OUTREACH is for EVERYONE

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OUTREACH is for EVERYONE

• General Conference
• Womens Ministries EVANGELISM MANUAL
• Training Program

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Chapter 14 Discipling New Believers
OUTREACH IS FOR EVERYONE
Chapter 14 Discipling New Believers
General Conference Womens Ministries Department
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• Those who have newly come to the faith should be
  patiently and tenderly dealt with, and it is the
  duty of the older members of the church to devise
  ways and means to provide help and sympathy and
  instruction for those who have conscientiously
  withdrawn from other churches for the truth's
  sake, and thus cut themselves off from the
  pastoral labor to which they have been
  accustomed.

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• The church has a special responsibility laid upon
  her to attend to these souls who have followed
  the first rays of light they have received and
  if the members of the church neglect this duty,
  they will be unfaithful to the trust that God has
  given them. Review and Herald, April 28, 1896.
  Evangelism, p. 351.

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• Discipling new believers is a very important part
  of evangelism, so important that a discipleship
  program should be carefully planned before
  starting any kind of outreach. Friendships formed
  during small groups, seminars, or an evangelistic
  series must be maintained after baptism.

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• After individuals have been converted to the
  truth, they need to be looked after....These
  newly converted ones need nursing, watchful
  attention, help, and encouragement. These should
  not be left alone, a prey to Satans most
  powerful temptations they need to be educated in
  regard to their duties, to be kindly dealt with,
  to be led along, and to be apportioned to every
  man in due season. Evangelism, p. 351
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Helping New Members Feel at Home

• People resist change. Change is hard. But when
  people are baptized, we ask them to change
  churches, or if they have not been a church
  member, to make an even harder change.

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• We ask them to change their day of worship, what
  they eat and drink, their recreation, sometimes
  their friends, and perhaps even their job.
• We need to be patient and helpful, staying close
  to them during this process.

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• An important part of discipling is helping new
  members make friends. Here are some ways you can
  help.

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• Have a new member committee, responsible for the
  integration of new members.
• A new member banquet once or twice a year where
  new members are featured.
• New member visitation once a week during the
  first month, then once a month for the first
  year.

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• Watch for any indication of problems, such as
  absence from Sabbath School or church, or a
  failure to make friends.

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Involving New Members in Church Groups

• Pair new believers with someone close to them in
  age or interests, or with a friendly family. If
  someone is already close to them, it is natural
  to pair them up as friends.

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• These friends need to be accountable to someone
  else who will make sure the friendship is
  beneficial to both.

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Training and Equipping New Members

• Further classes on doctrines.
• Special classes for new believers.
• Guidance in how to study the Bible and pray.
• It is also important to help them become
  accountable to others in their spiritual life.

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• The greatest witnessing potential for new
  believers is during their first three years in
  the church.
• Help new members learn to give a gospel
  presentation and to share their own experience in
  accepting Christ.

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• Provide opportunities to bring their friends,
  relatives, and neighbors to non-threatening
  events.
• Prayer meeting can be evangelistic and an
  opportunity for them to invite their extended
  family.

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• Provide opportunities for them to witness as you
  train them in classes. Take them along as
  apprentices in your witnessing. First model the
  witnessing and then encourage them to try. Be
  encouraging.

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• When our new members are encouraged and trained
  to discover their own spiritual gifts and use
  them in a ministry that fits their gifts, they
  will have great joy and satisfaction and will
  bless the church and the community. We can help
  new members discover their spiritual gifts
  through spiritual gifts seminars or classes.

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Life Style Changes

• When you talk about lifestyle changes, do not
  magnify what they are giving up, but focus on
  what they are gaining from embracing new
  patterns.

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• One of the most difficult life style changes, of
  course, is keeping the Sabbath. Time should be
  spent discussing why God gave us the Sabbath. We
  must emphasize over and over again that God gave
  us the Sabbath so that we could have quality time
  with Him to develop a strong intimate
  relationship with Him.

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Questions New Believers Ask

• How does one keep the Sabbath?
• What is one of the best ways to tell my family
  about what I have learned?
• My family is angry with me for joining the
  church. What do I do now?

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• I have lost many of my friends because of the
  drastic changes in my life. What do I do? This
  is why it is so important to help them build a
  network of friends in the church even before they
  join.

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• I would like to (golf) on the Sabbath. Is it OK
  to do that? Here is your opportunity to educate
  your new member positively about Sabbath
  observance and invite them over to keep the
  Sabbath with you.
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• Do you have a school where I could send my
  children? Give them information on the nearest
  SDA school. Better yet, take them over to talk

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Crises New Members May Face, with Possible
Solutions

• Crisis of discouragement. S/he fails to live up
  to the high standards in the church.
• Crisis of integration. S/he fails to make friends
  in the new church.

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• Crisis of lifestyle. S/he fails to integrate the
  value systems of scripture and the church into
  his/her lifestyle.
• Crisis of Leadership. S/he is discouraged over
  imperfections in church members.

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• Follow-up meetings also help. Provide a variety
  of meetings or services. Make prayer meetings
  evangelistic. Start small groups. Make certain
  that there are meeting for them to attend when
  your series is over. Have a Sabbath school class
  for new members.