Ten
Ideas for Visitation
Visitation is a key ingredient to church growth. However, effective
visitation is determined to a great extent by the local culture. What
will work in an urban area may not work in a rural area. Visitation
means making regular caring contact with regular attendees, adherents,
and prospects.
Some research shows that 76 percent of the churches that have an active
visitation ministry are growing. Ninety-eight percent of churches that
maintain and work an active list of prospects are growing.1
In the Church Growth Spiral, visitation is vital to building a strong
church. Each week a church should be contacting at least 50 percent
of its enrollment figure. If it has 100 people enrolled, each week it
should be making contact with at least 50 people. Of these 20 percent
(or 10 people) should be new prospects.
The following list of visitation ideas can help you to plan and implement
a visitation ministry:
1. Care Group Leaders
Divide classes into groups of four to six people with a care group
leader for each group. The leader makes a different type of contact
with each person in his group every week. The first week, he can mail
a card, note, or letter. The second week, he can make a phone contact.
The third week, he can make a personal contact. The fourth week, he
specifically prays for and encourages the members of the group.
A variation of this is to ask each group to identify and actively seek
to enroll unchurched friends, neighbors, and relatives.
2. Love PATS
Each person has gifts and abilities. Some do not feel comfortable
making outreach visits or doing weekly visitation. Still, we can provide
different opportunities for people to be involved. Love PATS (Prayer,
Absentees, Telephone, Soul-winning visits) is one way to do this.
Some people are great prayer intercessors. They can pray for those
who are visiting and being visited. Other class members are uncomfortable
visiting people they don't know, but they will call on ones they know.
These people can be enlisted to make contact with the absentees each
week.
Some people will be good at making telephone contacts. Enlist them
to call absentees, newcomers, and prospects. They can follow-up on contacts
someone else has made.
Members who have been trained and enjoy sharing the gospel usually
enjoy sharing their faith and generally see results from their efforts.
They can visit with those who are seeking to know more about spiritual
matters or about the church.
3. PIE Night
Fellowship and refreshments seem to go together. PIE (People In
Evangelism) is a fun way to reach prospects and encourage visitation.
You can use either of two approaches. You can deliver a special dessert
to each prospective member and family and invite them to your church
or special event. The Sunday School classes can take turns providing
the desserts each month.
The other approach is to have your visitation team work on the same
night. Afterward, take time to fellowship around refreshments and share
visitation reports and victories. Conclude with prayer for each person
visited and for others on the prospect list.
4. Bakers for Men
This is a good method for following up on guests. Enlist people
to make cookies or desserts for guests. Then deliver the baked goods
to the guests at their homes. Thank them for attending the church, give
them additional information about the church, and build a friendship
bridge with them.
5. Grow
This plan involves each class member in visitation once every 4
weeks. Divide your class or Sunday School into four teams: Green, Red,
Orange, and White. The first week, the Green team makes the contacts
with members, adherents, absentees, and prospects. The second week the
Red team does this, and so forth.
This method involves everyone and ensures that visitation is being
done each week. A variation is to promote a contest to see which team
can enroll the most people or increase attendance by personal visitation
and invitation to prospects.
6. Designated Visitor
Each class enlists a different person(s) to make the contacts and
visits each week. The class evangelism coordinator can spearhead this.
The names of absentees, guests, and prospects are assigned to them for
contact. A variation is to enlist three people each week. One person
makes contacts with absentees only. A second person follows up on guests,
and a third contacts prospects.
7. Sunday Morning Volunteer
The evangelism coordinator keeps an active list of prospects. Every
Sunday morning he lists two or three names on a Prospect Assignment
Card, asks for volunteers to contact the persons listed on the card.
They later return the card with a written report of the visit.
8. Literature Visit
Enlist a group of volunteers to canvass a neighborhood and distribute
door hangers and information about the church and its ministries. This
is a great way to make contact with your prospect list a week or two
before the beginning of a new quarter or series of lessons. Order extra
materials, and deliver them to each home to encourage involvement in
Bible study.
Have literature available for every age group. It is also a good idea
to include needs-centered pieces that address current issues.
9. Family Fellowship Groups
Ask people to volunteer for a once-a-month fellowship. This can
follow an evening service or be done at some other convenient time.
Each group consists of 6 to 12 persons. The group is to invite unchurched
friends, relatives, and neighbors so your members can establish friendships
outside the church setting. Provide appropriate activities and a comfortable
environment.
10. Visitation Blitz
The idea is to contact a large number of people in a short time.
Involve as many members as possible to make a one-time visit to prospects
and members. Offer breakfast on a Saturday morning, and spend the morning
making visits. Afterward assemble to give reports and pray for the harvest.
1 C. Kirk Hadaway. Church Growth Principles, Fact or Fiction;
Broadman: Nashville, 1991.
