BAPTIST CHURCH POLITY
LECTURE 32
VISITOROLOGY
BIBLE EXAMPLES
▫Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three
thousand souls.
▫These ‘visitors’ became members that very same day!
▫1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no
doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all
of us.
▫This probably doesn’t refer to visitors at all; just to those that became ‘members’ but were never really
saved or never really commited to their belief system.
▫1 Cor 14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues,
and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
▫This is a rare instance in the Bible that may be referring to visitors.
▫Acts 13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
▫They didn’t come out to the church house though; they came to the synagogue of all places. But, the
reason they came was because there was something exciting going on; and because there was this new
teaching about Jesus Christ. Today, there is little that is exciting about independent Baptist churches (often) and the gospel
is rotting on the vines in America!
▫Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
▫This is God’s plan for getting people to go to church.
▫The early churches didn’t apparently ‘invite people to church’; they won them to the Lord and then took them to church!
▫Of course, back then, there weren’t 20+ different churches in each city for a ‘smorgasborg’ to choose from on any given
Sunday. They only had one to choose from…it was an easy choice: stay at
home, go to the pagan’s temple, go to the Jew’s synagogue, or worship with this
one Christian group (Baptists).
▫The Bible really doesn’t address the issue of ‘visitorology’…strange; maybe it is
because this is not part of God’s plan!
RECEPTION/WELCOME
How should a visitor be ‘received’ (welcommed) when they visit your church meeting?
▫Some have the view: “Us 4…No more!” “This is a private club and we really don’t like the
likes of you”. If your not KJV-only and Baptist-only baptism, and closed communion, and….
then no need to come back…
▫Be extremely friendly; have a line of members come by to welcome them, one after another.
May they leave surely saying that we are a friendly church.
Friendliness often is the number one positive thing that they will
remember.
▫But, shouldn’t there be just about as much friendliness shown to one’s fellow church members
as to visitors.
▫Have them sit with a strong Christian who will answer any questions they have and will chat
with them afterwards: salvation check, follow up plans made.
▫Pastor should be by the exit doorway prior to people being dismissed so that he can personally thank any visitor for coming:
he should consider asking if they had any questions, and if they are saved.
▫Maybe a ‘packet of church information’ should be given them upon their arrival: it might contain friendly pamphlets about
the church, a little gift, a John/Romans, a pen or two, etc..
▫Visitor cards or guest book should be given to each visitor in order to ‘capture the visit’ so that
a pastor (or designee) can contact them afterwards. It is imperative that someone (usher?)
verify that they have filled the information out (unless they refuse to do so).
WHY DO THEY COME?
▫Main ways: Church member invited; fellow visitor invited; referred by friend (who has never
attended); referred by other church; tract on door; phonebook; drive-by; website.
▫It is very exciting when a church member brings them; there already is a close
relationship; often, they have been ‘working on them’ for a while; it really
encourages the member, though it can be disheartening if they don’t return
after that.
▫Those ‘new to the area’ will do a series of ‘church hopping’ (understandably), so don’t get your
hopes up to high.
▫Beware of those that had a church but left it; they are ‘disgruntles’ and can cause a negative ‘spirit’
within your church.
▫Some were ‘raised Baptist’ and are finally returning to their roots; they’ve been backslidden many years.
▫Some are having a crisis in their life and now desperately need God, and picked you for usually no
particular reason.
▫The main reason that you want to try and discern is if they have come because of
the clear leading of the Lord.
SHOULD THEY BE THE FOCUS?
▫A visitor shows up and all the attention goes to them; that’s all the church talks about that day, and that
week! When someone asks you ‘how was church’, the answer often is “We had 55 in attendance and 2
visitors!” Is this right to do?
▫Most everyone is hoping and praying that the dear visitors that came last Sunday will come back again.
That’s fine, but does God want them to? Is their heart submissive? Do they have a learning spirit? Are they
of another belief? Do you really want these folk to keep coming back? What
happens if they disagree with things and cause division?!
▫The focus needs to be mainly on the members, not the visitors; church is all about the members.
▫One big danger is that there is undue focus on the visitors, and then little by
little things change in how the church operates in order to keep the visitors
coming back…to keep them happy, and then the church as a whole
permanently changes, compromises, in order to have visitors keep coming,
and ultimately to increase in numbers!
