Ideas for Bringing New People into the Church Family

Helping Outsiders Become Insiders (Part 1)
Ideas for making new people feel welcome and helping them move toward maturity in Christ.

Ideas for Small Group Outreach & Evangelism

Ideas - Outreach & Evangelism
This webpage has many articles with creative ideas for local outreach and evangelism especially with the small group in mind.

Training Tools | Outreach & Evangelism

Training Tools Outreach & Evangelism
This webpage has many links that may be helpful to the local church seeking to reach its own community.

November Community Objectives

Small Groups objectives:

1. Recruit and train new small group leaders

• Develop a training meeting for new group leaders and set date for first training by Nov 30

2. Start new small groups:

• Develop a “connecting” event to connect those not yet in groups with a group leader and set the date for the first event in Nov
• Develop a 6-8 week “trial group” format and set a date for the first event in Nov
• Recruit and train leaders and start group for Young Couples group (25-35) in Nov

3. Develop an effective coaching structure

• Contact potential new coaches by Nov 15
• Develop a training meeting for new coaches by Nov 15
• Develop an ongoing coaches meeting plan by Nov 30
• Recruit coaches for every small group in the church by Dec 31

4. Develop a small groups leadership team with specific functions

• List specific functions and write job descriptions for each function by Nov 15
• Recruit individuals to each position by Nov 30
• Set date for first and subsequent meetings of team by Nov 30

5. 100% participation in groups or classes by members and regular attenders

• Publish and update info on available groups through Fall Groups and Classes Booklet
  § Continue to update and publish booklet as needed in Nov
  § Prepare for Spring booklet in Dec/Jan
  o Publish and update info on available groups through MG Web-site
  § Train remaining group leaders by Dec 31

6. Ongoing leadership development

• Visit small groups
  § Visit 2-3 groups in November
• Communicate with group leaders via one-on-one meetings and phone calls
  § Call 12 leaders in Nov
  § Meet with 2-3 leaders in Nov
• Hold quarterly small group leaders training gatherings
  § Set date for Spring gathering in early January by Nov 30
• Send training materials to group leaders via email
  § Send out two more timely articles in Nov
  

7. Encourage local outreach among small groups and the church at large

• Promote Angel Food opportunity in Nov
• Promote WARM opportunity in Nov
• Evaluate Prayer Evangelism study and discuss with small group leaders next steps to reach every neighborhood in Wilmington with the gospel

Adult Discipleship objectives:

1. Continue Adult Discipleship classes during Spring Semester ‘09

• Confirm Spring list of teachers/classes with director by Nov 30
• Publish list of classes to congregation in December

Assimilation objectives:

1. Improve the assimilation process to move first time visitors, to second time visitors, to regular attenders

• Next steps to be completed by end of Dec:
  o Recruit and train an assimilation team of volunteers
  o Develop response team follow-up checklists
  o Develop 36-hour email response for first and second time visitors
  o Develop first-time and second-time visitors online survey
  o Develop one-month follow up letter for first and second time visitors
  o Improve signage inside and outside building to help visitors find children’s, youth and adult discipleship areas, gym, school, fellowship hall, etc. (contact BFPC)
  o Move welcome table in vestibule out from the wall
  o Offer selected books instead of mugs as gifts to first time visitors at welcome table
  

2. Improve assimilation process to move people from being regular attenders to becoming fully developing members

• Next steps to be completed by May ’09 (this is the overview, detailed plans to follow):
  o Teach regularly on the following subjects: 1) “You Need Healthy Relationships” (Eccl 4.9-10); 2) “You Need a Place Where You Can Use Your Gifts” (1Tim 4.14); 3) “You Need a Place Where You Can Grow” (Acts 2.42); 4) “You Need to Belong to Something Bigger Than Yourself” (Rom 12.4-5; Heb 10.25).
  o Encourage relationships in regular attenders by encouraging them to participate in classes, small groups and fun events
  o Encourage responsibility in regular attenders by providing service opportunities for them: greeter, refreshments, usher, FLC events
  o Encourage attending new member class through regular sign-ups on Connection Card
  o Consider and discuss other alternatives to current New Member Class format per suggestions

Fall Goals for Small Groups and Community Ministries

I've been working with the Session on a monthly basis and Jim Sabin on a weekly basis to set achievable goals for our Small Groups and other Community ministries.

