Every church wants new members–but no church wants new members to fall through the cracks. 

Despite your best intentions, it’s all too easy for new members to avoid getting involved, show up to church only occasionally, and worst of all, never go deep in their walk with Jesus. It takes more than a vision to see new members grow in their faith and become committed pillars of your church. It takes a plan. 

A successful new membership plan requires a repeatable process that you can use to disciple new members again and again. 

The best choice? An easy-to-follow worksheet you can use in a new member class or one-on-one meeting. 

The following worksheet is a customizable resource you can use for your new church members. Feel free to personalize this as needed, print it out in bulk, and use it in the setting of your choice. 

5 Steps to a Richer Life in Christ and Community

Please fill out the worksheet below with a trusted mentor or staff member. We encourage you to revisit this resource often!

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#1: Daily Devotional Time

Come near to God and he will come near to you. (James 4:8a)

I commit to spending time reading the Bible every day. 

Signature x _______________________________________

Goals. Choose 1 or more of these goals to complete over the next 12 months. 

• Read the whole Bible in a year. 
• Memorize a portion of Scripture (such as a psalm or chapter of one of Paul’s letters). 
• Do a Bible study with a non-believer. 

Tools & Resources

1. The Bible app for reading on the go. 
2. A journal and pen. 
3. Any additional resource your church may offer on how to spend time with the Lord. 

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#2: Service & Volunteering

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10)

I commit to regularly serving at my local church on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis. 

Signature x _______________________________________

Goals. Choose 1 or more of these goals to complete over the next 12 months. 

• Serve in one ministry consistently for a year. 
• Invite one other church attendee to serve with you. 
• Perform a random act of service for a brother or sister in Christ. 

Tools & Resources

1. Your church’s ministry page (URL)
2. Contact information for volunteer coordinator
3. Access to your church’s volunteer sign-in system

#3: Giving & Tithing

‍Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. (2 Corinthians 9:6:)

And he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the Lord. As soon as the command was spread abroad, the people of Israel gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field. And they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything. (2 Chronicles 31:4–5)

I commit to regularly set aside a portion of my income for the local church. 

Signature x _______________________________________

Goals. Choose 1 or more of these goals to complete over the next 12 months. 

• Set up recurring giving with an ACH payment/credit card/or debit card. 
• Give above and beyond 10% for one month or more. 
• Create a budget based on my goals for giving and generosity. 
• Give to a special campaign, such as a pledge campaign or end-of-year giving campaign. 

Tools & Resources

1. Your church’s URL for online giving. 
2. Information on how to text-to-give to your church. 
3. Check out “Open Hands...Open Heart: Trusting God Over Our Finances” at https://get.tithe.ly/blog/open-hands-open-heart-trusting-god-over-our-finances.

#4: Evangelism

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20)

I commit to living my Christian walk “outward facing”–praying for, believing for, and sharing with those who don’t yet know Jesus. 

Signature x _______________________________________

Goals. Choose 1 or more of these goals to complete over the next 12 months. 

• Share the Gospel with a stranger. 
• Invite a neighbor, friend, or coworker to church or a small group. 
• Go on a short-term mission trip. 

Tools & Resources

1. Information about any outreach ministries.
2. Check out “Evangelism in a Post-Christian World with Shaila Visser” at https://get.tithe.ly/blog/evangelism-in-a-post-christian-world-with-shaila-visser. 

#5: Community

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

I commit to connecting with my local church community through regular church attendance, volunteering, small group attendance, and Christ-centered fellowship.

Signature x _______________________________________

Goals. Choose 1 or more of these goals to complete over the next 12 months.

• Ask one new friend from church for coffee or tea.  
• Visit a small group or Bible study. 
• Read through the entire NT, meditating specifically on Biblical fellowship.

Tools & Resources

1. Your church’s information or webpage on small groups and Bible studies. 
2. The Bible. 

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New Member Growth with Tithe.ly

If you’ve got new church members, make sure they know how to plug into your church and participate in generosity. Tithe.ly can help you make that transition easy, with tools for online and mobile giving, small group communication, two-way messaging, and more. To learn more about Tithe.ly, click here. 

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