January 27, 1999

Early assimilation crucial to retain
members in church, specialist says
___By Charles Willis
___LifeWay Christian Resources
___GLORIETA, N.M. (BP)-- Helping new church members be assimilated into the life of the congregation is a key factor in retaining them as active members, said Carlos Cobos, evangelism and new member specialist in the discipleship and family leadership department at LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.
___"After people come to church, they need more than the one friend who invited them," Cobos observed. "People generally need five to six friends to feel comfortable in a church, and small groups are an important part of that."
___For established members who want to make an invited guest's experience at church a positive one, Cobos suggested:
___ Sit with them.
___ Introduce them.
___ Pray for them.
___ Protect them from well-meaning people who may want to rush them into a particular Bible study class.
___ Offer to go forward with them if they have made a spiritual decision.
___ Spend time after church with them discussing their experience and learning from them the things they saw and felt.
___Once a person has joined the church, three time spans are important to assimilation, Cobos said.
___The first 10 minutes are vitally important because the person needs assurance and growth.
___They need the assurance of repentance, faith, lordship and prayer. They need the church, God's word and to learn to witness.
___The first week is important in receiving contacts from the church, he added.
___The pastor, a deacon and a Sunday school teacher should make some form of contact. While telephone calls or e-mail are acceptable today, Cobos said, at least one contact should be a personal visit.
___The first month should include new-believer studies, including resources such as "Beginning Steps: A Growth Guide for New Believers" and "Survival Kit: Five Keys to Effective Spiritual Growth."
___The Sunday school teacher or outreach leader should show the person special interest and answer any questions they may have, and prayer for the new believer is needed, Cobos said.
___An intentional effort to assimilate new members will result in a larger percentage of people retained in the congregation, he said.

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