The 4 Investments a Church Needs to Make in Pastors and Guests
Leaders of churches are some of the finest people to ever walk the face of the earth with the lead pastor. They help carry the vision and mission of the church forward to reach spiritually lost people with the Gospel. The best church leaders are truly the result of pastors taking seriously the charge in Ephesians 4 to “…equip the saints for the work of ministry.” In this post we’ll look at 4 investments a church can make in their pastor by helping that pastor follow up with guests.
I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the finest church leaders anywhere. And I can tell you a consistent theme I’ve seen with all of those leaders. They have a powerful desire to see their pastor be all they can be. They want that pastor to be the best at everything they put their hand to… including what they do every weekend as they mobilize the church to follow up on the guests that coming every week.
But I do say to church leadership, “Don’t assume.” Just because the pastor has a solid Bible College or Seminary degree doesn’t mean they’ve arrived in their ability to build systems like follow up systems. Every pastor I know ALWAYS desires to be better at follow up. And it’s a great privilege of leadership to invest in their pastor in helping them do exactly that.
So, how exactly should a church invest in their pastor in this way?
Ever wonder what to say when you contact guests after they’ve visited the church? Well, no longer! Download this Done-For-You Follow Up Scripts PDF and you’ll be well on your way to communicating with clarity through text, email, and phone.
Consider these ways to invest…
Pray
While together in leadership gatherings, practice praying for the pastor, for fellow leaders and guests who have visited recently. All of the church’s investment in anything should begin with the understanding of the individuals’ responsibilities to pray.
Encourage
Encourage the pastor to take advantage of continuing education opportunities that help them get better in their leadership in general and follow up systems in specific.
Support
Your pastor, like anyone else, needs to the right tools to succeed in leading the church. Following up with guests is a major responsibility for the pastor. Wise church leaders want to provide the pastor the tools and support they need.
Invest in the Connections Track of Church University. This online course will help the pastor and their team get better, break follow up barriers and grow the church. As well, it will help them discover how building follow up teams of volunteers will connect more guests to the life of the church and help your church grow! This resource provides your pastor and the church with the systematic A to Z of connections.
BTW, Church University offers a 30-day money back guarantee on all their resources. So, you and your pastor have nothing to lose to go kick the tires for 30 days to see if this tool could be helpful for the church.
Affirm
Always, stand ready to affirm the pastor in their efforts at follow up, even when they feel like things are not working as they should or could. Certainly, do not be disingenuous, but whenever possible look for and comment positively on that which is working at the church and seems to have had positive impact on guests and others.
Here’s the thing. Good pastoring doesn’t happen by accident. Following up with guests is a major responsibility of the pastor. So, in turn it is true that good follow up doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when the pastor, the board, the leadership and church acknowledge the need to invest in that which is important, in this case, guest follow up.
A major aspect of follow-up is the ability to effectively connect with your church guests. You can learn how to do this in our blog titled, How to Connect with Church Guests.
Churches that don’t grow seldom invest financially in their pastor or in the tools the pastor needs to be successful. They consider it a frill or waste of money. They wrongly use terms like, “Let’s not spend money on the pastor because they don’t need it, or it will look self-serving for us to do so.” And hence, the church continues the flat and downward spiral of “no growth.”
On the other hand, churches that want to see growth, are willing to invest financially in this key front-line aspect of the pastor’s leadership – their ability to follow up on guests and help those guests grow to be fully devoted followers of Jesus! They know the old phrase, “You get what you pay for.” The church’s bottom line will be improved when the church invests in its leader and the tools they need to be successful in this way.
Want to know how to keep your church’s guests coming back week after week after week? Then download this Turn-Key Follow Up Process for Today’s Church PDF.
So, what’s the takeaway?
Invest in your pastor today, specifically in helping them follow up on guests. More guests means more new members which in turn means more giving and more ministry.
Pray for them, equip them, spend wisely on them, and demonstrate the best in overall human and financial stewardship. Help them be the best in their service to the church not only in how they follow up on guests but in their overall leadership of the church, as well.
When you do these things, you’ll find the pastor more energized than ever before. They will find time to follow up on guests they never knew existed. They will build systems with more confidence and have time for other aspects of their life and ministry. Additionally, they will be well-rested when they hit the pulpit on the weekend and have joy and be fulfilled as they finish Sunday.
Churches that invest in their pastor see spiritual results they would never have seen otherwise. And most importantly, these wonderful partners in ministry watch their pastor flourish in fulfilling the Great Commission to reach spiritually lost people with the Gospel.
Invest in your pastor today!
Check out these blogs on connections, as well.
To Connect People in Your Church, the Path Must Be Clear
Blunder #1 in Assimilating New People
The Absolutes of the Post-Easter Guest Connection
How to Connect with Church Guests
The Perfect Follow-Up Plan for Church Guests
Rethink Easter: From Big Event to Big Impact
4 Action Steps for Guest Follow-Up Strategy from John 4
6 Steps to Get Guests Back After Easter
Thoughts About Guest Follow-Up
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