Creating A
Strong Assimilation
System
Stephen Gray © 2008
Why is it important
to be intentional
about assimilation?
Stephen Gray © 2008
“Everyone wants to have
first-time guests, but few
really plan for them…”
Gary McIntosh Beyond The First Visit (Baker Books: 2006)
Stephen Gray © 2008
Most people will make up their
mind whether to come back to
your church within the first 15
minutes.
First impressions are
EVERYTHING!
Stephen Gray © 2008
American Church Facts
–Only 16.8% of the American
population attend church.
–8 of 10 have no idea what
church is really about.”
David Olsen The American Church in Crisis (Zondervan: 2008)
Stephen Gray © 2008
Questions First-time
attendees are asking:
–Can I trust them?
–Do they really have the
answers I need?
–Do they really care about my
life?
Stephen Gray © 2008
Good assimilation depends on
your ability to create a safe
and comfortable environment
for a first-time guest.
Not seeker sensitive, but seeker
intelligible. You have to create a safe
enough environment for the first-time
guest to feel comfortable enough to
hear a difficult truth.
Stephen Gray © 2008
Win-Arn Study 1980’s
“A church needs to keep about 16% of its firsttime guests to experience a minimal growth
rate of 5% a year. Rapidly growing churches
are keeping 25 to 30% of first-time guests.
Declining churches are keeping only 5 to 8%
of first-time guests…”
If a church can get the first-time visitor to
come back a second time, the retention
rate is 85%.
Win Arn The Church Growth Ratio Book, (Monrovia, CA 1980.)
Stephen Gray © 2008
Why do you think people
don’t come back, or stay for
long when they come again?
Stephen Gray © 2008
How to create
a better system
for retention.
Stephen Gray © 2008
The ultimate goal:
Making first-time guests
fully devoted followers.
Stephen Gray © 2008
So we have to learn how get…
First-time
Second-time
Regular
On
Guest
Guest
Attendee
Mission
bridge the gaps.
We need to _______
Stephen Gray © 2008
Three areas of concern
I. Pre-Service connection
II. Service time connection
III. Follow-up connection
Stephen Gray © 2008
I. Pre-service
Four Components
A.Greeted
B.Directed
C.Treated
D.Seated
Stephen Gray © 2008
A) Greeted
Repeat:
Everything speaks to a first-time
guest. Everything!
The minute guests drive onto
your lot they are making
decisions about you!
Stephen Gray © 2008
What is your
perception of
this church?
Stephen Gray © 2008
What does your visitor really
see when they walk in the doors
of you church?
– Drive into your meeting place and look
around, what do you see?
– Is there trash?
– Is the paint chipping?
– Are there trees that need trimming or grass
that needs cut?
– Does the parking lot have weeds around it?
Stephen Gray © 2008
Find the most outgoing and
friendly people you can to put
at the front door.
Have weekly pep-talk meetings
before service.
Make sure your volunteers show up at
least 40 minutes early and remind
volunteers why they are there. Remind
them how to greet people.
Stephen Gray © 2008
B) Directed
Poor signage is a huge problem in most
churches.
Two of the most important places for
parent’s find.
1.Bathroom
2.Children’s Center
Stephen Gray © 2008
Remember only 16.8% of
Americans go to church.
So, 8 out of every 10 guests who
come into your church are anxious
about being there.
You have heard Location, location,
location.
Well, remember signs, signs, signs!
Stephen Gray © 2008
C) Treated
Most members in every
church tend to cluster.
You have to be intentional
about not allowing this to
happen.
Stephen Gray © 2008
“businesses that get return
customers deliver on what they
promise plus 1 percent…”
Ken Blanchard Creating Raving Fans (William Marrow 1993)
Remember the 3/33 rule.
For every 3 people that say
something nice about your church 33
will have something negative to say.
Stephen Gray © 2008
Always under-promote and
over-preform.
Poor Service
Negative
word of mouth
Expected Service
No
word of mouth
Excellent Service
Positive
word of mouth
Food is a great way to create a
warm atmosphere.
Stephen Gray © 2008
Hint:
• Don’t skimp on the food.
• Make it look good. Don’t
just throw out an open
box!
Stephen Gray © 2008
D) Seated
Make sure you have another good
“people-person” at the sanctuary door
who will talk to everyone.
Don’t let guests wander in and
try to find a seat on their own.
Stephen Gray © 2008
Ask good questions.
–How are you?
–Is this your first time here?
–Are you with a friend?
