New Member Training for Adults on the Fast Track of Life
Pre and Post Conversion Discipleship

I. Schedule Possibilities

  • As you go….schedule – create gatherings within their daily path and convenient with their schedule.
  • Multiple time frame offerings – not just one scheduled time for training
  • One day seminar or retreat rather than 5 or 6 hour meetings is often preferred way of training and offers better community building opportunities
  • Utilize multi-media – that will allow them to train in comfort of their home, office or during commute

II. Resource Possibilities

  • Utilize multi-media options as basis of curricula (video, audio, CD roms, online learning, websites etc)
  • Curricula focuses on life experiences and life questions that leads to life changing Bible Study
  • Curricula and study options need to be highly relational as opposed to strictly didactic (learner focused rather than teacher lead)
  • www.serendipityhouse.com; www.lifeway.com; www.helwys.com; www.Nbontheweb.com; www.transformingsolutions.org; offers many helpful curricula resources for individuals and small groups that are supported or driven by multi-media

III. Networking & Assimilation Possibilities

  • Build networks around commonalities
    • Schools
    • Communities
    • Careers
    • Districts in which they work, engage in leisure activities
    • Recreational preferences (over)
    • Family types – single parent, dual career, blended, multi-racial, multi-cultural etc.
  • Help them find their gifts, callings, and join a ministry team
  • Tour facilities before or after worship services sharing something of the history of the church and introducing key leaders for each age group and ministry program (Treat them royally with a nice meal during the tour)

IV. Community Experience Possibilities

  • Retreats
  • Banquets
  • Family Gatherings
  • Community Based; Life Issue Small Groups
  • Vacation Clubs
  • Men’s and Women’s Groups
  • Couples Classes/Groups
  • Online Forums/Chat Rooms
  • Recreation Experiences
  • MOPS
  • Play Dates for children

Coaching Questions To Consider

  1. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 least; 10 most effective) how would you assess your church’s current new member assimilation and training?
  2. What two ideas have emerged that you would like to explore with other leaders in your church?
  3. What benefits would come from updating your new member ministry?
  4. Who are persons just as passionate about this ministry as you are?
  5. What are you willing to do? By When?

©Held by Edward H. Hammett, Senior Leadership/Discipleship Consultant for Baptist State Convention of North Carolina www.discipleshipteam.org and www.transformingsolutions.org 6/04


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