It is important to move along a path that has a definite starting point, important milestones and a destination when assimilating people into your church.
Assimilation is integration into the local church as one moves from being merely a guest to becoming a fully engaged, responsible member of the local body of Christ.
Assimilation is simply well-planned biblical hospitality through service.
It can be defined as the process used to encourage your first time guest to continue coming back until they see and understand God's power, accept Jesus as their Savior and commit themselves to the local church through membership.
Turning first time church guests into fully developing church members is a spiritual responsibility for any church and church leader.
After implementing the principles of assimilation at The Journey church they grew from 35 in 2002 to 110 by November of 2002. A year later in November they had 300. In November of 2006 they had over 1,000 with an average of 35 first time guests each week.
It is not enough to do your best. You must know what to do and then do your best.
The more prepared a church is to receive guests the more guests it receives.
Assimilation leads to life transformation by giving people the means and opportunity to become maturing followers of Christ.
In Gal. 4:19 Paul says that he would that Christ would be fully formed in us. Assimilation makes that happen. A strong strategic assimilation system assures that newcomers will stay long enough to respond to Christ's pull.
We care about numbers because numbers represent lives.
Circles of Commitment (Rick Warren)
Community (low commitment/low maturity)
Crowd
Congregation
Committed
Core (high commitment/high maturity)
The goal of a living church is to move people from low commitment/low maturity to high commitment/high maturity.
Ratio of first timers to regular attenders.
A healthy ratio of first timers to regular attenders is 5 guests for every 100 regulars.
3/100 = a church in maintenance mode
5/100 = a steady growing church
7 to 10/100 = a rapidly growing church
GFC average attendance in 2010 was 361
GFC guests per week in 2010 was 14
GFC ratio of first time guests to regular attenders is 4/100
Assimilation Ratio
Finding out our assimilation ratio: How many regular attenders?
How many guests we have?
How many of those guests stay?
Our Assimilation Rate - (use numbers from Oct since those are good growth months.)
1. Average attendance number in Oct 2009 (two years ago) = 283
2. Average attendance number in Oct 2010 (one year ago) = 355
3. Net growth (subtract two year old number from one year old number) = 73 is our net growth.
4. Total number of first time guests during this period of time = 236
5. Divide net growth by total number of first time guest = 31%
6. Divide 1 by that number to get second ratio number. Round to nearest digit and get your assimilation ratio = 1/ 3.225
This represents the number of first time guests we are keeping.
Most churches experience 1/20 assimilation rate but ideally you want to aim for 1/3.
Just because you have a strong rate doesn't mean you are doing all you can do.
The Assimilation System:
Design a system that works for your church.
What works for city dwelling 20 - 30 somethings may not work for suburban 40 - 50 somethings.
The three step assimilation process;
1. Turn a first-time guest into a second-time guest.
2. Turn a second-time guest into a regular attender.
3. Turn a regular attender into a fully developing member.
You must make the transition clear.
You must fully understand the necessary thought process and actions needed for people to take each step toward regular attendance.
You must articulate exactly what needs to happen for regular attenders to become members.
You also need to have a plan in place that will encourage every new person to achieve these goals.
Newcomers are looking for guidance from us.
Assimilation Buzzwords.
Return, Relationships, Responsibility, Stay, Stick, Serve.
Learn to create a vocabulary using these words.
One of the keys to assimilation is RELATIONSHIP
Relationships are the glue that encourages a second time guest to stick.
Responsibilities such as serving, lead to the sense of ownership that precedes membership.
The Power of First Impressions
Seven minutes is all you get to make a positive first impression. In the first seven minuets a guest will know whether or not they are coming back. That's before a single song is sung and before a sermon is preached.
They are taking in the atmosphere and the people's friendliness.
Creating an environment where first time guests feel welcomed and respected is the key to successful assimilation.
The Pre-Service
Your pre-service mission is to make every effort to take your guest's guard down and even put a smile on their face before the service begins.
Four initial areas of contact through which you can influence your guests by controlling how they are: greeted, directed, treated and seated.
GREETED - Everything speaks to first time guests. The condition of your building, your sign, your grass and your parking.
