Recently, I took part in a corporate training event for new hires. The intentionality of the process got me thinking about the desperate need churches have for passing on their culture.
The systems that most churches use seem outdated at best and confused at worst. Some churches practice a confirmation system while others have a new members class. You might learn the creeds, the denominational history, the leadership structure and sign a covenant that says you will be in a small group.
In other words, these systems might give you some new information, but they do little to inspire new members to embrace the new way of life unique to that community.
Try this on for a process of onboarding:
1. Make it hard to come. You can’t teach culture in a few hours on Sunday afternoon. How about a retreat, maybe you should even charge. You want people to take this seriously.
2. Make it exciting! Your church should be like nowhere else, and have the ability to change the world. People should be pumped up by that.
3. Tell the great stories of your church. How was it founded? What are some landmark moments? These should become the stuff of legend.
4. Teach a new way of being together and living in the world. Save the big theology and ecclesiology for Sunday. Teach about what makes the Christian way of life completely different from anything they’ve ever experienced. How do Christians approach money, sex, conflict and violence? How do we love each other and our neighbors?
5. Leave with a new set of tools. Having become a part of your church, they should now have methods for growing closer to God, serving with their church and loving their neighbors. It may seem regimented to teach people how to read their Bible or how to speak kindly. However, Christians are to live differently, which doesn’t come naturally. Equip for that.
6. Follow up. Each person should leave with a mentor they will be hearing from soon. Each established member in your church should know it’s their job to follow up, too.
What do you think? How would an intentional onboarding process change your church?
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