63% of our first-time church visitors became members this year.

What helped make that happen?

In this episode of The Great Commission Toolkit, I'm joined by my brother, Pastor Josh Williams of Crosspoint in Foley, Alabama, as we finish breaking down the actual follow-up system his church uses to build relationships with first-time guests.

Josh shares that 63% of their first-time guests became church members this year, and he explains some of the practical changes he believes contributed to that result.

But this conversation isn't just about numbers.

It's about people.

In this episode, we discuss:

📱 What to text church visitors during weeks 3–6

☕ Why Josh invites guests to coffee

🤝 How he involves church leaders in personal follow-up

🙏 Using Scripture and prayer to encourage guests

📅 Why follow-up should continue beyond the first Sunday

⛪ How to help guests develop a habit of attending church

🎥 A creative idea for sending personal video messages

📲 Using Text In Church to automate reminders and organize communication

🎄 Why Christmas and Easter are great opportunities to reconnect with past guests

📊 What Josh believes helped his church achieve a 63% guest-to-member rate this year

🎙️ Why he began advertising sermon series instead of simply advertising church services

One of the most practical takeaways is that you don't have to have a perfect system to get started.

Start by collecting contact information.

Send a personal message.

Pray for your guests.

Invite them to coffee.

Help them connect with people in your church.

And keep building those relationships over time.

Josh also shares how his church began involving more of its leadership team in reaching out to guests, rather than leaving every conversation to the pastor.

Whether your church has 30 people or 300, you can begin applying these principles.

The goal isn't simply to grow attendance. It's to reach people with the gospel, build relationships, and help them grow in Christ.

🎙️ The Great Commission Toolkit | Excellerate Ministries

Find more ministry resources: https://linktr.ee/excellerateministries

Here is the follow-up booklet. It designed for follow up after our Illusion Show outreach, but the principals would apply to any event and/or service: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ItaOaG4-8WyHczeZREM0-QnO6LXzxumI/view?usp=sharing

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#ChurchFollowUp #ChurchGrowth #ChurchVisitors #ChurchOutreach #Evangelism #ChurchLeadership #GreatCommissionToolkit

Someone visited your church on Sunday.

What happens Monday?

In this episode of The Great Commission Toolkit, I'm joined again by my brother, Pastor Josh Williams of CrossPoint in Foley, Alabama, to break down the actual system his church uses to follow up with first-time Sunday guests.

We talk about everything from the moment someone walks through the doors to the texts, phone calls, and personal connections that happen during the first two weeks.

And one of the most important principles is this:

Follow-up isn't about getting something from people. It's about ministering to people.

In this episode, we discuss:

👋 How to make first-time guests feel comfortable

📝 Why Josh keeps his visitor card to just a name, phone number, and optional prayer request

🎁 How to use a welcome gift to begin a conversation

⛪ Why he doesn't ask visitors to stand up during the service

📱 The Monday-morning text he sends every first-time guest

🙏 How to use follow-up as an opportunity to genuinely pray for people

📲 Why he connects with guests on Facebook

📅 The Friday or Saturday reminder that invites them back

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 How youth pastors and ministry leaders can help with follow-up

☎️ When Josh makes a personal phone call

🤝 Why building relationships matters more than simply getting someone to attend another service

Josh also explains how he uses Text In Church to automate reminders and organize communication without losing the personal touch.

You don't need an elaborate system to begin.

Whether your church has 30 people or 300, you can start with a simple visitor card, a thoughtful text message, and a genuine desire to minister to people.

The goal isn't just to get guests back. The goal is to build relationships that help people know Christ and grow in their walk with Him.

🎙️ The Great Commission Toolkit | Excellerate Ministries

🔗 https://linktr.ee/excellerateministries

#ChurchFollowUp #ChurchGrowth #ChurchVisitors #ChurchOutreach #Evangelism #ChurchLeadership #GreatCommissionToolkit

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Your church just had a big outreach event. Hundreds of people attended.

What do you do with all those contacts now?

In this episode of The Great Commission Toolkit, I'm joined again by my brother, Pastor Josh Williams of Crosspoint in Foley, Alabama, to walk through a practical church event follow-up strategy you can begin implementing immediately.

