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by Joshua A. Stone (Author)
Points of Connection: Realizing the Potential for Improving the Church Membership Process
Church member assimilation is key to growth for the Christian and has been particularly difficult for many churches since the recent pandemic. A highly assimilated church is a church where all members are encouraged in tangible ways in their walk with Jesus Christ as their personal Savior by embodying the great apologetic:
...but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:15-16 NASB 2020)
Using a structured program evaluation, the author sought to gain insight from new church members by interviewing a cross-section of new members who had joined within a two-year period. Participants included a diverse group of church members, including younger adults, single adults, married adults, seasoned believers, and new believers, ensuring that all demographics of the church family were represented. The participants interviewed had ample time to assimilate prior to the interviews. The end goal was to determine why some members might not be assimilating well since joining the church, and to get more members on the path to discipleship and service and connection to the local body of Christ through participatory membership. The responses identified ways that the church can reach more people, increase engagement, and move people along to serving well as fully assimilated members.
In a supported effort to assimilate church members well, this book will showcase a streamlined process of walking new members through the process of assimilation by helping them to connect with other believers, with church leadership, and with areas of service where they may employ their spiritual gifts. This book may serve as a guided resource for pastors, church staff members and leaders in the church as they help new members to find points of connection within the church.
