An Outreach Program Example Using RDS Advantage®

There are many ways to reach the un-churched

Following is a proven approach to:

Welcome and follow up with guests and prospects, to invite new members and develop membership participation

The RDS Growth Program provides applications to simplify and automate these outreach functions .

RDS Growth program - winner of the 2003 Outreach Magazine Church

Assimilation/Connection award

Outreach Program Steps

Acquire prospects Greet and contact Enter in database Follow up and

document Assimilate Educate Send out

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Acquire Prospects Sources to attract visitors

“Knock and it will be opened to you . . .”

Church and Sunday School Attendance

‘Walk-ins’

Guests of members

Special event attendees

Advertising and publicity

Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Newcomer lists

Mission outreach programs

Greet and Contact Visitation pointers1. The effectiveness of a contact is in proportion to

how soon it is made.

2. A first contact by a lay person is more effective than by clergy.

3. A personal visit is better than a letter or phone call.

4. Make a visit as soon after the first guest attendance as possible, giving information and a gift.

5. Invite the person/family back.

6. Make notes of the visit on the visitation card and return it to the church.

Enter in Database RDS Advantage® data processing

1. Enter individuals in Quick Entry - MR100.• Record the visit in Contact Management. • Enroll guests in one or more activities. 2. Record the guest’s attendance through the AC108 attendance

program.3. Contact visitors/guests, using e-mail, VOIP voice messaging, merge

guests into your word processor and generate personally addressed letters or postcards.

4. Generate visitation cards – MC306. 5. Enter new contact information from the last contact – MC103.

Maintain records of each contact, each visit, each comment

Follow up and document Every contact helps

Establish a schedule for follow-up contacts – personal visits, letters, phone calls, e-mail or voice messaging.

Make regular, friendly contacts, each for a specific purpose, ministry-oriented, to serve the needs of the person contacted.

There must be a genuine interest in the person.

Document each contact in Contact Management, MC103.

Assimilate

As individuals begin attending involve them in activities.

Whether on the basis of gifts or of interests, there is no sense of belonging without involvement.

RDS Advantage ‘Activities’ provides unlimited capabilities to track participation.

Activate for ‘involvement’

Educate Equip for ministry

Bible study, training, teaching, doing, all contribute to understanding and faith.

Faith leads to commitment, and commitment leads to service.

Send out . . . Service to others

After assimilation, education and equipping for ministry, provide opportunities for service to others.

The cycle of outreach to ministry is complete.

Follow this with constant nurture, love and appreciation.

The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, . . . - Matthew 13:31-32

Data Processing First step . . . Enter people in database

Enter first time guests in Quick Entry, MR100.

Click on the Contact icon to record a contact.

Click on the Activity icon to enroll in one or more activities.

Next step . . . Make contact entries

Establish contact types, teams, and activities.

Enter a contact record for each contact made.

Record comments and schedule a next contact date.

The Contact Management system is used for both outreach and for congregational care.

Now to . . . Enroll in an Activity

You can enroll each person in any number of activities.

During Quick Entry you can enroll at the same time you place the person in the database.

Many attendance reports and communications are included.

You’ll want to . . . Track attendance

You can track attendance for any activity, including worship services.

Record attendance with a scanner and barcodes for speedy entry, or use Insta Check-In.

Follow-up on absences is important.

Attendance Tracking . . .Attendance Tracking is one of your most important tools for ministry.It is not the tracking of attendance that’s important – it is the follow-up with those who are absent.

RDS provides easy ways to record attendance.Scan barcoded attendanceUse Insta Check-InMany attendance and absentee reportsIntegrated communications based on attendance

Now to . . . Print visitation cards

Visitation cards are printed by many selection criteria, including tracts.

As contacts are made comments are written on the visitation cards and returned for data entry.

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Communication Tools . . . VOIP Voice Messages Text Messages E-mail Personalized Letters Facebook and Twitter Blogs Newsletters

“Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” - Mark 1:17

Now go do likewise . . .

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. – Matthew 28:19-20 RSV

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For a tour of a highly recommended mapping/outreach application, click on

http://www.mappingcenter.org/