Losing new members because of a lack of follow-up is “the greatest epidemic facing churches today,” according to a prominent Southern Baptist evangelist.
Billie Hanks Jr. told more than 200 central California church leaders the Bible contains a clear prescription for solving the problem.
“The Scripture has a great deal to say about follow-up, once we understand that follow-up is a ministry of example,” Hanks said. Citing the example of Jesus, he said the biblical pattern of follow-up involved new Christians learning by observation.
“Jesus didn’t give a class on fishing; he said, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ It was instruction by observation,” Hanks said.
“This principle, so common to life, was the cornerstone of early Christian education because spiritual instruction took place in an environment where relationships were the primary means for gaining personal growth,” he said.
“Love, integrity, truth and even ministry skills were best transmitted in the caring context of a personal friendship. The environment was one of trust and mutual encouragement,” Hanks explained. “Spiritual discipline was first observed then emulated by the original generation of new believers.”
And helping new believers develop relationships remains the most important key for retaining them as church members today, Hanks said.
“Many people come to our churches aching, hurting, lonely. When they find the redeeming love of the Lord Jesus Christ, they’re looking for friendship.”
Still, Hanks said, 40 percent of new members will become inactive in about 18 months. He said many likely “will be picked up by a cult or a sect or one of many groups that are feeding on the poor follow-up of evangelical denominations.”
“This is a global problem,” Hanks told the interdenominational gathering. “If we do not deal with this, it’s like not dealing with the greatest epidemic in our churches today.”
Addressing a large number of Southern Baptist ministers present at the conference, Hanks noted only “2 to 3 percent of Southern Baptists win someone to Christ” in a given year. “Why? Because we didn’t do a good job training them when they were teachable.
“The greatest witnesses are new believers,” Hanks noted. Properly training new believers is vital for helping them “respond to evangelistic opportunity,” he said.
The Feb. 1 conference in Fresno was the largest in a series of meetings Hanks held across California promoting “A Call to Joy,” his new process for new member assimilation published by Word Ministry Resources of Waco, Texas. The series was co-sponsored by Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, whose president, William O. Crews, was on hand to introduce Hanks.
Crews told the group, “The issue for the next century will be to develop believers who are godly in character, competent in skills and who have the kind of influence our Lord has.” He said Hanks’ process for new member follow-up is one way to do that.
But Hanks stressed conserving the results of evangelism is more important than whose method is used to do it.
“If you’ve got tools that are better, use them,” he said. “The desire is to close the back door.”
Copyright (c) 1996 Baptist Press
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