#retention101

  With that said, we need to address the fact that there are too many churches that are not growing numerically. As I have looked at churches across America, there are large and ‘numerically successful’ churches of every denomination. There are large Baptist churches, large Pentecostal churches, large Catholic churches, and every other denomination. Here is the point…Success leaves clues! In other words, there are patterns which can produce numerical growth, and there are patterns which will prevent numerical growth.

  The world is full of churches, but how many of them are winning? It is easy to determine if a business is winning simply by looking at the bottom line. Is there a profit or not? With churches, we are sometimes afraid to really look at it that way. But, the same standard can be applied. Is there a profit for the kingdom of God or not.

  Church consultants will agree on the fact that the majority of churches that are stuck or declining are doing so for one of only a few reasons, so let’s jump in!

    Reason #1: No Intentional Reaching

The term “Soul-Winning” is thrown around so loosely that people have grown to think that soul-winning is anything that has to do with church. But, we don’t win a soul until a soul is won. Many churches have tricked themselves into believing that they are doing their part in this area, when they actually haven’t went out to intentionally compel a sinner to come to Christ in a long time. If a church doesn’t have significant time set aside to go out and intentionally reach for lost people, they are missing the point of the Gospel. The example of Jesus shows us that we must Go out and compel people. If a church wants to win numerically, they have to make “Intentional Reaching” a top priority on their calendars and their budget.

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  Reason #2: Ineffective Attendance Tracking

Very few churches do this well. Growing churches tend to do this exceptionally well. If you want your church to grow, you have to know who’s there and who’s not. Not just a head-count, but true Attendance Tracking. There are a couple reasons for this. First, if you don’t get contact information from your guests, how can you follow up? You can’t. More churches suffer in this area than almost any other. Second, if you don’t know who’s not there, you can’t do effective member care. Drawing from the input of hundreds of church drop-outs, one of the top reasons they quit and didn’t go back is because they missed a service or two (sometimes from illness, sometimes from crisis, sometimes from laziness) and no one in the church bothered to inquire. They felt slighted … believing that the church really should care whether they lived or died …and so they stopped attending altogether. Realize this – You cannot do accurate follow-up without accurate Attendance Tracking. If you want your church to win, develop an effective system for tracking attendance.

  Recommendation: ChurchTracer.com is a great tool for tracking attendance. This software is simple and very affordable. If your church doesn’t currently have a system for tracking attendance, you should check this out. ChurchTracer.com

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  Reason #3: Lack of a Structured Follow-Up Plan

A lot of churches are taking some kind of measure to obtain information from guests. However, it appears that few churches know what to do when they get these names. Some churches have no plan in place at all. They just hope guests will return. If you truly want your church to Grow, this isn’t good enough. You must have a plan in place to take action when a person visits your church. Check out this statistic: If you follow up within 24 hours, your guest is 86 percent more likely to return. Leave it until the end of the week and the percentage drops to less than 25 percent.

Not only with guests, but follow-up is also critical with members and/or attenders, and also with people who are slipping in their walk with God. Create a plan for follow-up and watch your attendance magically increase.

  Recommendation: We recommended ChurchTracer.com for Attendance, but also in this area. When it comes to the challenge of Guest Follow-Up, there is nothing on the market like ChurchTracer Software. Once you set the system up, and tell it what follow-up actions you want to take, the system reminds you every day of exactly what needs to be done on that day. Never let things slip through the cracks again. ChurchTracer.com

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  Reason #4: Poor Hospitality

OK – Plain and simple. Most churches are just not hospitable. Not all, but most. Most churches will tell you how friendly they are, but what about toward guests? The truth is “not often”. Not just with human interaction, but the facility is not set up to accommodate guests. Mark this down for sure – If it’s uncomfortable, they probably won’t return, no matter how good the singing and preaching is. What can we do? Make sure the human interaction is second-to-none, and that the facility is clean, well-kept, and well-marked. Make sure plenty of signs are in place, and that they get first-class hospitality, and you will see a big difference in your Return Rate.

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  Reason #5: Assimilation/Discipleship

An area of enormous challenge is the area of Keeping & Growing. You may not realize it, but over a period of time, you will have several people who “start” attending your church. The sad thing is that they are typically gone within a year. Very few make it for two years. This is Terrible! Why is this happening? Here is the issue: New people will come and hang out between six months and a year, but if they never “connect” in the church, they’re gone.

