Sermon Central
-
2 Simple Tips For New Believer Follow-Up
By Steven Furtick on Sep 30, 2011
Steven Furtick shares practical insights for making the most out of your new believer follow-up.
I get asked all the time how we do discipleship at Elevation. Related to this question, I also get asked how we follow up with new believers.
Do we relentlessly call people until they’re in a small group?
Do we offer 57 Bible studies for people to grow in their faith?
Do we provide a yearlong systematic theology course for new believers?
We do have specific and practical things that we do. But when it comes down to it, our philosophy is pretty straightforward and simple:
1) We point the way and 2) we clear the path.
1) We point the way.
There’s ultimately nothing we can do to force people to grow in Christ. Nothing. So whether we offer a 26-option discipleship program or a 4-option one really doesn’t matter. If someone really doesn’t want to grow, they’re either going to say no 4 times or 26.
For that reason, we keep it pretty simple.
We give new believers material to help them grow in the initial stages of their faith, and we call and encourage them to get plugged in. We constantly stress the importance of small groups. We faithfully proclaim the Word and encourage people to read it for themselves. In short, we point the way to what it looks like to have a relationship with Jesus for themselves.
If they decide not to walk that way, that’s their decision. And we’ve made the decision that we’re not going to chase all of them down if they do.
Some people might say to this: Is that what Jesus would do?
I don’t have to wrestle with that question because it’s exactly what Jesus did. Jesus didn’t hook His finger in people’s noses to make sure they were following Him. When you read through the gospels, Jesus always cast His net extremely wide. Everyone was invited to follow. But He didn’t chase people down if they weren’t committed (as in the case of the rich young ruler).
The call was to follow Him. Not be dragged kicking and screaming behind Him.
All He did was point the way. To Himself.
2) We clear the path.
This is where our greatest responsibility comes into play. If we’ve pointed the way clearly and people are responding, it’s our job to make sure the path is clear for them when they decide to walk on it. There’s no room to drop the ball when it comes to people’s spiritual development. If they’re taking a step toward Christ, we’ve got to make sure that step lands unobstructed.
In other words, we’ve got to make sure our systems and processes are running at full speed. And running efficiently. If someone wants to get in a small group, we’ve got to follow up with them quickly. If someone needs counseling, we need to get them into it right away and into the best counseling available.
Whatever approach your church uses to pull the maximum God-given potential out of people, it really doesn’t matter. Whether you take people through a five-year development plan or you just put them into small groups and let the growth happen more organically, your responsibility is ultimately the same either way:
1) Point the way to Jesus clearly.
2) Clear the path to Him effectively.
Let’s commit to doing both with excellence so we can see our people become all that God has dreamed for them.
Related Preaching Articles
-
Five Subtle Ways Satan Sneaks Into Your Pulpit
By Larry Moyer on Dec 19, 2011
Larry Moyer: Effective ministry demands that we recognize the tactics of the enemy and then guard against them in our preaching.
-
Unchurched Or Unsaved? What Our Vocabulary Reveals About Our Beliefs
By Trevin Wax on Jan 3, 2012
Trevin Wax: I wonder if one of the main reasons for the dwindling number of baptisms is represented by a subtle shift in vocabulary--so subtle that we might overlook it.
-
4 Reasons Why You Should Share The Pulpit
By Kevin Larson on Dec 23, 2011
Do you want to preach God’s word for the long haul? Take regular weeks off to let God refill your tank and let others feed your soul.
-
Celebrate Your Graduates: 15 Sermon And Worship Resources For Graduation
By Sermoncentral on Jun 19, 2018
Celebrate Your Graduates: 15 Sermon and Worship Resources for Graduation. Send off your graduates with godly wisdom that will help anyone who is entering a new chapter of their lives, including sermons from Mark Batterson, John Maxwell, and Herbert Cooper.
-
10 Secrets Many Senior Pastors Keep
By Ron Edmondson on Dec 19, 2011
Are you honest enough to agree with any of these secrets pastors keep in the ministry?
-
10 Ways To Half-Bake Your Sermon: Part 2
By Peter Mead on Dec 6, 2011
We all want to be "biblical" preachers, but are we really giving the text its due? Find out in the second part of this series by Peter Mead.
-
10 Ways To Half-Bake Your Sermon: Part 1
By Peter Mead on Dec 6, 2011
Peter Mead: Is your preaching half-baked when it comes to the biblical text?
-
4 Reasons Not To Give An Altar Call
By Larry Moyer on Oct 29, 2011
There is a place for a properly given altar call, but we must maintain a correct understanding of how, when, and where to use one.