Gut level decisions are already being made.
You must make sure you are sending a welcoming message.
Just do the best you can with what you have is one way to define excellence.
Exa - be sure grass is mowed, have good signage, touch up chipped paint, sweep up trash.
What message is your building communicating?
The most critical part of the "greeted" area of initial contact is who
your guests meet when they get to the front door -your greeters.
A friendly face with a warm smile speaks volumes.
Greeters should give the message "We are nice people and we are glad you are here."
Make sure greeters understand the importance of their job and know exactly what is expected of them.
Teach them to say smile and say "Hello".
McDonalds offers free french fry if employes don't smile. They do that because they recognize the importance of a smile.
We can pick up a smile from 30 meters (almost 100 feet) away.
A smile lowers opposition.
Smiles should include eye contact.
DIRECTED - Guests should be quickly, simply, and politely shown where they need to go. Preferably by sign and a volunteer.
No signs creates confusion and confusion creates anxiety.
Train people to look for those that don't seem to know where they need to go and then to direct them.
They shouldn't just point the way but they should take them.
TREATED - Guests want to feel respected and welcomed.
Churches have let the customer service aspect of ministry slide.
Ken Blanchard says the secret to environments that will wow guests is to always deliver your vision plus one percent.
This means deliver excellence not just sometimes but all the time. Consistency is critical because it creates credibility. So how do you consistently add that one percent that makes their experience a little sweeter? FOOD. It isn't associated with comfort and pleasure for nothing.
Food is our common ground, a universal experience. It provides a welcoming, comforting treat in any situation. Consider Starbucks - it acts as a security blanket for millions of people every day. People feel more comfortable if they have an 8 oz. styrofoam cup to hide behind. Providing food and drink is one of the best ways to show your guest that you care about them, and it's a sure way to put them at ease.
Food can go a long way toward wowing your guest. However, don't skimp on food. This is not the area to try to save a nickel. Food is your chance to show unchurched people that you care about them enough to offer them something for free that will meet a need.
SEATED - Letting guests seat themselves is a terrible idea. It forces them to walk past isles of filled rows, looking for empty seats.
They will probably end up toward the back where they probably won't have to truly engage in the worship service.
The usher should ask those already seated to slide toward the middle so guests can have seats.
By the time your guest finds a seat they have already made a judgment about your environment, interacted with people who left an impression, figured out how to navigate your hallways and found themselves a seat. This is more than enough experience for that gut feeling to have been firmly formed.
This impression becomes the lens through which they view everything else in the service.
If you create a raving fan in pre service they will engage in the rest of your service with a highlighted enthusiasm.
Making Contact
Colossians 4:5 says make the most of every opportunity. To do this with first time guests means we get contact information from them.
Without contact information the assimilation process breaks down.
Getting information is a primary goal.
So what's the best way to do this? The most successful method is "The Communication Card".
If you're organized you should get 80% of first time guests filling out cards.
Put card in the program and put the program in the hand of your guest.
It's a good idea to also pass out pens. This removes any excuse for not filling it out.
Announcement for Communication Card- Please pull out your communication card. If you are a regular attender or a member, please fill out your name and email address. If you are a first time guest... welcome...(add here whatever you want to say to welcome them). Then ask every one to fill their card out right then (front only).
Having everyone fill out a card makes guests feel less conspicuous and they feel like they better do it because everyone else is. (Peer Pressure).
Guests don't want to be singled out in any way. This prevents that.
After the sermon draws to a close the teaching pastor asks first time guests only to pull out their communication card again and fill out the back. The back should have "Next Steps" the guest can take: Exa.- Small groups their interested in, membership information, commitment to being there through the rest of the sermon series, baptism, prayer needs.
Here you mention the first time gift when you turn in your card.
This is a proven way to get your guest the best possible opportunity to step out of their comfort zone and turn over closely held information.
Having everyone fill out the card makes guests feel more comfortable because they aren't alone.
Everyone fills out a card every week.
(give copy of communication card #1).
Guests prefer to be invisible and that means not asking them to do something that everyone else isn't doing.
Also, having everyone fill out the Guest card enables you to keep attendance of everyone.