Bottom Line: They Must Connect. This doesn’t happen on its own. Churches that grow numerically develop and implement system for moving guests along these two paths:

  The path from Visitor to Connection with People in a Group setting to Ministry Involvement

and

The path from Seeker to Believer to Disciple

  Churches that don’t do this well are churches that may get some new attenders, but they won’t attend for very long.

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  Reason #6: Weak Worship Services

Your church may be doing good in all these other areas, and still cannot grow numerically. If that’s the case, the cause is probably because the worship services are Weak. That statement isn’t meant to be rude, but to help you identify what is holding you back. If a church does not have a Moving, Powerful, and Inspiring Worship service, the chances of numerical growth are very poor. I’m not talking about music styles, or the decorations, or the technology. I’m talking about the need to have a worship service where the music touches the heart of the people, where the message is delivered with passion and clarity, where the move of the Holy Spirit is felt with certainty, and where there is an opportunity for people to respond to what they have felt.

Here is a good gauge – If you are brave enough to look at it. If your worship services aren’t moving your members enough to invite their friends, relatives, acquaintances, neighbors, co-workers, and everyone else, then your worship services are too weak. If that is the case, it’s time to do a complete worship makeover. And, don’t be too proud to get some outside help. Do whatever it takes to take your worship service to the next level.

  Recommendation: Mark Condon has helped churches all over the world turn their worship service into a more powerful experience than ever before. Through tools and planning methods, Mark can help you have the kind of worship service you have been dreaming of. In fact, Mark is currently doing a series of Worship Training events for worship leaders and teams, and the cost – FREE!

Check it out at PowerWorshipConference.com!

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  Reason #7: The Most Deadly of All

There is one issue that tops everything else. Even if you have everything else rolling smoothly, this one thing can kill all of your efforts. That is, the issue of Unresolved Conflict. This is the worst thing that can happen to your church. The Bible is clear that division is such a dangerous issue for your church, and division comes from unresolved conflict. You can plan, strategize, pray and manage the entire week, but on Sunday, God will not be able to bless where there is unresolved conflict. As a leader, you have to keep your finger on the pulse of the congregation enough to be able to detect when there is unresolved conflict, especially among the staff and leaders in your church. It will be like a cancer that will not stop until it has destroyed the entire body. Many leaders leave these things alone and ‘hope’ they just work out, but they look back over the years and see that they have not produced the fruit they would have liked to. You have to dig in and identify the reasons, and help people grow through their issues. If not, it will rise again later. Churches that continue to Grow numerically have a system in place to identify and address conflict, and they never let it go unresolved.

  Recommendation: Jesus Christ has been empowering church leaders for more than 2,000 years. He can give you the insight and wisdom you need to handle any conflict that may arise in your church. Contact him directly anytime and from anywhere.

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  Now What?

  As you have read through this list, Be Honest...Do any of these apply to your congregation? Do all of these apply to your congregation? Go back and look at these seven things, and ask yourself how your church is doing in each of them. Be honest and make sure you are looking at it with open eyes.

  Numerical Growth Is Important. Why? Because every person has a soul which will spend eternity in Hell if we do not reach them quickly with the message of Jesus Christ. Do you want to see your church grow numerically? If so, you have to take action as a leader. If you will really focus and execute in any of these seven areas of church growth, you will see a change. If you will focus on all seven of these, you will simply be amazed at the level God begins to bless your efforts.

  Call whomever you need to. Do whatever you need to. Buy whatever books or software you need. Plan the trips you need to take. Meet with whomever you need to meet with. Don’t let pride stop you from learning from others. Search out the things that are working for others, and use those things in your church.

  If we aren’t growing numerically, we aren’t reaching new souls. And, if we aren’t reaching new souls, we aren’t pleasing in the eyes of God. And, He is the Boss … … Isn’t He?

  Remember...God trusts churches that are Prepared.

  Go ahead – Take the steps necessary. Start Today!

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  If we can ever be of assistance to you, please contact us!

