Match Guests With Five New Friends and a Starter Ministry Within Three Months

Substance Church in Roseville, Minn., matches guests with four to seven new friends and a starter ministry within three months of attending its church.

“We know that the No. 1 cause of spiritual transformation is how many Christian friends you’re doing life with at any given moment,” says Lead Pastor Peter Hass.

Substance Church’s assimilation process is called the Empowerment Track; counselors work with new congregants to learn more about them and find the best fit for them within the larger church family. Establishing early connections means these people are more likely to call the church home.

ONLINE: SubstanceChurch.com. Adapted from an article that appeared in the September/October 2011 issue of Outreach magazine.

James P. Long
James P. Longhttp://JamesPLong.com

James P. Long was formerly the editor of Outreach magazine and the author of a number of books, including Why Is God Silent When We Need Him the Most?

Unbroken Faithfulness

As we face challenge and opposition in our contexts, let’s be encouraged to keep going with consistency, moral courage and confidence in the Scriptures as God’s Word for all time—including our time.

Derwin Gray: 4 Ways to Refill

If we attempt to provide for others without first being nourished ourselves, we burn out. We wound ourselves and others.

4 Foundations for Successful Church Planting

Fueled by the passion of a calling, having committed themselves in prayer, and by playing a long game of patience and persistence, successful church planters establish effective churches by walking in a manner worthy of the purpose to which they’ve been called.