A few weeks ago I was preaching Jr/High School camps for the Central Cal District. While in my "Man Cave" otherwise known as my modest sleeping quarters I read a book by Gary Mcintosh called "Beyond The First Visit". I want to reccommend this to all of our leaders due to it's simplistic but all to often ignored truths. Several months ago we (our team) began asking some very tough but necessary questions about the "Connectivity" of our church and found this book to be helpful and confirmational to our many discussions. In this book Gary deals with churches and how they handle "Guests" beyond the first visit, an area we and too many other churches struggle in. He covers first impressions, facilities, follow up, intentional discipleship and much much more. We have made some very tough choices in letting some ministries die and letting some leaders go in our church. We have also spent countless hours creating a path for our guests to not only come and experience Legacy, but how they can connect beyond their first visit and this book has helped. Hope you enjoy the book and if you do, let me know what you got from it. If you have already read it, what did you like about it?
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
"Beyond The First Visit"
A few weeks ago I was preaching Jr/High School camps for the Central Cal District. While in my "Man Cave" otherwise known as my modest sleeping quarters I read a book by Gary Mcintosh called "Beyond The First Visit". I want to reccommend this to all of our leaders due to it's simplistic but all to often ignored truths. Several months ago we (our team) began asking some very tough but necessary questions about the "Connectivity" of our church and found this book to be helpful and confirmational to our many discussions. In this book Gary deals with churches and how they handle "Guests" beyond the first visit, an area we and too many other churches struggle in. He covers first impressions, facilities, follow up, intentional discipleship and much much more. We have made some very tough choices in letting some ministries die and letting some leaders go in our church. We have also spent countless hours creating a path for our guests to not only come and experience Legacy, but how they can connect beyond their first visit and this book has helped. Hope you enjoy the book and if you do, let me know what you got from it. If you have already read it, what did you like about it?
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Todd thanks for post our church is in the process of talking about leaders and how to make people feel welcome, as a pastor I have heard all too often that some visitors did not "feel" welcome and noone showed interest in them. We are sitting ground rules for leadership and visitors. Can I find the book at CBD or other Christian book retailers?
ReplyDeleteJames,
ReplyDeletesoory so late getting back to you. I have been away on vacation.
Did not find at cbd but Christian book stores have it for about $15.99. I found it cheaper online at several places for about $10
Hope all goes well. Very important to get this area right and alot of our churches don't
Todd,
ReplyDeleteThanks for info. You are absolutely right would appreciate your prayers on several "very" delicate issues over the next few weeks.
Pray you had a good vacation, vacation wait a minute you live in CA I thought you all stayed on vacation.
Thanks for the book info... I'm going to pick it up. I'm currently reading "Sticky Church" by Larry Osborne, He pastors North Coast Church in San Diego. He deals with similar issues in this book. Getting people to plug in and find a place to grow within you're church community. It's been good so far.
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