Tag: Assimilation

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Sticky church?

On By Ben JenningsIn Discipleshp, Evangelism, Leadership2 Comments

How do we know if people are sticking?

One of the first struggles many of us have in ministry is trying to figure out how to get people to stick.  How do we get people to get connected and stay connected to the church?  This is a question of assimilation. 

Assimilation is an important idea for any church.  According to the Oxford Dictionary, the definition of assimilation is “the process of becoming similar to something”, and “the absorption and integration of people, ideas, or culture into a wider society or culture.” 

In the context of our churches it refers to making people a part of the life of your church.  Assimilation refers to a process that happens with the people who attend your church.

To achieve the goal of fully assimilating people into the church, you have to be able to identify when it happens.  So, how do you know if someone is assimilating into your church?  Here are some questions that we can ask about those we are trying to assimilate to see where they are in the process.

  1. Worship Service– How often do they attend?  Is there a pattern?
  2. Sunday School/Groups– How often do they attend?  Is there a pattern?
  3. Relationships– Are they becoming friends with people in the church or group?  Do they spend time with people before, after, or outside of the services and programs?
  4. Participation– Do they participate during class or group time?  Are they engaged when they come?
  5. Service– Do they serve in a ministry of the church? 
  6. Invitation– Do they invite others to your group or church?
  7. Spiritual Growth– Do they exhibit life change resulting from the ministry they receive?  Have they made decisions regarding salvation, baptism, discipleship, serving and forsaking sin in their lives?

What are some of the ways you measure assimilation at your church that I may not have named?  What are some ways that you help to encourage new people in each of these categories?

The Strategic Power of Prayer (and Prayer Requests) for Sunday School and Group Leaders

On By Ben JenningsIn Sunday School & GroupsLeave a comment

Prayer-webIf you want your class to grow, both numerically and spiritually, then you have to be a leader who prays.  Prayer helps us to realize that we cannot do what we’re called to do all on our own.  Prayer helps us to admit to ourselves and confess to God that the ministry we need to do cannot be done without his intervening power and work.  We need Him to work for our ministry to be what He wants it to be.

Here are a few prayer strategies that will help you minister to your class.  You may already do some of these things.  If so, be encouraged by these good reminders:

  1. Take prayer requests in class, and write them down.

The chances of you remembering to pray for their requests later go way up when you commit to write them down every week.

  1. Commit to regular prayer for your class.

Once you’ve written them down you’ll be able to pray for them later on in the week.  Choose at least one day a week to pray for those requests.  It would be best to pray for them every day, but doing something is better than doing nothing.  Set a reminder somewhere and pray!  You can’t take people to places you have never been.  If you want a praying class, then you need to be a praying leader.

  1. Follow up on the requests.

Remembering prayer requests that the people in your class have, praying for them, and then following up with them regarding their prayer requests can be an incredible way to say to those in your class that you care about them.  Have you ever had someone come up to you and ask you about a specific prayer need that you had previously mentioned?  Have you ever caught someone praying for you?  There are very few people who would not be encouraged by knowing that someone had been praying for them and thinking about them.  You may be amazed at what a 5 minute phone call would do to encourage someone.  A text or an email asking them about their job search, a sickness, or the lost son or daughter, can speak volumes about your love for them.  It may be difficult to do this with everyone in the class, but picking out one or two people a week follow up with can have a profound effect on the class.

  1. Pray one-on-one.

Did you know that you can pray with someone over the phone?  You can also pray with them in between the rows between services, or before class in your room.  When someone tells you, “Hey, please pray for my _____________…”, one way you can respond is, “Let’s pray right now!”  I have been blessed by hearing people I love pray for me by name and out loud.  You will be a blessing to others when you do that for them.

  1. Pray for the lost in your class.

One way you can tell that a class has an inward or outward focus is to listen to their prayer requests.  One of the ways that you can help begin to foster an evangelistic spirit in your class is to pray for those who need Christ.  Periodically, try a week of only taking prayer requests regarding people your class knows who are lost.  If they won’t pray for lost people you’ll have a hard time convincing them to talk to lost people about the gospel.

  1. Celebrate answered prayer.

Prayer works!  When you see God work make sure to communicate it to the class.  Thank God publically through prayer each week for what He has done!  It will help the faith of your class to recognize God working among you.

Do any of you have any other ideas in regards to prayer and your classes?  Please share!