We may not think of it this way, but when someone walks through your church doors for the first time and shares their contact information with you, they’re extending an invitation for relationship. How you respond in those critical first days and weeks can determine whether they become part of your church family or remain a one-time visitor, disengaged by your response. A thoughtful follow-up process doesn’t just happen—it requires intentional design around six key considerations that will shape every interaction with your guests.

Christmas is magical.
Lights. Music. Nostalgia. Cinnamon everywhere.

And also… your single biggest volunteer recruitment moment of the entire year.

Which means this is the perfect season to talk about how to absolutely, completely, spectacularly fumble the ball with your one-time Christmas volunteers.

If I could give you one metric to measure the health of your church’s follow-up, it wouldn’t be attendance or baptisms.

It wouldn’t be small-group sign-ups or volunteer counts, either.

This one behavior is what I call a keystone habit, because if you can pull it off… it proves nearly everything else underneath your ministry is aligned and healthy.