Fusion Chapters 7-9

Fusion is a book on turning first time guests into members at your church. Here are a couple of things that stood out to me:

Chapter 7: Sticky Situations

• If newcomers don't connect with someone soon, they'll be gone in four to six months.
• Too many churches fail to recognize the importance of plugging in second-time guests and new attenders.
• The more friends a person has in a congregation, the less likely that person is to become inactive or leave the church. Our need for human connection is undeniable.
• You can't just hope people will make friends in the church. You must encourage it, plan for it, structure for it, and facilitate it.
• If you want your second-timers to stick, you must understand that relationships are the glue.
• Three sticky situations: growth groups, fun events and service teams
• Research shows that new people must make friends within four to six months, or they will not stick.
• Fun activities give people the chance to get to know each other in a more social environment, which leads to deeper connections and relationships.
• Service teams provide an ideal opportunity for your second-time guests to form relationships with other people in the church.
• People's most basic need in life is relationship.
• People connect to a church when they develop meaningful friendships and are trusted with ministry responsibility. Newcomers need something to do and someone to know.

Chapter 8: Taking Ownership

• Responsibility and ownership go hand in hand.
• Responsibility precedes ownership, and ownership precedes membership.
• If your newcomers do not find relationships and take responsibility within the church, they will not stay long.
• The goal we have for each new person at New Day is threefold: 1) We want them to return, 2) We want them to build relationships, 3) We want to give them responsibility
• As your volunteers serve you and the church, you are serving them by providing them with an outlet to take on responsibility and become more deeply connected.
• Allow people to belong before they believe.

Chapter 9: Full Circle

• Membership class is the commencement ceremony for your assimilation system.
• Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. ~Seneca

Conclusion

• The Principle of Spiritual Readiness: God will never give you more than you are prepared to receive.
• God works in conjunction with our level of readiness.
• You are speaking something to your first-time guests already. What are they hearing?
• The Kingdom only grows by one person at a time. So focus on the one, and the one will turn into many.