Strategies for Closing The Church’s Back Door
How do you keep first-time visitors from slipping out the back door?
This is one of the most important questions asked by churches across the country today. How do you show them what your church is about? How do you begin to involve them in your ministry? How do you show them you care?
Pastor Mark Bofill with Calvary Worship Center in Colorado Springs, CO was no stranger to these challenges. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Calvary Worship Center has seen an influx of first-time visitors from other churches that might not have survived the shutdowns. This means that many of them might be coming from different church backgrounds, or mindsets and philosophies. He devised a stepwise approach called the DNA Process to address new visitors by combining process and technology to support discipleship and grow the Kingdom.
The DNA Process
The DNA Process Bofill devised helps the church be more effective in engaging with new visitors. “I think it’s important that any church looking to really get their people connected as a volunteer so that they feel valued is that you know their name, how long they’ve been attending, and what they’re involved in,” he said.
DNA stands for Discover, Navigate and Activate.
- Discover — New members are invited to discover the heart of the church through onboarding, which provides information on the church and answers any questions a new member may have.
- Navigate — New members learn about spiritual gifts and how to get involved using their spiritual gifts for the body of Christ.
- Activate — New members meet via interview with an overseer of a ministry to evaluate whether they’re a good fit to volunteer for the specific ministry. At this point, new members can get plugged in and naturally get discipled along the way to grow deeper in their relationship with Christ.
The DNA Process allows Calvary Worship Center to level-set in the Discover phase, then screen and engage with volunteers regularly in the Navigate and Activate phases. “The processes help with all of that and allows [new visitors] not to get lost. It’s really helped us become effective in this whole discipleship process,” said Bofill.
The Technology
Bofill leveraged Pushpay ChMS technology to set up automatic activities he devised as part of the DNA Process. These activities allow guests to Discover the heart of the church, Navigate and learn their spiritual gifts and servanthood, and Activate by plugging in and starting the discipleship journey so they can grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus Christ. “The ChMS processes helped close that back door because we were formerly losing people in between the N and the A phases,” said Bofill.
The church has seen a rise of new members since implementing the DNA Process because it helps new members follow through on their parts too. Bofill even said that first-time visitors have often been impressed to know that the church cares about them to the point that there’s an actual process for them.
It’s a commitment he takes seriously.
“Understand the importance of following through with the people that God brings to your church as you’re investing in the Kingdom to expand it. When you don’t follow through with a soul, a person, it communicates that you’re not caring about them or you’re wasting their time,” said Bofill. “This is exactly what we need to do as stewards and shepherds. We’re responsible for these souls. Don’t do it haphazardly or lazily.”
Together we are making an impact. Tune in to an episode of our Moving Mountains Podcast with Calvary Worship Center Executive Pastor Mark Bofill to hear more about the DNA Process and Pushpay.
Shanda Boyett is the Director of Corporate Marketing for Pushpay. For more information about how we’re working with churches to build community and inspire generosity, visit us here.
Looking for more insight on how your church can reach and grow disciples? Check out the FREE ebook 7 Ways Your Church Can Reach More People: From Guest to Engaged.