▫Visitors are exciting, but the members being there should even be more exciting! Right?!....
HOW TO GET THEM TO COME BACK
▫Churches in the cities of America typically grow via ‘rotation of the saints’; they get tired of one church and go to a
different one; every church is fighting over each other’s attendees; that’s the pool that you are fishing in (typically).
▫Thus, in order to grow (in general) a church needs to ‘capture’ these visitors; get them to come back; make it such that they
just oh so want to come back… but, how does a church do such a thing? Bribery?
Gimmickry? How?!
▫One way is to show lots and lots of love while they are there with you; try not to
offend them (including the preacher). If that first visit to your church was very
positive, friendly, special, happy, etc., and they stay around afterwards and chat a
while, then there is a good chance that you will see them again. But, if they
weren’t real friendly and they were the first one out the door after services concluded, then you probably won’t see them ever again.
▫The follow-up contacts during the first week are paramount; if you don’t capture them in that first
week, then it is much less likely for them to ever darken your doorway again. Thus, something like
the following could be done: one member sends a card, another member calls, and the Pastor
eventually visits (or calls)…all within that first week. That way, that visitor knows without a shadow
of a doubt that he is liked and wanted. And, then, over the next several weeks, there should be a
‘strategy’ in place on how to keep in contact with them (at least several more attempts). It is reasonable to make 3 to 10 attempts in contacting them over the next 4 to 6 weeks, and then if they don’t respond at all, and/or never show up to services, then maybe end the efforts. Many will be polite and smile and talk friendly to you, but are actually not really interested in returning. If they don’t respond favorably to a phone call or two, or the cards that are sent, then they don’t have plans on attending, plain and simple. If they initiate a call, and/or show up at the very next service, then that is a very,
very good sign. Three Sunday morning services in a row, and they are ‘hooked’….
WHY DON’T THEY COME BACK?
▫The top 8 reasons might be these: church folk were unfriendly, building wasn’t that comfortable or impressive, congregation size was not what they like, music was not what they like, kid’s ministries were insufficient, preaching style
was wrong, church’s standards were against their’s, doctrinal differences were discovered.
▫Amazingly, silly stuff is at the forefront of the list (asthetics, size, music style) and really important matters are at the end (preaching, standards, and doctrine).
▫Why do people go back to a doctor time and time again (and eventually make them ‘their doctor’)? It usually isn’t mainly because they are an intelligent, wise, discerning, conservative practicing doctor. No, it is usually because they had a nice bedside manner; they were funny; they empathized with them; they showed they cared. The guy could be a total bozo when
it comes to practicing medicine, but if he is nice to the patient, then all is well…they’ll be back. And, the same is so true for most visitors to most churches!.... But, it ought not to be this way!
DANGERS WITH VISITORS
▫Many aren’t very familiar with church, or at least with Baptist churches, and don’t know all the protocols and expectations:
like dress code, or no talking during preaching code, or take crying infants downstairs code, or don’t let your 3 children play
on the floor by the pew code.
▫They may be from a Charismatic type church where there is frequent interruptions of the service by
folks with ‘a word of knowledge’ or a ‘tongue’ or a praise or a this or that.
▫There are some that are like the Jesuits; they are spying out your church and
might plan a ‘takeover’; they also may try and get you to change in some
area that is their ‘soapbox’, their issue that is so important to them (CCM,
dress standard loosed, ecumenicalism, sign gift, NIV, etc.).
GETTING THEM INTO THE MEMBERSHIP
▫There is a danger that they get there by ‘osmosis’; just being around so much and every body figures that they are actually
members…when they aren’t. Singing in the choir is a perfect example of this. Don’t let them be in the
choir, or you set up a precedent for all other areas of ‘service’ (including
teaching and leadership roles)!
▫How long should a Pastor wait to ‘pop the question’?: “Would like to become
a member?” Some may never ask them this (wait for the visitor to initiate it), others may ask them after the first visit. Many will wait to an opportune time somewhere
between 4 weeks and 4 months.
▫There are some huge hurdles that need to be cleared prior to the ok for membership: Baptism;
Covenant; Doctrine; Faithfulness commitment. Each one of these is fully capable of causing the visitor
to never darken the doorway again. The danger is to downplay these in order to have them keep
coming back and then become a member.
▫The main question to ask yourself and the visitor is “Why is God leading you here?” Have them be
specific.
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