Catholic

Iglesia Ni CristoAdventist ChurchAdventist Church

Key World Church Concepts

What’s a Conference/Mission?What’s a Union?What’s a Division?What’s the General Conference?How does the election process work?What’s a “delegate?”

Seventh-day Adventist Teachings

Community and government involvement Multi-ethnicity and racial relations Wealth and poverty Occult practices The use of weapons Human rights War and peace Abortion and euthanasia Homosexuality The environment

Documents

Assimilating and Retaining New Members in the Church