Get Them Organizing & Functioning: Membership Caring and Retention

How does the church plan to achieve its membership goals?

• Develop a retention plan that focuses on maintaining high levels of enthusiasm through participation in interesting programs, projects, continuing education, and fellowship activities

• Appoint a committee of church members who have been trained in effective recruitment techniques

• Develop a recruitment plan that focuses on a true representation of the community

• Develop a recruitment plan that focuses on a true representation of the diversity of the community

• Develop a recruitment plan that clearly explains the expectations of membership to potential Members

• Implement an orientation program for new members to support their successful assimilation into the church

• Create a brochure that provides general information about your church or ministry as well as specific information about your church or ministry for prospective members

• Assign an experienced Member mentor for every new church member

• Recognize those Members who sponsor new members

• Conduct a public awareness program targeted at the business and professional community to increase awareness about what your church or ministry is and what it does

What makes this a good church to attract new members?

What aspects of this church could pose a barrier to attracting new members?

EDUCATING NEW MEMBERS

Why is it important to educate new members?

● Knowledgeable members can become immediately involved in church activities.

● Educated members will feel more comfortable interacting with experienced church members.

● Educated members will be in a better position to assume church responsibilities.

● Members who are well educated about The Worship Center will be more successful at recruiting new members.

● In order for the church to grow, we need to retain the members that we bring into our organization.

● Providing an effective orientation for new members through education is vital to their growth as individual Members and will enable them to participate effectively in church activities.

Regular Attendance required for Active Membership

• Attendance or make up of at 60 percent or more of each regular weekly meeting, measured in six month increments.

• 60 percent represents about 31 meetings per year, or about 15 meetings per half year.

• Consider how you present the attendance rule to members. It may be easier for members to relate to a concrete number rather than a percentage.

What happens if a member does not meet attendance requirements?

• A member is put on Inactive Status for the following reasons:

• Failure to attend 60 percent of the meetings, or 60 percent of the time allotted for regular weekly meetings in each half of the year

• Missing and failing to make up four consecutive regular weekly meetings

• A member will not be terminated if the board consents to the absences for good cause.

• Call or contact members who have three consecutive absences to ensure that they know that four absences in a row may lead to being put on Inactive Membership Status.

How can we encourage regular attendance?

Promoting Attendance

• Work with leaders in charge of weekly meetings to ensure that the program is relevant and worthy of members’ time.

• Make church meetings enjoyable.

• Stress the importance of regular attendance to new members.

• Keep members active by ensuring they are assigned to a committee or given specific duties to fulfill.

• Encourage members to make up missed meetings.

• Recognize members who have exemplary attendance records.

What positive steps can we take to address attendance concerns?

• Get to know each church member.

• Monitor absence trends. If attendance rates are declining, find out why.

• Create a questionnaire that attempts to determine the reasons members fail to attend weekly meetings regularly. Use the results of this to improve meetings

• and other church activities to foster increased attendance.

• Create a support system within the church to encourage and monitor attendance.

What should successful weekly meetings achieve?

• Demonstrate to members that the time and effort that they have invested in attending meetings were well invested.

• Begin by starting on time, and be sure they know you will end on time.

• Enhance each member’s personal knowledge of Jesus Christ, and the principles of the Word of God.

• Each member needs to know the importance of actively worshiping through the Worship part of the service. Worship is intended to usher in the manifest presence of the Lord in our midst.

• The bringing forth of the Word needs to not only be interesting, but, relevant, anointed and clear that the presenter has been in the presence of God.

• Every aspect of every service needs to indicate that we care, and have prepared well, because we value the time and lives of the members.

• Opportunities for genuine fellowship, and friendships.

• Demonstrate the value of continued membership.

What are the benefits of membership in your church or ministry?

• Our broad representation of the community allows members to widen their circle of friends and contacts.

• The church provides an international network of associates.

• The church enables members to have a positive impact on their community and other communities through service activities.

• The church’s prominence in the international community allows members to become involved in world issues. (Missions, International Justice, etc)

• Spiritual fellowship and Association with other positive, wholesome and spiritually minded people who provide support, counsel and friendship.

What are the responsibilities of membership in our church?

• Regularly attend weekly church meetings.

• Live a Godly life, with the Lord’s help, as a testimony to the power of God

• Reach out to others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ

• Pay tithes and offerings promptly.

• Participate in service activities.

• Contribute to the work of the church as a member of a small group, ministry, class or committee

• Participate in social/fellowship activities

RETENTION IN OUR CHURCH

Why is retention important?

• Strong retention provides continuity.

• Retention provides for the development leaders.

• A strong membership base allows our church to meet the service needs of our community.

Why are fellowship activities so important?

• Fellowship activities promote unity, friendship and good relations among church members.

• Fellowship motivates members to remain active and fosters cooperation on church activities and projects.

• Fellowship is where clear role models are found, and examples to follow are discovered.

• In fellowship, Jesus is made known among us, for wherever two or more are gathered together in His name, He is there in the midst of them.

What can we do to stimulate and improve fellowship in our church?

• Encourage members to wear name badges at meetings to make introductions easier.

• Rotate seating arrangements at social events, where name tents are on the tables, to break up groups and ensure that members get to know each other.

• Appoint a Host or Hostess at each table during fellowship or social events to promote fellowship.

• Circulate a letter at the beginning of the year asking members to advise the Membership Caring and Retention Ministry of important dates, such as birthdays and anniversaries.

