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?

What Does It Mean That We’ll Still Be Finite in Heaven?

The promise of Heaven is not that we will become infinite—that would be to become inhuman. It’s that we’ll be far better finite humans than we have ever been.

When Christian Leaders Crash and Burn

When we hear of leaders falling, we must take a look in the mirror and remind ourselves to live holy lives.

Summer Synergy

You don’t need a massive budget or a construction crew to make a big impact.