Josh explains exactly how he collects contact information, uses a church texting system, and follows up with families after events like fall festivals, back-to-school outreaches, and other community activities.

And this isn't just about sending a generic “Thanks for coming” message.

It's about intentionally building relationships with people so you can continue sharing the gospel and inviting them to church.

In this episode, we discuss:

📱 How to send personalized texts to hundreds of event attendees

📝 How to organize contact information after an outreach

🙏 The first text Josh sends—and why it asks for prayer requests

🎙️ Using short voice messages to personally pray for families

📅 Why starting a new sermon series after an event can help

📲 Saturday-night and Sunday-morning reminders

🎄 How to reconnect with families at Christmas, Easter, and future events

🤝 Why effective follow-up is about relationships, not just attendance

One of the most encouraging stories in this episode is about a family that attended church events for four years before finally coming to a Sunday service.

Their grandson trusted Christ, and the family eventually became regular church members.

Four years of intentional follow-up helped keep that relationship alive.

Whether your church uses Text In Church, another two-way texting platform, or even individual text messages, you can begin putting these principles into practice.

You don't need a huge church staff or an enormous budget.

You need the Lord's leading and plan to carry it out.

🎙️ The Great Commission Toolkit | Excellerate Ministries

In the next episode, we'll discuss the follow-up process for regular Sunday morning visitors.

Have questions about church outreach or follow-up? Reach out through our ministry links!

Questions or coaching with Pastor Josh Williams: pastorjosh@crosspointoffoley.org

Template for the Connection Card: https://canva.link/kkjopwh65mpq86v

Donate to our ministry: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/4894299

Follow us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/excellerateministries

Send in Question to chase@excellerateministries.com

#ChurchFollowUp #ChurchGrowth #ChurchOutreach #Evangelism #ChurchVisitors #ChurchLeadership #GreatCommissionToolkit

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Your church had visitors on Sunday.

What should you do next—and how quickly should you do it?

In this episode of The Great Commission Toolkit, I'm back with my brother, Pastor Josh Williams of Crosspoint in Foley, Alabama, to get practical about one of the most important parts of church outreach: following up with first-time guests.

Last episode, we talked about WHY every church needs a follow-up system.

This time, we're talking about where to start.

Josh explains why he recommends contacting guests within 24 hours, how to collect visitor information without making people uncomfortable, and ways churches can follow up even better because of the digital age.

We cover:

📱 Why Josh recommends following up within 24 hours

👋 How to make your first contact personal and welcoming

☕ Building relationships through coffee or lunch

📝 What to put on a church visitor card

🎁 Using welcome gifts to connect with guests

👥 Training a team to collect visitor information

📲 Paper cards vs. QR codes and digital registration

🎉 How to collect contact information at church outreach events

🎟️ Using preregistration and giveaways effectively

⛪ Practical ideas for both small and growing churches

One of the biggest principles from this conversation is:

Don't make follow-up complicated. Make it intentional.

For Sunday visitors, Josh recommends a simple card asking for a name and phone number, paired with a personal introduction and a clear explanation of why the church would like to contact them.

For community events, he explains how preregistration, entrance check-in, and interactive giveaways can help churches build connections with families.

And when it comes to reaching out?

Don't wait two weeks to make the first contact.

A timely, thoughtful message can help begin a relationship that extends well beyond a single Sunday or special event.

Our goal isn't just collecting names or increasing attendance. We want to build relationships, share the gospel, and help people become growing disciples of Jesus Christ.

🎙️ The Great Commission Toolkit | Excellerate Ministries

In the next episode, Josh will explain the actual follow-up process and the tools he uses to make it work.

If this episode helps you, share it with a pastor, outreach director, or church leader!

Questions or coaching with Pastor Josh Williams: pastorjosh@crosspointoffoley.org

Template for the Connection Card: https://canva.link/kkjopwh65mpq86v

Donate to our ministry: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/4894299

Follow us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/excellerateministries

Send in Question to chase@excellerateministries.com

#ChurchFollowUp #ChurchGrowth #ChurchOutreach #ChurchVisitors #Evangelism #ChurchLeadership #GreatCommissionToolkit

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Your church had visitors.

Now what?

