Thursday, April 29, 2010

Assimilation

I wanted to share our assimilation process at Turning Point Church and fill you in on our constantly evolving process. We first started out with making calls each week and had a strenuous 4-5 week follow up plan. We also for a season tried to do visitations. Both showed very little fruit. We are constantly evaluating our process, but I wanted to share some of the new ways we have implemented in church assimilation to potentially help you in your ministry.

Our assimilation starts at the parking lot. We have implemented an amazing Welcome Team to make people feel welcomed. We have an amazing team of Parking guys who are giving direction and waving. We also have front door greeters, childrens check in and sanctuary greeters who all have been trained to welcome all who come in. We have ushers who show people to their seats and have a coffee bar for those who need the coffee. We have posted everything online also to show new visitors what to expect from how to dress to how to park. You can check that out Here if you want.
We ask in the welcome to have visitors fill out the communication cards which are given out at the door inside the bulletins. We also ask our members with any prayer requests to do the same. We pick those up at the end of the service and have them placed in the offering baskets. The next steps are usually handled by me. I get the cards and usually within 24 hours I will send them an email thanking them for coming. I also attempt to find them on facebook or twitter—if they checked the box (we have this as a question on the communication card). I befriend them and sent them a thanks. We then have a admin team who usually will send out a welcome letter. I do not make any calls unless they ask for one. We call it our no hassle-life giving process.

The next step for them is always being communicated. Come out to our Growth Track—Church 101 is always on the first Sunday of the month, 201, 2nd, 301 is the 3rd and 401 is the 4th Sunday always. Check more about that here. We make it easy, obvious and strategic. If anyone wants to get connected and into the life of the church—we invite them to the growth track. We also have small groups to connect to as well. I will explain what we do with our small groups is another blog.
Again, we are constantly evaluating our process and the effectiveness of it. We have shown consistent growth through this process and are continuing if for now.

Friday, April 23, 2010

His Purpose Not Ours

I wanted to encourage you today. The Lord was sharing with me that I might be only one person but with His plans and purpose I can make a difference.

Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Too many times I am compelled to get discouraged and depressed and I remember the words of God. He said. “He would never leave me or forsake me.” He said, “He has plans for me, that I am more than a conqueror, I am the head and not the tail, He is for me and who can be against me.”

Many times the enemy wants to discourage us into thinking that we can’t make a difference in people, and why bother. However when we are down and when we are calling out to Him, he will always answer us and remind us to PRESS ON towards the goal, like Paul said.

Keep Him in your sight at all times; keep in the word and in prayer, even when you might not feel like it is making a difference. IT DOES, He hears your voice and He is with you. Remember His commands and what He has called you to do according to His purpose and not yours.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Four Points Of Prayer

We need to be continually praying for our family, our city, our nation and the world every day.
Pray for your Family:
Job prayed for his family daily. Job 1:5 says, “Job would get up early in the morning and sacrifice a burnt offering for each of his children, thinking, "Maybe one of them sinned by defying God inwardly." Job made a habit of this sacrificial atonement, just in case they'd sinned.”
Pray for your City:
Jeremiah told the captives to pray for their city to have peace, Jeremiah 29:7, “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."
Pray for your Nation:
Paul encouraged us to pray for the leaders of our nation. 1 Timothy 2:1-2, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”
Pray for our World:
Jesus taught us to pray for the world harvest. Luke 10:2, “Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Friday, April 9, 2010

The Names of God

The Names of God
I wanted to share a teaching from Psalm 23 I got from the book The Remnant by Larry Stockstill. It breaks down and forms the basis for worshiping the seven major divine names of Jehovah revealed in the Old Testament:
• Jehovah-Rohi, my shepherd (v.1): “The LORD is my shepherd.”
• Jehovah-Jireh, my provider (v. 1): “I shall not want.”
• Jehovah-Shalom, my peace (v.2): “He makes me lie down in green pastures.”
• Jevohah-Rapha, my healer (v.3): “He restores my soul.”
• Jevohah-Tsidkenu, my righteousness (v.3): “He guides me in the paths of righteousness.”
• Jehovah-Shammah, my presence (v.4): “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…You are with me.”
• Jehovah-Nissi, my defender (v.5): “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”

40 Week Renewal of Our Life Week 26

Week 26 April 5th
Spiritual- FAMILY WEEK
Physical— 3 John 2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
• Diet-
• Body-Cardio 3 days this week work out 1 day
Family- Ecclesiastes 9:9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love,

• Parenting-Spring Break—Camping TRIP
• Marriage- Date morning Saturday
Financial-
Ministry

40 Week Renewal of Our Life Week 25

Week 25 March 29th
Spiritual- 1 Samuel 2:30 the LORD declares: 'Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor,
Physical— 3 John 2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
• Body-Continue work out plan 4 days a week, with one day off Sunday, Cardio 6 days this week
Family- Ecclesiastes 9:9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love,

• Parenting-Build out at church
• Marriage- Build out at church
Financial-
Ministry-