2012 is here, and this year’s “MUST HAVE” resource is The Assimilation Seminar!

Here’s why: Every week, God entrusts our churches with First Time Guests, and your preparation and capacity to be a good steward of those guests will largely determine how quickly your church will grow this year. Since these people and families will be attending your church at least once this year anyway, your church will experience almost immediate growth by simply keeping more of these guests.

By implementing my proven, step-by-step Assimilation System, you’re taking the step of preparing what you can so that God can bless as only He can (by sending those new people!).

That’s why The Assimilation Seminar is the MUST HAVE resource for 2012, and why I’m offering it to you today thru Thursday at HALF OFF!

Click here to secure your copy now for 50% OFF!

And here are four Assimilation keys to think about at the start of this New Year:

Now is a great time to re-examine (or examine for the first time) what a new person sees when they attend your church for the first time.

In fact, this isn’t just an exercise for you, pastor, but a great exercise for anyone on your leadership team and/or hospitality team.  Anything you can do to help the people in your church to see with new eyes is going to prove helpful in creating the most welcoming environment possible for newcomers.

Here are a few key points… How are First Time Guests at your church being:

• GREETED – Ask yourself, “How is a guest at your church greeted?”

What is the first thing a guest hears as they walk through your door?

Here are four positive and powerful phrases to use when greeting on a Sunday morning:

- It’s great to see you today! (everyone wants to be seen)

- I am glad you are here today! (everyone wants to feel like others are glad when they are around)

- Good morning! (even if it hasn’t been up until now, you can give them hope that it’s about to be good)

-  Welcome to [your church name]! (it’s basic but sincere, and communicates that they are welcome here)

Here’s one of the most common used greeting phrases that I suggest you avoid:

- How are you doing today? 

You should avoid this greeting for at least two reasons:

1) You don’t have time when greeting someone at the door to hear how they are really doing.  So they feel compelled to simply reply “Fine” or “Good,” even if they’re not doing well at all.

2) If they are not doing well, asking that question brings all of the negative emotions and experiences that they’ve been facing to the surface. They may very well be at church today to get away from all that.

Be mindful of the words you and your greeters use when welcoming people – words matter!

Now that you’re getting started… ask yourself the next 3 questions.  How are First Time Guests at your church being:

• DIRECTED – Take a look at your signage with fresh eyes. What upgrades or improvements could be made?
• TREATED – What can you do to “treat” your guests? To make them feel more welcome? Free Coffee? Free Candy or Mints? Donuts?
• SEATED – Are your guests being ushered to their seats in a friendly, courteous and comfortable manner?

Over the next 12 months, think about the hundreds, thousands or even tens of thousands of first time guests that will walk through your doors. Take just a few moments today to get ready for them by looking at your church with new eyes for this New Year!

PS – If you’re ready to pick up the MUST HAVE resource of 2012 – The Assimilation Seminar – and put your church on the fast track to growth in 2012, go right now and secure your copy for HALF OFF (just $49) by CLICKING THIS LINK NOW.

As you may know, one of the hallmarks of my Assimilation System – for integrating newcomers into the life of your church – is the weekly use of a Connection Card.  This is an information card that is filled out each week by everyone in attendance and includes contact info on one side and next steps and sign-ups on the other side.

As you might expect, one of the questions that church leaders often ask me is about what we do with all those cards after they’re turned in.  Well that’s a great question!

I’ve written before about how I believe church membership is Biblical AND practical.  Unfortunately lots of churches do a poor job of raising its value to the people who attend each week.

In fact, I often get emails from pastors who are struggling to get people to go through their membership class and take that next step of commitment to a spiritual family.

Here’s one simple secret that will help you get more of your regular attenders to attend your membership class and cross the line to become members – but don’t tell anyone…

Promote multiple classes at the same time 

That’s it!  All it takes is a little pre-planning – instead of listing one membership class on the calendar… list two.  And then adjust the way you promote the class.Here are the magic words:

Can I sign you up for the December or February class?

Since writing the book Fusion I get a lot of questions about assimilation and how to get more first time guests to return to your church and ultimately become members.

One question I get frequently involves the handwritten note and gift that I recommend you send to every first time guest.

There’s nothing like a handwritten note to really show people that you care – in this note, you want to thank them for coming, invite them to come back again (don’t forget this!) and give them a gift.

Generally I recommend including a gift card of some type that fulfills some type of basic need (food, beverage, transportation, etc.).

Often I’m asked whether these gifts should be sent to every single person or each family and I’ve seen it done either way.

At The Journey, we typically send one card & gift to a married couple and then our Children’s Ministry also sends a similar – but age-appropriate – card and gift to any first time children who attend.