Brian Davis

That's Reality.  You can tell a lot by the look on somebody's face.  One of the things I tell Pastors in strategy-sessions is that if they had video footage of their guests...if they could see their interaction...their experience...their faces...they would have a much clearer picture of why they aren't coming back. When it comes to Guests in your church services, there are certain looks you DON'T want to see.  Here are 5 of them:  "Looking around Confused about where to go" This is the look a guest has when they drive up and can't find the entrance, or when they walk in and don't know where to take their kids.  When somebody new arrives at your church, they should "Wonder" or "Wander".  It should be Glaringly Obvious where they should go.   "Sitting Alone and Wondering if anybody is going to talk to them" They've made it to the sanctuary, but now it's that awkward feeling of sitting alone... a few people walking by and giving a professional "hello", but it just feels weird.  It's not that best friends can be made instantly, but being genuine goes a LONG way. "Not Enjoying things" The face of purely Not Enjoying the service.  Say whatever you want...Justify it any way you want...If they don't enjoy it, they won't be back.  Excellent church services are a MUST!  Even sinners feeling conviction find a certain "enjoyment" in the right environment in the presence of God.  Churches can be Effective and Enjoyable at the same time.   "Offended" Ever invited a friend to your church, then watched their face as the preacher blasted away without tact or compassion?  Lots of churches have such a lack of outreach, they've fallen into the trap of preaching for the insiders.  They actually think soap-box preaching is effective.  Effective ministers know that it's possible to handle the most offensive topics without offending guests.   "Looking for the Back Door" This is when the guest hates their experience so badly that they try to inconspicuously glance around the room and spot the easiest path of escape.  Ever had a guest "Go to the Restroom" and never return?  Ever have guests dart for the door when the closing prayer starts?  We say it's the conviction of God and they're running from it.  Maybe sometimes... ...sometimes... ... ... maybe... Even if they don't dive in and submit to God immediately, we should want them back next week. Effective churches give lots of thought to the Guest Experience. Let's give Guests Every reason to come back week after week after week.

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Why?

WHY?

Why would ANYBODY go to Hell when they have the opportunity to go to Heaven?

Here are 4 Reasons People will go to Hell:

They Made Poor Decisions

One single decision can completely redirect your life.  The people you hang around, the places you go, the things you do, the jobs you take, the roads you travel, the habits you live with - Every decision has a set of consequences.  If you want to end up at a specific destination, you have to make choices that will get you there.  I don't know anybody who has said "I want to go to Hell", but I do know people who continually make poor decisions and get their life all twisted out of shape.  Making poor decisions will turn your life in the wrong direction, and sometimes it can be almost impossible to get straightened back out.  You've probably heard the saying "Sin will take you further than you wanted to go and keep you longer than you wanted to stay."

They Never Got Around to it

We live in a world of procrastination where so many people accept the habit of 'putting things off', especially things that require work and commitment.  All of us have probably encountered people who are going to turn their life to God, but they're not ready right now.  The problem is that one day they're going to be out of time.  When the last minute has elapsed, their chances will be over.  There will be a lot of people who end up in Hell simply because they never got around to making that big life-changing decision to follow God.

They Didn't Submit to Obedience

In a nutshell, Christianity is about Obedience.  Faith in God is where it all starts, but without following His words and instructions, there's no real faith in a person.  Simply saying that you're a Christian doesn't make you a Christian anymore than saying you're an American makes you an American.  If you want to become an American, you have to follow the guidelines to becoming one.  A Christian is a person who FOLLOWS Christ.  A person who claims to be a Christian, but hasn't submitted to Obedience to Christ has been fooled.

They Didn't Endure

"He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved."  The Bible makes it extremely clear that we have to stick with God.  There will be times when quitting seems like the easiest option, but we can't quit.  We have to stay committed to God until our final breath.  God will never walk out on us, but we definitely have the option to walk out on Him.  Don't Do It!  Stay in the race and finish strong!

Whatever you do, don't miss out on Heaven. 

If you never have made your move, do it quickly. 

It will be the best decision you've ever made, and it will have eternal benefits and blessings.  --------------------------------------------------- What would you add to this list?  ---------------------------------------------------

Here are a couple of Clear Observations I've made about the "Numbers" statement:

Don't Compare Size

Sometimes church leaders compare the size of their church to the size of another church (even if it's secretly in their mind).  This is a faulty way to look at things.  Different locations are different, and situations are different, so don't compare your church to another church.  If they have 300 people on Sunday, and you have 150 on Sunday, that doesn't mean they are better than you or that you are inferior to them.  Don't Compare like that.  Instead, make sure that YOU are doing the best YOU can do.  That's the true mark of success.