You can also have a section for regular attenders to "take the next step".
Plus you can get updated contact information (have a box where regular attenders and members check if their information has changed so you don't have to cross reference).
To help members accept the idea of filling out the card every week you can explain at New Members class that you do this because guests are more likely to give you their much needed information.
Only ask for much needed information. Don't ask for date - men are less likely to finish the card if they don't know the date.
Don't ask for children's ages and birthdays. Asking too much will make some people skeptical and give them an excuse to not fill out the card. You can get all this information at New Members.
People are more likely to do what you ask them to do if they think they see a personal benefit. They will give you what you want if they get something in return. They are also more likely to engage if you challenge them to take an action step. When asked what the next step is we usually will identify one. Rarely will we let that question slide.
"Next steps" on the back of the communication card challenge guests, regular attenders and members to respond. They are also more likely to turn their card in if they have checked a box or given a response.
The "next step" could relate specifically to what has been preached. For example a message on forgiveness could have a place to check indicating you need prayer to forgive. Or you will commit to memorize the sermon passage. Of course include places for membership, baptism and ministry opportunity.
At the end of the service when we take the offering we give an opportunity to drop guest card in the offering. We announce a free gift for all who do that can be redeemed on their way out. We've found it is best to stack a table with free books to pick up on the way out. This makes the process quick, anonymous and painless.
To institute the effective use of guest cards you have to receive the offering at the end of the service. If you give them a chance to respond to your message, challenge them to take the next step after the preaching and then have them put their card in the offering, I guarantee a sharp increase in your rate of assimilation. Effectively using the Communication Card is the key to a healthy assimilation system.
Creating Fans Through Follow-Up
Not following up is like filling the bathtub without first putting the stopper in the drain.
The three F's of Follow-up:
• Fast - Our world expects immediacy
• Friendly - Make them feel valued instead of sending something that resembles a mass form bailout.
• Functional - Convey information in a simple and straightforward way. Take the opportunity to invite them back.
Follow up happens in two phases: post service follow-up and post weekend follow-up.
Post service follow up - offering free gift gives you the perfect opportunity to begin your follow-up. When your guest picks up their free book there is a letter from the pastor tucked inside. The letter thanks them for coming and invites them to fill out the first time guest survey on your website.(give copy of 1st time guest survey #2).
For guests who want more information, have a guest table. Announce this in closing remarks. A guest table is preferable to a guest reception. People are on the run. They want to grab their free stuff and a little literature and be on their way. The idea of mingling in a social environment even for 5-10 minutes is intimidating and constraining to them. Psychology tells us that most people will avoid such a social scenario out of shyness or fear.
Post weekend follow-up - Monday is the greatest day of the week when it comes to your post - weekend follow-up. Within a day and a half (36hours) every one of your first time guests should receive an email that (1) thanks them for attending and (2) invites them back. (give copy of 36 hour email response #3). This email is almost the same as the letter they receive when they attend. This is in case they didn't pick up their free book. You should also include a direct link to your first time guest survey on your website. With just one click they can share their thoughts on their experience.
Through trial and error we have found that the best time to send your follow-up email is between 2:00 - 3:00 P.M. on Monday. Most people don't check their email on Sunday and have so many emails on Monday morning that yours will get lost in the shuffle. By 2:00 or 3:00 people are caught up and looking for a distraction.
The on line survey does not ask any questions that require a negative critique. We don't want to reinforce a negative experience. If something is bad they will tell it in their overall impression question.
(Give sample first time guest personal handwritten note #4)
The 96 hour snail mail means that by Thursday afternoon for the week you should have a personal note in the hands of every person who gave you a mailing address. It should be handwritten and be accompanied by a small appropriate gift. You can also include a postcard from your current message series or some other piece of relevant information. Lots of churches use computer program with form letters so a hand written letter takes it to the next level. What catches your eye when you go to the mail? Usually it's the hand written envelopes. You want to make them feel special and not like they are just names in a computer generated form system. The gift can be something that meets a need like a gas gift card. Starbucks cards don't meet needs so we don't recommend them for the first gift.