You’ll be amazed at the reaction people have to receiving A) a handwritten note (who sends those anymore?) and B) a useful and meaningful gift from the church they just attended on Sunday.

By implementing these tools as part of a comprehensive Assimilation System, you will begin to see an increase in the number of people who return a second time and engage in the life of your church!

PLUS, you’ll be demonstrating Biblical Hospitality AND Generosity from their first experience at your church – a powerful lesson that will come in handy as you seek to help them become fully developing disciples of Christ.

P.S. If you’re ready to implement a complete, step-by-step Assimilation System – one that was designed, refined and is still being used to follow up on the 50+ First Time Guests at The Journey each week, check out The Assimilation Intensive.

It’s Tommy Duke here, Community Pastor at The Journey Church, VP of Training for Nelson Searcy and Church Leader Insights, and leader of the brand new Assimilation Tele-Coaching Network that starts in less than two weeks (Tuesday, October 18).

Today I’d like to share with you the number one reason most churches aren’t effectively connecting newcomers into the life of their church…

It’s hard to follow up with someone if you don’t have their name and contact info!

Seems simple, right? But I can’t begin to tell you how many Monday mornings over the years I had to ask my staff and key volunteers “did you catch that person’s name?” or “do you know who they came with?”

As a pastor and a long-term student of why some churches grow and others don’t, I’ve observed that this vital step – collecting information from First Time Guests – is too often neglected or poorly executed.

And without that information, you and I are powerless to thank people for coming, invite them back again and encourage them to take next steps in their spiritual growth.

Thankfully for me, many years ago I was introduced to Nelson Searcy’s Assimilation System – from First Time Guests to Fully Committed Members – and one of the key elements of this system is the use of a weekly Connection Card.

This is a card that everyone completes each week (not just new people) and it includes both contact information and important next steps for people to take in their spiritual journey.

Each week, between 70 and 80% of our attendees complete a connection card, giving us the opportunity to better connect new people and strengthen our existing disciples.

This is just one reason why I want to invite you to apply for my Brand New ASSIMILATION Tele-Coaching Network, starting Tuesday, October 18. In this network, not only will I show you what your Connection Card should look like, but I’ll also coach you through how to present the card each week to insure that your people use it!

Beyond that, I will coach you through each step of the Assimilation process – from the moment a newcomer first arrives at your church to the time they sign up for membership.

In fact, in the new Assimilation Tele-Coaching Network, you will learn:

• How to teach your entire church to see first time guests as gifts from God.
• How to obtain full staff support for the assimilation system.
• How to change the culture of your church to be guest friendly.
• How to recruit volunteers to run your assimilation system.
• How to get 70 – 80% connection card completion rate each week.
• How to preach and teach on Biblical hospitality.
• How to integrate prayer and the assimilation system.
• How to manage the day-to-day and weekly tasks of Assimilation without causing long-term stress or frustration.
• How to promote, manage and maximize membership class.
• How to use (and not use) your church software to track assimilation.
• And over a dozen more how to’s!

In short, you will learn EVERYTHING I’ve learned about Assimilation as a coach, church planter, multiple-time Nelson Searcy Coaching Alumni, Church Leader Insights team member, and leader of our on-going laboratory at The Journey Church in South Florida.

If you’d like to read more about the specifics of this Brand New Assimilation Tele-Coaching Network (everything you’ll receive as a member), I’ve included more about that in the P.P.S. below.

If you think you and your church might be a good fit for this network, here’s where you can read more and apply now:

www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/ac

I really hope you (or your Assimilation Leader – or both of you – since it’s one spot per CHURCH) will consider joining this new network.

Here’s my promise to you if you join this network: I will do everything I can to help you keep as many first time guests as possible and move them toward membership in your church and maturity in Jesus Christ.

To read more or Apply Now:

www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/ac

If you have any additional questions, just reply to this email or call me at 1-800-264-5129 ext 5.

Thanks for your time and I hope to review your application soon!