Don't Use this statement as an Excuse

Most of the time when I hear that statement, it is from a church leader who has been struggling and isn't seeing the results they want, so they opt for the excuse of "It's not about the numbers".  Even if you have struggled for a long time, don't stop trying.  Don't fall into the trap of making excuses.  No Excuses!  Search for people who are succeeding, humble yourself and ASK for advice.  The most successful Pastors I know are always learning and asking questions. 

Church Growth Is Definitely about the Numbers. 

NO - Not in the sense of trying to have the largest church, but in the sense of trying to win as many people to Jesus as possible before we run out of time!

------------------------------------------------- Have you ever heard this statement from a church leader?  -------------------------------------------------

"Wow, I felt awkward when we first walked in."

"How many offerings did they take up altogether?"

"I really enjoyed the preaching... He was fired up.  But I'm not really sure what he said."

"I can't believe they made us stand up and tell our names.  That was so embarrassing."

"They just didn't seem like they had prepared very much - actually at all."

"Go Back?  I don't think so!"

Remember that the people we need to be reaching probably haven't had a lot of church experience.  We need to do everything we can to build an environment that not only introduces them to the Power of God, but also where they can connect with new people and enjoy a comfortable and excellent atmosphere in the process.

If they never come back, you'll probably never win them to God. ------------------------------------------ What would you add to this list?  

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There are lots of reasons why this may be happening, but here are THREE:

They Don't Know Where to Go As soon as a person turns their car onto your church property, it should be glaringly clear where they should go.  Finding a Parking place should be easy, Finding the Correct Entry Doors should be Easy, and Knowing where to take their kids and enter the sanctuary should be Easy.  If these things aren't Easy, the anxiety begins.

They Don't Know What to Do If newcomers don't know what to do, they look out of place.  Nobody likes to feel out of place.  The two biggest questions new guests have when they come to your church for the first time are "Where are we supposed to Go?" and "What are we supposed to Do?"  They want to fit in, not stick out like a sore thumb.  Do everything you can, through signage and trained greeters, to help them fit in fast.

They Feel Like An Outsider People can detect whether they are truly welcome or not.  Fake faces and words don't go far with anybody.  Your church (especially the front-liners) must have a true CARE and COMPASSION toward every single person that walks into your church.  When the real CARE is there, they will feel it and know it.  The last thing a guest needs is to feel isolated and alone in the one place they shouldn't be.

Like I said earlier, this is something that every church battles - the battle of Retention.  Nobody wants to see Guests come once but never return.  That's the main reason I wrote Retention 101 - to provide a solid resource to help church leaders. 

You can drive your Retention Rate UP by eliminating these three things.  Make it Easy for Guests to know where to go and what to do, and make sure people feel welcome, not like an outsider.

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Three ways that churches routinely drop the ball when it comes to Follow-up are:

(1) NO SYSTEM YESTERDAY

Follow-Up is a Key to Church Growth, but it's impossible to do Real Follow-up if you don't know who WAS there and who WASN'T there.  If you didn't have a system for gathering information Yesterday, there's no way you can follow-up Today.  Designing a process for collecting information is Critical.  Tracking Attendance is a difficult task, and I admit that you'll have to work hard to figure out the best way for your church to do it, but the rewards are high.  Stop Guessing, Start Tracking.

(2) LOW PRIORITY

If Follow-Up isn't HIGH on the list of your church priorities, it will be Random and poorly-executed.  Most churches SAY they believe follow-up is important, but they haven't taken the time to map out a clear plan on how they will consistently do follow-up week after week.  Bring follow-up closer to the top of your Real Priority List by sitting down with your core leaders and designing a CLEAR PLAN that you will go by Every Week to make sure Guests don't slip through the cracks.

(3) LACK OF TRAINING

We expect waiters to be trained in the restaurants we visit.  We expect clerks to be trained in the stores we visit.  Why would we approach follow-up any differently?  Training the people who will call and visit guests is of MAJOR Importance.  What will they say?  What is their Goal?  What if THIS happens or THAT happens?  It may seem weird at first, but practicing with every person who will make phone calls to guests OR visit a guest at their home will get them to the state of confidence they need to be effective.

Follow-Up has been a Catch-Word in Churches for a long time, but have we really taken it seriously?  Whatever the size or age of your church, take a look at your Follow-Up Setup and see what needs to improve.

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