Where Have All the People Gone?

Written by Richard E. Dodge

Close your eyes for a moment. Try to recall people who have not attended your class during the last three months. If you can't recall their names, it's been too long since you contacted them. If you can't recall their faces but know that some people simply have dropped out, ask yourself why no one in your class has responded. It’s time to have some fun and renew friendships with members and friends.

Plan an outreach and recovery campaign around the theme, "It's So Nice to Be with You!" Develop a plan, prepare a banner or poster and decorate around this theme. Develop a strategy for contacting all chronic absentees. Regardless of the season or weather, it's always great to be with Christian friends and families.

Plan small-group get-togethers as well as fellowship activities with everyone in the class participating. Sometimes getting chronic absentees involved after long absences is easier when uninvolved adults renew friendships with friends in a small-group setting, such as dinner with one or two other couples. Then connect them with unfamiliar members who have joined recently.

Consider these steps as you start the planning process.

Identify chronic absentees by name. Your records should have information on members who no longer attend. Make a list of absentees. Include such personal information such as hobbies, special interests, family members and ages and so forth. If members can recall people no longer on membership rolls but no longer attend, add these to the list too. Then add names of newcomers and attenders who came for a few weeks, then dropped out.

Update the information. Make sure you have current information. Some area codes have changed even within one city or county. Some former attenders have moved to other parts of town or different communities. Some have had changes in family situations. Make sure information is as current as possible.

Match people by interests. Match regular attenders and absentees by special interests. If someone likes golf, match that person with a former attender who plays golf. If a member likes to sew, ask that member to adopt a former member who likes to sew. During the fellowship event, form small groups around common interests.

Prepare a schedule for contacts and responses. Most people today will respond when everyone is working on a predetermined schedule. Set a date by which contacts are to be made. Choose a date at least one week prior to the event.

Make long-term adoptions. Encourage people who make initial contact with chronic absentees to continue their contacts, especially if they are successful in generating interest from absentees. Most chronic absentees have some reason for dropping out, and often their reasons relate to past experiences or neglect. Staying connected with people who show some interest is essential. Even if absentees don't respond immediately, make regular efforts to draw absentees into the group.

See the prevention possibilities. Studies show that when people become involved in small groups they are much less likely to drop out of the larger group. Ministry teams and ministry leaders are essential links in keeping people involved. In fact, people are more likely to join a class and the church if they feel they already are welcome and a part of a group before they join. Consider assigning all newcomers to members for cultivation. The number of relationships people establish and cultivate will make a big difference in whether someone moves from participator to member to leader.

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