Tommy

P.S. Don’t just take my word for what this network can do for you, check out this video from Nelson Searcy about the potential of this network to impact your church:

P.P.S. Because I imagine you (like me) want all the pertinent info before making a decision like this, I’ve put together this list of the top EIGHT most important items you will receive as a member of the New Assimilation Coaching Network:

1. This is a six month Tele-Coaching Network focused exclusively on Assimilation that will be conducted by phone with a webinar element (so you can see my notes) – Starting Tuesday, OCTOBER 18, 2011.
2. Each church in the network will secure ONE spot, and then MULTIPLE people from that church can be on call - e.g., the senior pastor, the assimilation pastor, assimilation lay leader or all three (to engage all of your church’s assimilation leaders in the process).
3. One coaching call each month - an hour and fifteen minutes of specific training from me (and Nelson will join us from time to time).
4. One group Q and A call each month - a forty minute call-in time where I’ll answer your ‘specific-to-your-church’ assimilation questions.
5. Over $1228.00 in FREE Assimilation resources - including some that you can’t obtain anywhere else – not even through the CLI store.
6. Unlimited email access to me and the CLI team for your assimilation questions.
7. FREE attendance at most CLI (live or web) training events during your network (up to $729.00 value).
8. Private VIP replay access to the recording of each coaching session.
   NOTE: Even if you miss the exact date, you and your volunteers can listen to the network at your convenience.

I will teach you everything I know about assimilation - both the principles I’ve been teaching with Nelson Searcy for years AND the latest and most advanced techniques that we’re developing and using at The Journey Church!

Well, what do you say?

Are you ready….

• to make your church’s assimilation more effective than you thought possible?
• to get more of your first time guests to return a second time?
• to turn more second time guests into regulars?
• to move more of your regular attenders into fully committed church membership?
• to do what it takes to fine-tune your system so no one slips through the cracks?

If so, I want to help you do all that and more as a part of this network.

Follow the link below to download and submit your application as soon as possible (the network begins in less than two weeks – on Tuesday, October 18):

www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/ac

If you read this blog on a regular basis, you already know that I love the Assimilation System.

It’s the system that helps get new people connected and it just so happens to be the quickest system to help grow your church.

My Community Pastor at The Journey and VP of Training at Church Leader Insights, Tommy Duke, is leading a brand new, six-month Assimilation Tele-Coaching Network and I recorded the video below to tell you more about it and how it can help you grow your church (click the image below to watch the video):

This network starts on Tuesday, October 18, and if you’re looking for a great way to dig deep and maximize your Assimilation system to grow your church and make more disciples, I highly recommend it.

Click the link below for more info and to watch the video:

www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/ac

Yesterday I had a question about an event I’m scheduled to attend, so I emailed the info@ address on the Web site to ask my question.

Much to my surprise, the response was almost immediate.

So I excitedly clicked open the email only to read:

<The answer to your question> is on our Web site,

Sincerely,

info@conferencewhosenameiwonttellyou.com

What?  Is that it?  Their Web site is huge and hard to navigate.  Why not give me the direct link?

So I wrote back, “Where can I find it on the Web site?  Can  you send me a direct link?”

Quick reply (kudos!) and this time with the direct link, followed my a P.S. “Access to this area of our web site requires a password.”

Mercifully, the info@ responder did include the password I needed to find out the info.

Oh, and did I tell you, I was trying to make a purchase? I wanted to pay to add something to my registration.

I eventually got what I needed but it required twice as many emails and too much of a headache.

In the time it took to reply to my original email, the direct link to could have been included too.  And a thank you might have been nice

So, here’s the lesson: when people email you, are you giving them all the information or are you leaving their question partially answered?

As I was preparing this post, I received an email from someone in our church wanting to automate their giving.  I could have replied back and said, “It’s under Online Giving” from our home page.

Instead, I replied back, gave them the direct link to the page, some quick instructions on how to complete the form and thanked them for honoring God with their finances.

Lesson learned.

Nelson

I’m so pumped about The Fusion Webinar!

It’s TOMORROW (Tuesday, July 12) from 2:00pm – 3:30pm Eastern time and just for participating you will receive over $160.00 in Free Bonuses!

This 90-minute webinar on Assimilation will add to the bottom line growth of your church by helping you connect more new people quicker. I’ll teach you the Assimilation principles that have helped thousands of churches over the last few years.

You (and your entire Assimilation team if possible) can join me for this training without ever leaving your office or home!  You just need a computer with internet access to participate. No phone call required!

You’ll learn:

• Principles to help you create an inviting environment for first-time guests
• How to ”wow” first-time guests into wanting to come back
• The Journey Church’s ”Assimilation System,” used to follow up with the 30+ first-time guests who attend the service each week
• How to turn first-time guests into second-time guests
• How to turn second-time guests into regular attenders and then fully-engaged members
• How to drastically increase the number of guests who give you their contact information
• How to use a Connection Card (Including what to put on it – and what not to put on it)
• How to get people to turn in a Connection Card
• Plus much more!