Growing churches spend $400.00 - $500.00 on evangelism for each person who walks throughout the door as a first time guest. It's always harder to get a return visit than an initial visit. This is not an expense rather and investment in keeping the unchurched.
One Month Follow up letter
(Give sample one month follow-up letter #5)
Your focus should always be on first time guests but if someone visited and then a month later they haven't returned you can send out one more letter. You are giving them one last chance. It's not unusual for people to visit your church and then go other places. Your letter may be the nudge then needed to return to your church. This is more important than you think. People tend to fall back into their routine and your letter is reminding them of their initial experience. You can also include a CD of a recent message.
First response team
So who has the time to do all this? That's where the first response team comes in. This is a group of volunteers who meet every Monday afternoon to help with all of the follow-up correspondence. They can write the handwritten notes and sign for the teaching pastor. The note should come from who ever preached the Sunday they visited. The guest will relate to whoever preached the message.
The Magic of Momentum
When guests come back a second time you have won 80% of the battle. They are saying "OK I'm interested. I want to know more."
Communicating with Your Second-time Guests
0. Encourage them to check the "second time guest" box. - you can say this during your guest card announcement.
1. Encourage deeper involvement through a next step. - now that their back you want to get them to connect in some way.
Next steps are important for first time guests but they are usually not ready to commit. Now you are asking them to get involved in a serving opportunity, get in a small group or attend a special event. Make sure you follow up on the next step information.
Pointed repetition is important here. It usually spurs people on to action. People are more likely to respond when given several opportunities. The first time you introduced the communication card was during the announcements when you asked them to fill out the front of the card. Now you want to mention it several times during the message. If you are preaching on the importance of having other believers in your life you could say "Look at the back of your card. If you know you need other believers in your life you can do this by taking out the card and taking the next step to attend our Coffeehouse this Friday night where you can meet other believers.
The key is to give second timers an opportunity for action at the moment he or she is thinking "You know what, he's right. I do need more believers in my life." You can refer to the card several time during your message. This is your chance to strike while the iron is hot.
Then of course you bring the card up again at the end of the service by asking them to drop it in the offering.
The communication card is your guests single point of response to your message. It negates the need for sign up sheets in the church lobby and other similar mechanisms.
In working with countless churches we have found that keeping the communication centralized to one place -the card- is the most effective way of encouraging people to indicate their interest and the best way to simplify communication for you.
One side of the card has standard responses -things that are the same from week to week. The other side are customized weekly based on the message and events. In the customized section we always try to have at least three action steps that relate to the topic of the message and one that encourages an assimilation step. If you are not able to customize weekly just be sure you have a wide range of response options.
Ubiquity is defined as "presence everywhere at the same time". Ubiquity is what you get when you have a strong assimilation system in place. If you've established a strong pre-service that allows you to greet, direct, treat and seat your first time guests then won't you automatically be doing the same for other attenders as well? It may be geared toward first timers but it does the same for second timers, guests, regular attenders, and members by default. This system is ubiquitous...it exists everywhere at the same time.
Following Up With Your Second-Time Guests
36 Hour Second Time Email Response:
(Give sample of 36 hour second time email response #6)
When it comes to follow-up with your second time guest it looks much like the first time follow-up. You should send an email that will arrive between 2:00 - 3:00 P.M. on the Monday immediately after the second visit. You want to accomplish 3 things:
2. thank them for returning
3. Invite them to fill out the second time guest survey (Give sample of second time guest online survey#7)
4. Give them more opportunities to get plugged in and include a link in the email that will help them take a Next Step (this is the new part)
For example, if the second visit falls during a small group sign up include a link to your website that give more information and online sign up. If you want to encourage them to volunteer mention it in the email and link to a page with more information. You are looking for anything that will get them to take the next step. Getting second time guests involved in situations where they can connect is key to making them stick.
The information from second time guest surveys is always more powerful than what we get from first time. Second time guests are willing to give more opinion than first timers. Although we don't want to get critique from first timers we do want it from second timers. With second timers their critique pulls them in and doesn't pull them away.
