Have you ever watched one of those TV fishing shows? Here is the scenario. Usually two to three men fishing in a boat and they are really intrigued with the idea of “the catch” – reeling in the next fish of prey, the next “big one.”

When that fish is being hauled in everyone is excited, voices are raised in anticipation of landing this catch. After all, this is why they fish. When the fish is finally landed it is held up and paraded in front of the camera.

Everyone gives praise for the fine specimen. Then they drop the fish in a holding tank, possibly with others caught previously that day. Then with the blink of an eye everyone’s attention turns to the anticipation of the next one to be caught not really knowing when or where that might be. Little or no attention is given to the fish in the holding tank until the end of the day.

I see the same thing in many churches today. We do a good job of courting people, but once they join the church, once we have landed them in our boat, churches have a tendency to allow people to drift and sway at will. Now we don’t intend for this to happen, but often times our focus is on the intrigue of making the catch, not on what is already in the boat.

In other words like the fishermen, we are excited to have this prospect and we do all we can to show our enthusiasm to have him/her join us (reeling them in). Once they do join our church, we may have have him/her stand in front of the church and parade by them expressing our gratefulness, and maybe put his/her name in the monthly newsletter. Then we place the new member in the holding tank and turn our attention to where the next catch might come from.

In many churches the new member is now on his own. We don’t actually have a holding tank. We may tell the new member about a Bible study class they can join, but much like the fish, we do not give much attention to someone once they join our church. It is as if we expect all newcomers to know everything about Christianity and our church and how it functions as soon as they join. In reality it does not happen this way.

Unfortunately churches that operate this way have a hole in their holding tank. It doesn’t take long for a fish swimming around in a faulty tank to find out where the hole is. Their natural inclination is to swim right through the hole back into open water and away from the fishermen. Like the fish, people in uncomfortable and unfamiliar surroundings will find the hole or the back door so to speak and walk right through it.

So, how do we keep them? Two important things to remember. First, people need relationships, they need friends. Newcomers need to begin building at least one new relationship within the church (classroom) immediately. If one new relationship has not begun to form within four weeks the newcomer will walk through that back door or swim right through the hole in the holding tank. They will leave the church—many times unnoticed.

The second thing newcomers need is an area of responsibility. People need expectations and we like responsibility. Responsibility gives pride of ownership. Now this does not mean that newcomers need to be given a teachers job, or deacon or elder position right away. However, there are many areas they can fill in the Sunday School organization and in the church. Positions like Greeters, refreshments, organizers, singing, playing an instrument, etc.

If newcomers do not have an area of responsibility within three months, they will leave the church before his/her six month anniversary. Think back on your church. You have seen this happen, people coming in who you think are going to be a good asset to the church. Then six months later they are gone. We have a tendency to believe their commitment was not genuine. Rarely do we reflect on what we could have done as a church to help them feel accepted.

People need relationships. God built within each one of us an innate desire to have relationships with Him and with other people. Think about it, why did God create man? To have someone to walk through the garden with in the cool of the evening. Then, He created what for man? A woman, a companion. As God created everything He stated, “It is good.” That is everything until He created man. Then He said it is not good…that man should live alone. And with that statement God created our help-meet, someone to have a relationship with.

People also need responsibility. Everyone in your class and your church needs an area of responsibility. Find out what each person likes to do, what they enjoy and are good at. Then find an area of responsibility to exercise his/her skills and abilities. It is possible. Start with the letter “A” and list an area of responsibility for each letter of the alphabet. If you name one for each letter you’ll have a reserve of at least twenty-six areas of responsibility. Here are a few letters to get you started. A – apprentice, G – greeter, I – inreach leader, O – outreach leader, R – researcher, X – xerox person. Doing this exercise I listed fifty-two areas of responsibility for each adult & youth Bible study class. Just think if you did it for your church!

Here’s the test. Do your guests and new members feel truly accepted or do they struggle to squeeze in past the historical barriers you and your church have set up? Investigate it. Then work diligently with your class members or church leaders to change the way you practice fishing.
This is Teaching That Bears Fruit.