• Use the church bulletin to publish news about members and social events.

• Appoint a different member each week to introduce special music and musicians, to make announcements - to involve all members in the weekly program.

• Plan events that include members’ families who don’t regularly attend.

• Fellowship is one of the primary reasons people join a church. So we strive to promote fellowship at every meeting, not just at one or two events a year.

• Greeting guests, looking after new members, and broadening contacts within the community are all activities that can improve fellowship.

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What are the elements of our church’s new member orientation program?

Key points

• Benefits of membership

• Responsibilities of membership

• Opportunities for service

• Purpose, history, and mission of The Worship Center

• Involvement and connection of new members

• Mentoring

How can each church member help integrate new members into the

church?

• Make an effort to become acquainted with each new member.

• Personally invite new members to join a committee or project.

• Assign a mentor to the new member.

• Ask the new member to serve as a greeter at a church meeting so that he/she meets everyone in the church.

How can our church involve new members in church life?

• Invite new members to be on a committee

• Ask new members to present at a committee meeting

• Allow opportunities for new members to give feedback to church leaders

• Invite new members to participate in organizing a project

 Remember...

• The demands of work and family can make it difficult for individuals to balance volunteer service with other commitments.

• Involving the family in your church or ministry can often help church members integrate volunteer commitments into their lives and increase retention rates.

How can we involve the family in your church or ministry?

• Invite spouses of Members to come to social functions, activities, get involved in projects.

• Encourage family attendance at special church events.

• Encourage family involvement in service projects.

• Invite spouses of deceased members to church and special events.

• Involve children of Members in church activities.

• Make church involvement a family tradition.

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What lesson can the church learn when a member leaves the church?

● Some churches conduct exit interviews to find out why a member is leaving the church. The results can be a valuable addition to a membership retention

program.

● The Pastors have a great deal of influence among the Members in our church, yet they cannot manage everything themselves.

●  Members who feel involved in their church are more likely to remain members and have a positive attitude toward their experiences as members of The Worship Center

Ideas for Membership Retention

1. Invite every Member to become personally involved in church projects and

activities.

2. Encourage church-wide participation in community service projects

3. Conduct weekly programs that are relevant and meaningful to members.

4. Explain to members how projects are relevant and effective.

5. Use surveys to identify what is important to your membership; give a

voice to every Member in our church.

6. Conduct a minimum of four church programs per year that address issues

related to increased serving and leading others.

7. Include membership items in the church bulletin.

Why is recognition important?

● Encourages Members to continue serving and contributing

● Thanks members for their work

● Motivates others to serve and contribute

● Serves as a sign of appreciation for commitment to a cause greater than personal gain

● Provides positive feedback to Members devoted to serving their community and communities around the world

How does our church recognize the outstanding work or participation of its members? What effect does recognition have on members?

Recognition programs can be an outstanding way to motivate Members in our church. We need to develop various awards and citations.

● Membership Recruitment Award

● Citation for Meritorious Service

● Distinguished Service Award

What else?

How can we promote service awards and recognition?

● Discuss award and recognition programs at committee meetings.

● Incorporate appropriate recognition of members who serve in an outstanding manner into church activities.

● Develop church-level awards that recognize excellence in all aspects of community and international service.

A Guide to Membership Retention

Give new members a worksheet outlining the many opportunities to gain knowledge about your church or ministry and become involved in church activities. The potential new member’s mentor should deliver the worksheet and provide guidance on completing each step.

Provide several opportunities for potential members to comment on a wide range of issues, including the process and results of the orientation program itself.

Effective feedback includes a mechanism for reporting comments to the church board, the Pastor, Assistant Pastor and your church or ministry's denominational HQ as appropriate.

Consider periodic meetings between new members and the denominational leadership, along with new member forums (facilitated by the Pastor).

Consider scheduling the formal orientation programs in several sessions to enhance retention of information.

Induct

Induct new members in a dignified and meaningful manner. Use the induction ceremony as an opportunity to underscore the benefits and responsibilities of being a Member. A new member should be provided with the following items:

● The church lapel pin

● Membership identification card

● Copy of the church bulletin

● Directory

● Latest Southern Methodist magazine

● Presentation Bible

● List of meetings and functions for make-up meetings

● Church name badge

● A history of the church

● A Certificate of Membership

If possible, invite family members to attend. During the ceremony, new members might give a five-minute talk about themselves, their lives and their families. However you decide to conduct it, make the induction ceremony special. It should imprint on the new member an enthusiasm for membership.

Educate

Educate the Member. Some members resign from their churches because they feel uninformed or uninvolved. Educate church members so they have enough knowledge to take the initiative and become more active.

New members can acquire a church education in two ways — self-education and continuing education established by the church;

Involve

Involve the Member in church committees, church fundraisers, board meetings, church meetings, and church social activities. It is a very unfortunate occurrence to receive a letter of resignation from a member who didn’t feel “a part” of the church.

Consider the following methods of getting new members involved in the affairs and activities of the church:

● Develop programs such as SWATC (Special Wisdom for Action in The Church). By creating a friendly and informal atmosphere through small group meetings, programs such as SWATC help new members get acquainted with each other and some of the church’s more experienced Members.

● Create special name badges for new members to wear for one year. Encourage other members to look for the badges and make a special effort to talk with the new members.

Copyright Steven L. Davis  www.SteveDavis.org