In this episode of The Great Commission Toolkit, I'm joined by my brother, Pastor Josh Williams, to talk about one of the most overlooked parts of church growth and outreach:

FOLLOW-UP.

Josh pastors in Foley, Alabama, where he stepped into a struggling church situation with just a handful of people in 2020. Six years later, the church recently averaged 188 on Sunday mornings.

Josh is quick to give God the glory for what He's done—but when I asked what practical tool God has used most in the church's growth, one of his first answers was:

A first-time guest follow-up system.

In this episode, we talk about:

👋 Why getting visitors isn't enough

📋 Why every church needs an intentional follow-up system

🤝 Why ministry happens through relationships

🎉 The difference between Sunday visitors and event visitors

📊 Why churches should track what happens after an outreach

🚪 Why events can reach people who may never initially attend a Sunday service

📱 How follow-up can move people from an event to church

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Real families reached through community events

🙌 People who eventually trusted Christ because relationships began at an outreach

⏳ Why follow-up sometimes takes MONTHS—not days

🎯 Why the event isn't the finish line

One of the most powerful stories in this episode is about a family that attended a community event. They didn't immediately become faithful church members.

But the church kept building the relationship.

Eventually they came on Sunday.

Their daughter trusted Christ.

Her friend trusted Christ and was baptized.

Years later, that friend is now serving in the church's nursery—and the original family has helped bring several more families to church.

That's why follow-up matters.

Ministry isn't an event.

Ministry is people.

And if God gives us an opportunity to connect with someone, we want to intentionally build that relationship and point them toward Christ.

This episode explains WHY your church needs a follow-up system.

In the next episode, we're getting extremely practical and breaking down WHAT that system can actually look like so you can begin implementing it in your church.

🎙️ The Great Commission Toolkit | Excellerate Ministries

If this episode helps you, send it to a pastor, outreach director, or church leader who needs to hear it!

Donate to our ministry: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/4894299

Follow us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/excellerateministries

Send in Question to chase@excellerateministries.com

#ChurchGrowth #ChurchFollowUp #ChurchOutreach #Evangelism #Pastor #ChurchLeadership #GreatCommission #GreatCommissionToolkit

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Your big church event was a success. New families came.

Now what?

In this episode of The Great Commission Toolkit, I'm back with my dad, Pastor Jon Williams, for the final part of our Celebrate Kids Sunday series.

This time, we're talking about one of the most important parts of outreach: follow-up.

After new families attended Celebrate Kids Sunday at Bluestone Baptist Church, the goal wasn't simply to celebrate a good attendance number. The goal was to build relationships, encourage families to return, and ultimately help people become growing disciples of Christ.

We break down the actual follow-up strategy they used, including:

📱 Texting families before and after the event

🙏 Praying specifically for outreach contacts

📅 Using Saturday reminder texts

🎙️ Starting a sermon series designed to encourage families to return

☕ Inviting new families to coffee or a meal

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Building relationships beyond Sunday morning

📲 Why every church should consider a texting system

🎉 Using future events to continue building relationships

📣 Facebook ads, personal invitations, and existing contacts

💰 What Celebrate Kids Sunday actually cost

⛪ How a small church can implement something similar

One of the most encouraging results was that four to five visiting families returned for the third Sunday—the best retention my dad says they've seen following a big church event.

Whether your church has 5 kids or 500, you don't have to copy exactly what another church does.

Pray. Follow the Lord. Use the people and resources God has given you. Be intentional about follow-up. And don't let the relationship end when the event does.

🎙️ The Great Commission Toolkit | Excellerate Ministries

If this episode helps you, share it with a pastor, children's worker, or church leader who could use these ideas!

Donate to our ministry: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/4894299

Follow us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/excellerateministries

Send in Question to chase@excellerateministries.com

Have questions for Dad, Pastor Jon? Email him here: bluestonepastor@gmail.com

#ChurchGrowth #ChurchOutreach #ChurchFollowUp #ChildrensMinistry #KidsMinistry #Evangelism #ChurchVisitors #GreatCommissionToolkit

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Do you need a huge budget, elaborate children's building, or expensive program to have a great children's ministry?

No.

