A suggested
step by step plan
On the parking lot:
Station greeters and parking assistants, equipped with
umbrellas and radios, at driveway entrances or other key locations. When an
arriving guest is identified, either accompany the guest to the Welcome
Center or radio the Welcome Center that a guest, (name), is on the
way.
Step one:
When a guest arrives, he\she is cordially met by a greeter at the door and
taken to the Welcome Center. Have a Sunday School information packet
available for each family. Consider having coffee and juice available.
Step two:
Ask the guest to fill out a simple, brief, welcome-information form.
(Names, address, email, phone – this is not a good time to expect a lot of
detail information.) If there are children, have a greeter assistant to
talk with children while parents are completing the registration
information. Consider having the greeter ask questions and complete the
form. Consider having a booklet or leaflet available to give children.
Step three:
Show the guest a list of youth and adult classes and guide the guest in
choosing an appropriate class. (Remember, guests do
NOT know the classes. You will need to make a suggestion.)
Step four:
Make necessary copies (as many copies as the different classes to which
guests and family members will go) of the information form, or print
forms on multiple copy NCR paper. If possible, equip the welcome center with
a copier. Keep one copy of guest information in the Welcome Center to use in
adding to and updating master prospect file.
Step five:
As appropriate, assist the guest with locating preschool, children, and
youth classes and leave a copy of the information form with each teacher. Be
sure to note on the copies for preschool classes where the parent can be
contacted, what class they will be attending. Consider having a youth
(probably on a rotating basis so as to not keep a youth out of his/her own
class too much) on the Welcome Center team. The greeter then takes the
guest to the adult cluster/department leader or directly to the chosen
class.
Step six:
Cluster/department leader or greeter introduces the guest to the class
outreach leader or teacher and leaves the information form.
Step seven:
The outreach leader or teacher introduces guest to the class.
Step eight:
Outreach leader asks a specific class member to serve as host to the guest
during Sunday School and Worship, or acts as host/hostess.
Step nine:
Outreach leader adds to or updates the class prospect list, and makes a
visit or phone call to the guest by Wednesday.
Step ten:
Outreach leader assigns new prospect (guest) to a class member for
contact and follow through prior to next Sunday and receives a contact
report from the class member on the following Sunday.
Step eleven:
From the contact made and report brought, the Outreach Leader adds new
information to the profile sheet in the class record book, or to the “pocket
and card,” or whatever prospect visitation-contact form the church uses.
Step twelve:
Outreach leader continues to monitor the activity concerning the prospect
and assigns other class members to make cultivation contacts in a timely
way. Contacts continue until the prospect is reached, or joins different
church, or until the Lord returns, whichever happens first.
Step thirteen:
Outreach leader provides opportunity for the guest\prospect to become a
member of the class and assists in the enrolment process at any time from
step six forward. Guests may join (and invite them to do so) the
very first Sunday they attend.
Step fourteen:
The fellowship/prayer leader invites the prospect to class fellowship
events. The assigned Care Group Leader provides weekly contacts and
ministries.
(Ideas from Max Caldwell and
Robert Stewart)