96 Hour Second Time Snail-Mail Response:
(give 96 hour second time snail mail #8)
Make sure Your second time guests receive a letter in the mail no later than Thursday after the Sunday of their second visit. This time don't send a handwritten note. Let them know that you understand the significance of their return visit. Include information on how to get involved. This letter content will be similar to the e-mail they just received. To get the WOW factor also include another small gift in this follow up letter.
Remember, that which gets rewarded gets repeated. This time do a fun gift like a Starbucks card. This shows you care. It is very important to meet and exceed your second time guests expectations so that they will continue the process toward becoming regular attenders.
Sticky Situations
Many people who attend your church want to get involved but they don't know how. Relationships won't just happen. If they don't connect relatively soon they'll probably be gone in 6 months.
Two Roads In a Second Time Guests Life.
Second time guests have two roads they can go down.
Road one requires you taking the time and effort to guide them. This is where they will build relationships, meet others, and get involved. Within a few weeks they will know people care about them.
Road two is the road most churches allow second time guests to travel down. They are pretty much left on their own with little insight on how to connect. Most churches fail to recognize the importance of plugging in second time guests.
The more friends a person has in a church the less likely they are to become inactive or leave the church.
If you want second timers to stick you must realize relationships are the glue but you have to get them involved in sticky situations.
We have discovered three effective engagement opportunities that give people the best chance to be comfortable getting involved:
• small groups
• fun events
• service teams
Small Groups - Small groups are the single best way to close the back door.
Fun Events - They are low pressure, low commitment, and lots of fun. In general churches see their number of guests increase early in the year and then again in the fall. Keep that in mind when planning fun events. Also plan events around things people do anyway.
Service Teams - We believe many areas of service can be opened to those who don't yet have a relationship with Christ such as helping with refreshments or ushering people to their seats. Service opportunities moves them further along the continuum of the assimilation process. Serving will be invigorating and renewing for your guest.
The Role of Responsibility
Responsibility and ownership go hand in hand. When we are given responsibility we feel a sense of ownership over what we are responsible for. Ownership and responsibility are inseparable. As your church becomes their church people will move toward membership.
The Three R's of Retention:
Return, Relationships, Responsibility. The entire assimilation system can be boiled down to this. When first time guests visit the first goal is to earn a return visit. When they did return your goal was to introduce them to environments and situations that would encourage relationships. As they move from second timers to regular attenders your now thinking about how to move them toward responsibility. No matter how well you preach if your newcomers don't find relationship and take on responsibility in the church they will not stay long.
These three words are your assimilation mantra.
Making the Mental Shift
As long as people are not taking on responsibility they will approach church with a consumerist mentality. They fall into the dangerous attitude "What is the church doing for me?" mindset. They are takers and not givers. Only when they engage in the body as God intended will they truly feel like it is their church.
The three most effective ways to encourage your attenders toward membership work together with incredible synergy.
5. Encourage membership through multiplying service opportunities.
6. Encourage membership through teaching.
7. Encourage membership through regular signups.
Let's look more closely at these.
8. Encourage membership through multiplying service opportunities:
9. As you provoke people with the opportunities to serve you and the church you are serving them by providing them with an outlet to take on responsibility and become more deeply connected. Given this truth one of the best ways to encourage membership is to multiply your service opportunities. Provide regular attenders with more ways to serve more often. Never let a lack of opportunity stand in the way of someone who wants to serve. Always think about how you can do more with more people. I would have an usher for every row if more people were willing to serve.
In working with many regular attenders who are not yet believers, we face the question of how spiritual maturity factors into different areas of service. Can an attender serve in any area or are there restrictions. We use the Ladder Principle.
Think of serving opportunities like a ladder, with each ascending rung of the ladder representing a higher level of service. Your regular attenders need to begin climbing the rungs of the ladder while they are still unbelievers. The climb itself will move them toward a deeper knowledge of God. However on a certain point on the ladder, the rungs become accessible to those who are already believers. Unbelievers can't count the offering but they can take the offering. They can play instruments but they can't sing.