August and September goals included the following:

1. To gather the small group leaders for a quarterly fellowship and training. On Sept 2, thirty group leaders met together in round-table fashion to discuss issues specific to their groups in the coming year. Some leaders afterward said they enjoyed talking with other group leaders about common issues. Their next gathering is planned for early January.

2. To publish a comprehensive "Groups and Classes" booklet that lists all the existing small groups and classes at Myrtle Grove. On several Sundays in August and September, we distributed copies of a 14-16 page booklet listing 56 groups and classes for youth through adults as well as general info for children: 5 Youth Small Groups, 2 Young Adult Groups, 21 General Home Groups, 8 Adult Discipleship Classes, 2 Support Groups, 1 Men’s Group, 6 Women’s Groups, 6 Athletic/FLC Groups, and 5 Prayer Groups. Thanks to Vicki McMahon and Kathy Walden for their work on this project. More copies are available and are updated as changes occur.

3. To establish a Web presence for our groups and classes. To date, all the groups and classes are listed at http://www.myrtlegrove.org/ and clicking on the link Available Groups. However, not all information about every group is yet complete. Group leaders can make changes to their meeting times and location and can add members to their group as well as remove them if necessary. Individual church members can also sign in and change their personal information (in case of a move, etc) by clicking on Member Sign-In and following the instructions. Thanks to Josh Woodall for his work on this project.

4. To publish a study guide for small groups based on the book, Prayer Evangelism, by Ed Silvoso to help us grow in our ablility to share the gospel in practical ways with people in our own city. Thirteen of our groups are using this study guide this fall. Thanks to Joe Pasquarell, Jim Sabin and Kathy Walden for their work on this project.

5. To hold a New Member Class for those who wish to inquire into membership at MGPC. A dozen people attended this class led by the Sabins, Pasquarells and during September. Their names will be published asap.

6. To establish new small groups for Young Adults and Young Marrieds. Two groups for Young Adults began in September thanks to Sam Ivey, Jud Smith, Hall and Melinda Powell, Damian and Jessica Russo, Rachel Glasgow and Rebecca Brittingham. A Young Marrieds group began in early October thanks to Sam and Tiffany Ivey and Damian and Jessica Russo.

7. To re-start the Men's breakfast and to add new components to the men's ministry including Activities (adventure events), Men's Small Groups and Service Projects. The breakfast/bible study kicked off in early September with Rich Truax teaching through First Corinthians, several of the men lead mentoring or small groups and several service projects have taken or are taking place so far. Jerry Cannon is the men's coordinator.

October goals include:

1. To recruit and train new small group leaders

• Develop a booklet with information about leading a group for them to read before filling out an application
• Develop an application form for potential group leaders
• Develop a training meeting for new group leaders
• Set date for first training

2. To develop a method to start new groups

• Develop an event for members (e.g., Group Link) to familiarize them with groups and to connect them with a group leader
• Develop an eight week “trial group” format
• Set a date for the first event by Nov 30

3. To recruit, train and deploy new small groups "coaches"

• Write a job description for coaches
• Make a list of potential coaches
• Develop a training meeting for coaches
• Develop an ongoing coaches meeting plan
• Recruit one coach for every five groups in the church

4. To develop a small groups leadership team with specific functions

• Make a list of specific functions
• Write job descriptions of each function
• Recruit individuals to each position
• Set date for first and subsequent meetings of team

5. To help small group leaders add members to their groups on the Website. This will help us know how many of our members are involved in groups and where we need to develop new groups.

6. To promote participation in Church-wide Service Projects

• Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministries (WARM) Oct 18, meet at the house site--3805 Worthdale dr at 9:00. Directions--take hwy 132 north past Laney High school--continue to Glen Eden --turn right on Glen Eden this becomes Worthdale. The house is wood (brown).
  Tools you will need will be yard rakes, lopper shears, pruning shears, crow bars,, hammers and of course gloves. MGPC coordinators Gerald Hooks and Don Clayton.
• Angel Food Ministries Oct 25 in the morning. Distribute prepackaged food at Life Community Church on Oleander Dr. Coordinator Lenny Luscher.

7. To "take the next step" in Women's Ministry by building on the foundations already established. A number of Women are meeting for prayer and discussion. Contact June Kort or Pasty Worrell if you would like to help.

If you would like to help in any of these ministry areas, contact the coordinators listed or Pastor Dan at dan@myrtlegrove.org.