If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed that I am a stickler for follow-up.  Many of us in church leadership are heavy on good intentions and light on follow-up.

One follow-up question that just about every pastor I know has wrestled with is “how can we most effectively follow up with those who have indicated a commitment to follow Jesus?”

To this question, I’d say that a good follow-up process for new believers will answer the following 4 questions.

What do you want a new believer to do or experience during:

1. The first hour? At The Journey want them to mark their decision on their connection card and pray the prayer with us.
2. The first day? We send them an email confirming and affirming their decision.
3. The first week? We send them a new believers book I wrote that is a  seven day new believers study.
4. The first month? We want them to get baptized and be involved in a small group.

How you answer these questions will vary depending on your tradition, style and/or your preferred resources, but that you answer these questions is essential if your church is going to effectively make disciples of those who choose to follow Christ through your ministry.

P.S. To raise the evangelistic temperature of your church, check out The Evangelism Seminar.