Click Here to Sign Up Now

P.S. Here are the Over $160.00 in FREE Bonuses you’ll receive as a part of this webinar:

Just for participating in this webinar, you will receive over $160.00 in FREE Resources (more than 4x your investment), including:
Healthy Systems, Healthy Church E-Book ($23.95 Value)	Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough ($29.95 Value)	Planning a One Year Preaching Calendar ($29.95 Value)
O.C. Church Leaders ($19.95 Value)	Overcoming the Barriers to Baptism ($19.95 Value)	The Top 10% Principle ($19.95 Value)
	What’s Missing on Your Homepage? ($19.95 Value)

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW

I’ve often said that evangelism is never an expense, but an investment.

The same is true for your church’s Assimilation System – never an expense, always an investment.

Time and time again since my book Fusion came out, I’ve had people tell me that the process is too expensive – how sending cards and gifts to new people is too much and they can’t afford it.

I like to remind them that every First Time Guest is a gift from God, and we are responsible to be good stewards of those gifts.

Not only that, but it makes sense from an dollars and cents standpoint as well.

Check out the email I received recently from Jerome Robinson, Current Tele-Coaching Participant and Senior Pastor of Praise Church in Jacksonville, Florida:

Nelson,

I am so happy to be a part of this coaching network. I have put the assimilation process in place and I want to share how it paid off for this ministry…

I was sharing with our church how we would follow the process when someone brought up how much it would cost. I explained that I felt sure that it would pay for itself. Here’s how it happened.

We had a guest come who was invited by my wife (we used the invite card from the “From Stress to Rest” sermon series). She brought her family when I shared the message on “My Finances” and we gave her a free copy of the book “Total Money Makeover” by Dave Ramsey. She was so blown away that she took the first-time guest book (“How Good is Good Enough” by Andy Stanley) with her message notes. Now her husband thought it was a get rich quick seminar because she was talking about saving money when before she was spending without thinking.

He works on a ship and came to see what we were all about. He was blown away by the service and we sent him the handwritten letter and gift card just as you describe in the Fusion book and Assimilation Seminar. This is where it really paid off. He was thinking about saving his tithe until the end of the year but he heard me preach on tithing and he started that Sunday. His tithe was $700.00 not just one time but every two weeks.

How about that return on some books and gifts cards!

I shared that with other members who are tithing and they are rejoicing with me.

Thank You!

Great testimony Jerome – thanks for sharing and keep up the good work!

P.S. Are you ready to become a better steward of the First Time Guests that God sends to your church?

Join me for The Fusion Webinar – this Tuesday, July 12 at 2pm Eastern.

Sign-up TODAY and SAVE $20.00!

PLUS, receive Over $160.00 in Free Bonuses just for participating!

Here’s the link to Sign-Up Now:

https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=4&i=p1554

Will you join me NEXT TUESDAY, July 12, from 2:00pm – 3:30pm Eastern time for The Fusion Webinar?

If you register before this Friday at 11:59pm Eastern, you’ll Save $20.00 on your registration with the Early Bird rate, PLUS you will receive over $160.00 in Free Bonuses!

This 90-minute webinar is on Assimilation – one of the eight systems where you can see results after even the smallest improvement, so it will add to the bottom line growth of your church. I’ll teach you the Assimilation principles that have helped over 3,000 churches keep more first time guests over the last few years.

The Fusion Webinar is all about helping you become the best possible steward of the guests that God sends your way!

Best of all, you (and your entire Assimilation team if possible) can join me for this training without ever leaving your office or home!  You just need a computer with internet access to participate. No phone call required!

To help you make it worth your while, I’m giving you over $160.00 in bonus resources just for signing up!

You’ll learn:

• Principles to help you create an inviting environment for first-time guests
• How to ”wow” first-time guests into wanting to come back
• The Journey Church’s ”Assimilation System,” used to follow up with the 30+ first-time guests who attend the service each week
• How to turn first-time guests into second-time guests
• How to turn second-time guests into regular attenders and then fully-engaged members
• How to drastically increase the number of guests who give you their contact information
• How to use a Connection Card (Including what to put on it – and what not to put on it)
• How to get people to turn in a Connection Card
• Plus much more!

Click Here to Sign Up Now and Save $20.00, PLUS…

Just for participating in this webinar, you will receive over $160.00 in FREE Resources (more than 4x your investment), including:
Healthy Systems, Healthy Church E-Book ($23.95 Value)	Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough ($29.95 Value)	Planning a One Year Preaching Calendar ($29.95 Value)
O.C. Church Leaders ($19.95 Value)	Overcoming the Barriers to Baptism ($19.95 Value)	The Top 10% Principle ($19.95 Value)
	What’s Missing on Your Homepage? ($19.95 Value)

P.S. To learn more and to Register Now for The Fusion Webinar and Save, CLICK HERE.