Where Are The New Converts?

My wife and I were a part of a church where we joined the follow-up committee team. Committee members would join the new converts after altar call and take the names of the people. There would be a weekly follow-up with a call to support and assist the new convert with making the transition as a Christian. Some of the responses when we called amazed us. Some of the comments were “The preacher made me come up and I don’t want to be a Christian.” But many more were sincere and glad to receive a weekly call to talk with someone on a personal level to discuss their transition. Most people appreciated the calls to help find out about joining and participating in the life of the church.

Luke 15:4,6,9 (KJV) says “what man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he cometh home, he calleth together [his] friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.” This scripture describes a shepherd leaving the 99 and finding the one lost sheep. Just think if we received 100 souls in a year and only ended up with 60, is there a way to find the 40 sheep?

How are the sheep we gather into the fold escaping out of the gate of the church’s protection? Does the Body of Christ have people in place to make sure we retain the sheep that God has entrusted to our care?

Any churches that have programs or committees in place, please send me an email with a brief description about how new converts can be retained within the church. Your ideas can be shared with the Gospelcity.com family. A follow-up article will include examples of successful church programs currently in use.

We work so hard in the Body of Christ to bait our hooks in ministry to lure the unbelievers into becoming believers. Sometimes they may jump off or out of our baskets to return to the sea of life. It is our responsibility to help new converts grow and mature in the Lord. Transition doesn’t happen overnight. Can I get an “AMEN”? Someone helped you so think about helping a new believer in the Body of Christ.