Planting Churches among the City's Poor - Volume 1

68 • P LANTING C HURCHES AMONG THE C ITY ’ S P OOR : V OLUME 1

aggressive visitation program to encourage evangelism and outreach. 128 The natural “spontaneous” witness of new Christians can be channeled through a well-planned visitation program. Wagner says, “It is worth while to dedicate a considerable amount of the time available for outreach to following up the webs of social relationships of those already in your nucleus or in your church. This applies to all your members, but it is especially true of recent converts.” 129 Most church planters advocate the use of a well-prepared “prospect file” to guide the visitation activity. 130 Add names to the prospect file through community cultivation activities, personal contacts and visitors to the church. Continually update the file and use it to direct the church’s outreach to prospective new members. It is important to be organized and aggressive in visitation because the first few days after profession of faith often determine whether the new Christian continues with Christ into active church membership. Hesselgrave says, “Perhaps the two things most needed by new believers immediately following their conversion (whether individuals or groups) are clear instructions as to what God expects of His family members and caring Christian friendship.” 131 These are things a well-planned visitation program can provide.

In summary,

New local groups of believers will not become organized, integrated communities naturally and automatically. There must be a divine element – the operation of the Holy Spirit in the believing group. And a human element must be provided by the church-planter as the ultimate objective of glorifying Christ is made practical by means of clear and meaningful intermediate goals around which group members can rally their energies.” 132

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128 Redford, p. 78-79

129 Wagner, p. 140

130 See Redford, pp. 78-79

131 Hesselgrave, (1980), p. 296

132 Hesselgrave (1980), p. 278