Lesson 16. Attracting, Winning, and Retaining People
A. Attracting Visitors
1. Tracked people receiving Holy Ghost at New Life over 10 years who were candidates for membership, about 75% of total who received Holy Ghost; method of attracting them to church
2. Advertising: sign, newspaper, direct mail, radio, formerly mostly Yellow Pages, now mostly Internet: 10%
3. Cold contacts: canvassing, street, nursing home, halfway house with van pickup: 5%
4. Personal relationships: family (44%), friends (34%), referrals from other churches (7%): 85%
5. Conclusions
a. We should employ a variety of methods to contact people
b. Belonging to an organization provides tangible benefits
c. By far the most effective methods of evangelism are those that rely on preexisting personal relationships
d. We can grow in several areas if we will target various groups through focused prayer, attention, and planning
e. In sum, we should emphasize our strengths but diversify our methods
B. Winning Converts
1. Method of receiving Holy Ghost
2. Rally, camp, conference: 13%
3. Home, car, work: 5%
4. Special speaker: 35%
5. Regular church service: 47%
6. Conclusions
a. It is important to follow up visitors, for they are our best prospects
b. Home Bible studies can be very effective in preparing people for conversion, especially those who are already connected to the church through a personal relationship
c. Both organization-sponsored meetings and special services at the local church are valuable means of promoting conversions and revival
d. In the long run, the best tool for bringing people to the new birth experience is through regular church services that emphasize worship, anointed preaching, evangelistic appeals, prayer, and the move of the Holy Spirit
C. Retaining Converts
1. Urged all converts to make three discipleship commitments: (a) enroll in discipleship class, (b) attend Sunday school and worship, (c) attend midweek Bible study
2. Three discipleship commitments: retained 90%
3. No discipleship commitments: retained 30%
4. Overall retention rate: 55%
5. Attracted 10% of converts by advertising but only 4% of retained converts were won by advertising. Retained 20% of these converts.
6. Attracted 5% of converts by cold contacts but only 4% of retained converts were won by cold contacts. Retained 46% of these converts.
7. Attracted 85% of converts by personal relationships and 92% of retained converts were won by personal relationships. Retained 60% of these converts.
8. Conclusions
a. Personal relationships (family, friends, and referrals) lead to a significantly greater retention rate than other methods
b. If converts will commit themselves to three specific involvements—(a) Sunday school, (b) midweek Bible study, and (c) discipleship class—the retention rate can rise to about 90 percent!
c. We should motivate and train members to evangelize through preexisting personal relationships
d. We should connect, disciple, and involve new converts in multiple ways as soon as possible
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