Best practice when inviting a new person to your microchurch so that they actually come!

Make Connections Before the Microchurch, By Danely Martinez

As microchurch leaders, we have set apart at least a day each week where we are intentionally gathering together with others to draw nearer to God, living lives on mission, in community, empowered by the Holy Spirit for good works. And part of your vision is to see the group grow in discipleship, increase in numbers, and multiply out into new groups. Therefore, we must personally invite people and empower our members to do the same in order to see growth. However, inviting is ineffective if we’ve failed to win them over to ourselves first. If they don’t really know you, or haven’t gotten the opportunity to like you, then their chances of visiting your group are slim and you will find them making excuses for why they can’t come.   

Some of us need to step out of our comfort zone and invite someone to live lives with our microchurch, others may be really good inviters, but at some level perhaps all of us have experienced frustration in this area because those we invited don’t come. I’ve discovered that one of the best ways to increase the chances of those you invite to actually come and keep coming back to your microchurch is by connecting with them before the microchurch meets.

Whether you are introducing yourself to a stranger on Sunday morning because you saw them raise their hand as a new guest during the announcement, or as you are inviting the person you just prayed with at the altar to your microchurch, the best thing you can do is invite them to spend some time with you and if applicable with your spouse/family.

You don’t necessarily need to create a special event for them, but make them feel special and important by getting to know them and allowing them to get to know you. You can go out to lunch after service, or treat them to coffee, or invite them to join you for your kids baseball game that week, or to that new movie you’re going to watch later this week with your friends, or even invite them to join you and your friends as you help one of your mc members move into a new apartment that upcoming weekend.

The point is, invite them to connect with you first and as much as possible with others from your microchurch before the microchurch takes place. That way, after they’ve made a personal connection with you and others from your microchurch, then they are more likely to come to your microchurch because they will recognize familiar faces and not necessarily feel like the new person.  

One day, after I watched a young lady get baptized at church, I approached her, and after introducing myself and encouraging her in this new beginning, I asked her if she was in a microchurch. She did not know what a microchurch was, so I explained it to her. Before I could finish explaining, she asked if she could come to mine! Even though she expressed interest, I knew in order to increase the chances of her actually coming, she would need to connect with me or a member of my microchurch. I quickly introduced her to other members in my group that were with me that day, and one of them invited her to go to lunch the following day. The rest is history 🙂  

If a new person can connect with you or a member of your microchurch first, then this will increase the chances of them attending your microchurch to grow in discipleship, which will eventually lead towards multiplication. So be sure to ask for their phone number so you can contact them after your initial introduction!

Jesus is coming back, and He has called us to make the most of every opportunity, redeeming the time for the days are evil, and to follow in His footsteps as the good shepherd who runs after the lost sheep. He has commissioned us to be His witnesses, ambassadors of His Kingdom, and ministers of reconciliation, so that all people might know the Lord as we share and invite them into the good news of the Gospel that brings freedom, hope, joy, peace, salvation, deliverance, healing, and eternity with God!

• What are some ways you can be intentional to help people feel like they belong, before they come to your microchurch?
• What are some effective ways you’ve seen that have worked well, and what are some ineffective ways that you can learn from?
• How did you come to join a microchurch, and would you change or keep the same?