2 Encourage membership through teaching:
Be on the lookout for opportunities to teach membership as an answer to the problems your people are facing. Also set aside specific Sundays to teach on membership
3. Encourage membership through regular sign ups:
Once a regular attender decides they want to join how clear is the process? A large number of churches have no clear cut system for joining. They expect prospective members to call the office, talk to the pastor or stop by the resource table. You need a clear, simple way of getting people plugged into the next step - Membership Class. As mentioned earlier the membership card is the way we do it. At any point regular attenders can check a box for membership, baptism, etc and we will get them plugged in. Also try teaching about membership when there is a membership class coming up.
The Problem of Meager Membership
Many churches shy away from pushing membership due to the fear of scaring people away. Church membership is not optional and should not be viewed as such. If you don't encourage your regular attenders to become members you are doing them a disservice.
Full Circle
Commencement is a word of double meaning. It is defined as a beginning. But it also represents an end. Membership Class is the commencement ceremony for your assimilation process. When someone joins they are taking the final steps of the assimilation journey. They are saying I want to be a part of this family.
Evangelism to Assimilation and Back Again.
The heart of assimilation is to introduce new people to God and help them become fully developing followers of Jesus Christ. Membership is a measurement of how well your attenders are developing spiritually. When they join you have amplified permission to disciple them on a deeper level and hold them accountable to seek God. Once they are fully developed they are a voice in the world for His Church. This is how the assimilation system come full circle. An assimilated member is someone who will inevitably turn back toward evangelism. That evangelism continues the flow of first time guests into your congregation each week.
Level of Readiness:
God will never give you more than you are ready to receive. The number of people that come forward corresponds to the number of volunteers you have in place to receive them. God works in conjunction with our lever of readiness. He won't give us more than we are ready to handle. Always have more resources in place than you think you need. If we give away a new book we'll have 20% more books than we think we need.
The assimilation system takes about 6 months to start seeing results. Break the system onto small steps and take the first step right away. The first goal is to earn a return visit from your first time guest. So start doing something to accomplish that.
Heres are seven things you can do right away.
10. Buy note card and start handwriting follow-up notes for first timers
11. Change your Communication Card to ask for only relevant information.
12. Put up signs to direct people toward your restrooms, children's, and so forth.
13. Take a hard look at your building - cut grass, clutter, paint.
14. Start offering generous, enticing refreshments.
15. Place smiling, friendly greeters at front door.
16. Put together assimilation volunteer team and study this book.
The assimilation process will show you how many things you are already doing that need to be taken to the next level.
The Assimilation System Outline
First Time Visit:
A person attends Grace for the first time and fills out a Communication Card.
Following the service, the first time guest receives a free book with a printed letter in it. and can visit the Fresh Start Table to ask questions or talk with a member or staff person.
The guest receives an email within 36 hours of attending a Grace Service. This email includes a link to an online survey that encourages feedback from the first visit and connects the person to Grace's website.
The guest receives a handwritten note in the mail within 96 hours of attending a Grace service. In addition to a postcard describing the current message series, this note includes an unexpected gift to wow first time guests. The gift is relevant to the target demographic.
The person receives a typed letter in the mail approximately on month after the first visit. Included in the letter are another gift and an audio message CD from a prior service.
Second Time Visit:
A person attends Grace for the second time and again fills out a Communication Card.
The person receives an email within 36 hours of the second visit. This email focuses on a specific way the person can get connected at Grace.
The person receives a typed letter in the mail within 96 hours of the second visit. Included in the letter is a second surprise gift that someone in the target demographic would appreciate.
Regular Attender:
A regular attender is encouraged and has opportunities to sign up for service teams, Play Groups, Growth Groups, baptism, and Membership Class on a weekly basis.
The regular attender is eligible to attend Membership Class after attending Grace regularly for two months.
The Journey's Assimilation Process:
Mission
The Journey exists to give the people of New York City the best opportunity to become fully developing follower of Jesus. As part of this overall mission The Journey's Assimilation System exists to move people forward along a three step process.
1. From being first time guests to becoming second time guests.
2. From being second time guests to becoming regular attenders.
3. From being regular attenders to becoming fully developing members.
Cost Analyst for Guest Gifts:
First guest gift $5.00 per person
Second guest gift $5.00 per person
Total per guest $10.00
Multiplied by 10 guests each week = $100.00 per week
Multiplied by 4 (representing 1 month) = $400.00 per month
