April 2010

In our pressure-packed, time and safety-conscious society, door-to-door visitation has all but disappeared. However, many people with active lives still feel comfortable talking on the phone. A telephone contact with a prospect or a recent visitor to your Small Group may be the most energy-efficient way to help your group grow. (You could always send an e-mail, but that lacks the intimacy and warmth of a personal call).

I make about a dozen calls each week to visitors and prospects while I'm riding in my car from one appointment to another. I very rarely encounter someone who doesn't appreciate the thoughtful contact. It makes a positive impression on a newcomer. It also can be encouraging to someone on the margins of your Small Group, drawing them closer to the center of church life.

Phones are so much a part of daily life that it's natural to assume that everyone is born with the ability to use them. But, like driving a car or using a comptuer, telephone visitation is an art that can be learned and improved with practice. In making calls, try to cultivate these qualities:

1) An appealing voice - your call should ahve a congenial, personal quality that reflects Christian love. Be warm and friendly. Use the other person's name, and be upfront about your identity and purpose: "Hey, I'm so-and-so from Fort Johnson Baptist Church. I teach the Small Group you visited last week, and I'd love to know if the experience was a good one for you..."

2) A sympathetic ear - share the "air" with the person on the other end of the line. Don't just speak; listen well, too. You shouldn't sound like you're reading from a script. Ask follow up questions to comments: "How did your children like their group? How long have you lived in the area? What motivated you to try our Small Group?"

3) An informed mind - be ready to call upon biblical resources to meet the needs of the person on the other end of the line. You have a powerful, life-giving message. This other person will surely benefit from it. Don't hesistate to solicit prayer needs if that seems appropriate: "Would you mind if I made this a matter of prayer? Can I share this with the rest of the Small Group?"

4) A caring heart - recipients of church-related calls can tell the difference between hollow-sounding routine contacts and warm, personable calls that stem from genuine motives. Be sincere. Don't ramble, don't mumble, and by all means, don't be drawn into an argument about doctrines, biblical interpretations, or social issues! Be brief and thank them for talking with you.

If you're not already in the habit of making a few phone calls each week, let me encourage you to start. God wants your group to grow, and this is one of the best ways to be a good shepherd to those He has entrusted to your care.