Have strategic places to seat
people.
Stephen Gray © 2008
Have strategic places to seat
people.
Introduce them to another couple as you seat
them so they can make a personal connection.
***If newcomers don’t get
connected to an average of 7
friends in the church, they will
be gone within 6 months. ***
Stephen Gray © 2008
Keep ushers at the door until
after the third song.
Note: This will take a lot of work and a
great deal of intentionality on your
part! But the return on that investment
is huge. You have 7 to 15 minutes to
help nervous, anxious, and skeptical
guests feel comfortable enough to
engage in the service.
Stephen Gray © 2008
SERVICE
CONNECTION
Stephen Gray © 2008
If you ever hope to retain
guests you have to find a way
to get good information.
Stephen Gray © 2008
Connection Cards
Most cards
require too
much
information
Prayer Requests:
___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
_______________________
Stephen Gray © 2008
Connection Cards
How did you hear about us?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
P rayer Requests:
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
Make the
card as
simple as
possible.
Stephen Gray © 2008
HINT:
1. Make the card relevant to the service.
2. Don’t print up mass cards that always
look the same.
3. Change the card to fit the current series.
Stephen Gray © 2008
How to use the Connection Card
• K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
• Talk about the card early in the service.
• Do not attach it to the bulletin.
• Everyone fills one out.
• Give a pen with each program.
• Allow time after the message to respond.
Stephen Gray © 2008
Give a gift to all guests.
• Give something men can get into.
• Give something that has some eternal value.
• Ask them to pick it up at the table and then
trust them.
• Don’t have someone at the table to greet
them.
• Allow them the opportunity to leave as
quietly as they wish.
• Give a gift a man will like.
Stephen Gray © 2008
Why focus on men?
“66% of the church world-wide is made up of
women.”
David Murrow Why Men Hate Going To Church. (Nelson 2005)
"A Study in 2000 from Switzerland provides insight on the
importance on male attendance on the religious
development of children in the country. 'In summary, if a
father does not go to church, no matter how regular the
mother is in her religious practice, only one child in fifty
becomes a regular church attendee. But if the father attends
regularly, then regardless of the practice of the mother, at
least one child in three will become a regular church
Stephen Gray © 2008
attendee.”
FOLLOW-UP
Stephen Gray © 2008
A) Post Service
1. Put a letter from the pastor in each gift.
****The letter should be short and direct them to a website where they
can fill out a 1st time guest survey on your website. ****
2. Make yourself available for guests to meet.
****Teach your people not to consume your time after the service. Let
them know that they can contact you any time of the week. This day is for
the guest.****
Stephen Gray © 2008
3. Create an online survey for 1st time guest to fill out.
This serves two functions.
A) It gives them a chance to explore what your
church has to offer.
B) For those who didn’t fill out a card but picked up
a gift, you have a second chance to get information.
Don’t ask them to criticize your service.
Online surveys.
http://www.mynewwalk.com/survey.asp
Stephen Gray © 2008
http://www.journeymetro.com/midtown/resources/fre
e_gift/
4. 36-hour email response
Four primary issues to address:
A) Introduce yourself
B) Thank them for coming
C) Invite them to come back
D) Give them you web address.
Hint: Email is best sent after lunch on
Monday.
Another avenue to the email is Talk Fusion.
Stephen Gray © 2008
http://app.talkfusion.com/talkFusionStudio/view.asp?180880_987507
Hint:
You don’t have to do
this. Put a team together
to do it. Give them
permission to sign your
name.
Stephen Gray © 2008
Handling Second-timers
• Don’t assume that just because they
come back a second time they will
stay. Treat them as 1st time guests.
• Make sure you mention that they
check the second-time visitor box.
• Push them to get connected. If they
don’t get connected within the first 6
months, they will leave.
Stephen Gray © 2008
Relationships
• Train your people to seek out guests.
• Create fun events – No hidden
agendas.
• Create an atmosphere of service
among your small groups
• Service – Ministry groups
• Affinity
• Bible Study
Stephen Gray © 2008
• Use these groups as care-taking groups.
Responsibility
• Membership Classes.
• No more one-day membership classes.
• Membership classes should come with
expectations.
• Use class as a way to transfer responsibility.
• Create serving opportunities
• Help members to live out their faith practically.
• Encourage members to serve at least twice a year
in a not-for-profit organization.
• Publicly recognize and celebrate servants.
• We become what we celebrate.
Stephen Gray © 2008
Stephen Gray © 2008