Build a Strategy That Gets Adults to Visit

Written by Richard E. Dodge

Possibly the only thing more difficult than getting children to take medicine is getting class members involved in outreach. Despite good intentions, most adults fail to get involved in organized outreach efforts.

Get members involved by focusing on key motivational actions that encourage adults to visit.

1. Pray. Ask God to help learners recall the joy they felt when they were saved and that He will remind us of our gratitude that someone loved us enough to visit us. 
2. Focus. Jesus is the reason we visit. Go to share Jesus first, and then engage the people we visit in conversation about our church.
3. Lead. Members will visit when they know their teacher and other class leaders take the lead in visiting.
4. Share. Give personal testimonies of the joy and results of visiting, and allow others in class to do the same.
5. Affirm. Remember that each of us appreciates affirmation for our actions. Affirm people publicly and privately.
6. Celebrate. Lift up results. Allow members to comment on how they felt making visits, reservations they have had about making visits and how they overcame the reservations, and so forth.
7. Organize. Make sure someone is responsible for outreach assignments and enlistment.
8. Enlist. Most people are busy, so asking for “anyone” to make visits can be counterproductive. Enlist specific persons to represent the class in the weekly visitation event.
9. Train. Prepare people to make visits. You can train people in several ways:

Few actions make a real positive influence on potential members as knowing that someone really does care for them. Personal visits from class members says just: We care!