Reaching Inactive Members
Develop a plan to bring inactive members back into the love and care of the congregation. Understand that the challenge of helping lapsed members feel good about coming back can be time consuming, but it can also be very rewarding. Get them involved once again in the life, ministry and outreach of your congregation.
BEST SUITED FOR: Any Size Congregation
WHAT'S INVOLVED?
 | Call together a caring team of people – recognized leaders, well-respected longer-term members, and a couple of newer people. The size of the team depends on the amount of inactives that need to be contacted. |
| Review some of the biblical passages that deal with finding those who have left the fold, e.g. John 6:66 (some of Jesus' disciples left); Heb. 10:25 (not forsaking assembling together); 2 Timothy 4:10 (Demas deserted Paul); Luke 15 (parables of lost things). Also note Galatians 6:1 (restoring another in the spirit of meekness). |
| Understand some of the reasons people leave: 1) Members feel decisions made by a few. "They always run the show" is an indicative phrase. 2) Guilt feelings by members who know they aren't living up to church expectations, and their own knowledge of Christian faith. 3) Immoral conduct of church leaders. 4) Denominational positions on issues with which they may differ. |
| Take steps to set up a strategy to make contacts with inactive members. |
DO'S AND DON'TS
| DO......make prayer an integral part of reaching inactives. Someone has once said, "Intercession before interview." |
| DO......make personal contact, especially to resident members, sending persons on your team who may already have some natural contact. Try to discern if sending the pastor or a layperson would be more helpful as an initial visitor. |
| DO......make face-to-face visits rather than phone calls. |
| DO......speak to relatives ahead of your visit to their son or daughter, when appropriate, so they will understand the intent of your call. |
| DO......be clear that you are coming to them because you really care about them and their spiritual commitment, and that they are really missed at church (if that's really true), not because of your need to "clean up membership rolls" or because of the denominational request for money according to members. |
| DO......try to find out why people left your church. (Note various reasons listed above). Then specifically address those issues as best you can, always giving them the benefit of the doubt. |
| DO......encourage neighboring churches to make contact with those of your inactive members who for certain reasons cannot feel comfortable in your church anymore. Share those names. Neighboring congregations can often complement each other instead of competing. |
| DO......give your blessing to your member in their new church experience if they are already feeling enfolded within that new place. Leaving each other on amiable terms will serve your church well in the future. |
| DON'T......send a "fill-in-the-blank" letter for local people. This is not appropriate since visiting makes the most sense. Non-resident members should receive a phone call first before mailings go out. |
| DON'T......go to see them as a prosecutor but as an advocate and friend. |
| DON'T......try to convince people to come back. Simply listen, empathize, and love, and give them a warm invitation. Do ask, "What could we as fellow believers do to make your return easy?" |
| DON'T......wait until people have been gone for a long time. When people have been absent for three Sundays and are not on a extended vacation or ill, just a phone call showing your interest would be appropriate. This may help ward off continued inactivity. |
COST: Telephone calls and mailings to non-resident members.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
| Stephen Ministries has excellent training materials to guide you in reaching out to inactive members. |
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