In this episode of The Great Commission Toolkit, I'm back with my dad, Pastor Jon Williams, continuing our conversation about Celebrate Kids Sunday at Bluestone Baptist Church.

This time, we're talking about what happens when the kids and families actually arrive, and how a church can intentionally build a strong children's ministry with the people and resources God has already given them.

We talk about:

👥 Training children's workers before putting them into ministry

🎓 Giving new workers opportunities to learn alongside experienced teachers

💰 Building an effective children's ministry without a massive budget

🙌 Creating a ministry kids genuinely want to come back to

👋 How Bluestone welcomes first-time families

🎁 Simple visitor gifts and a welcome team

⏰ When they dismiss children for children's church

📖 Making God's Word the priority of children's church

🎮 Using games, songs, prizes, and object lessons

🌱 Using object lessons to develop new teachers

📝 Planning out the children's service before it starts

⏱️ Giving every part of children's church a specific amount of time

🙏 Intentionally leaving time for the invitation and counseling

One of my favorite thoughts from this conversation is simple:

You don't have to wait until you have more money, a better building, or a bigger ministry to start improving your children's ministry.

Use what God has already given you.

Train your people. Give new workers opportunities to grow. Plan intentionally. Have fun. Teach the Bible. And keep working to make your children's ministry better.

At Bluestone, multiple teams rotate through children's church, but they work from the same basic philosophy and structure while still bringing their own personalities and strengths.

You don't have to copy the biggest church in town.

Be faithful with what God has given you and ask: How can we make what we're already doing better?

🎙️ The Great Commission Toolkit | Excellerate Ministries

This is part of our continuing series on Celebrate Kids Sunday. In the next episode, we'll dig deeper into follow-up and what the church did to encourage visiting families to return.

Donate to our ministry: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/4894299

Follow us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/excellerateministries

Send in Question to chase@excellerateministries.com

Have questions for Dad, Pastor Jon? Email him here: bluestonepastor@gmail.com

#ChildrensMinistry #KidsMinistry #SmallChurch #ChurchGrowth #SundaySchool #JuniorChurch #VBS #MinistryTraining #GreatCommissionToolkit

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How do you get families you've reached through VBS, kids' programs, and community events to actually visit your church on Sunday?

In Part 2 of our conversation about Celebrate Kids Sunday, I'm back with my dad, pastor of Bluestone Baptist Church, to break down the practical promotion and outreach that went into their biggest Sunday of the year.

This wasn't built around a massive advertising budget.

Instead, they used relationships and contacts they had already developed through VBS, Summer Kids Club, community events, and other outreach opportunities—and intentionally invited those families to take another step.

In this episode, we talk about:

📝 Using registration forms to identify families who want more information about your church

📱 Building an outreach contact list instead of losing contacts after an event

👨‍👩‍👧 Moving families from a children's event to Sunday morning

📲 How texting was used to reconnect with previous contacts

📣 Facebook promotion on a small budget

📄 Using flyers and encouraging church members to invite

🙏 Making prayer a major part of event preparation

⚽ Why a VBS parents' night can be incredibly valuable

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Getting parents and grandparents involved in children's events

🎯 Keeping the ultimate goal of salvation and discipleship in view

One of the ideas I love from this conversation is incredibly simple:

When someone attends one of your events, don't lose the relationship when the event ends.

Give families an opportunity to request more information. Keep appropriate contact information. Continue building the relationship. Pray for them. And intentionally create opportunities to invite them back.

By God's grace, Celebrate Kids Sunday brought around 10–12 visiting families, and the relationships behind many of those visits had been developing through previous outreach.

You don't necessarily need a massive budget to reach families in your community.

Start with the people God has already allowed you to reach.

🎙️ The Great Commission Toolkit | Excellerate Ministries

This is Part 2 of our conversation about Celebrate Kids Sunday. In the next episode, we'll get even more practical about what happened when families actually arrived—how they were welcomed, how information was collected for follow-up, and how the children's ministry was structured.

Donate to our ministry: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/4894299

Follow us on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/excellerateministries

Send in Question to chase@excellerateministries.com

Have questions for Dad, Pastor Jon? Email him here: bluestonepastor@gmail.com

#ChurchOutreach #ChurchGrowth #ChildrensMinistry #KidsMinistry #VBS #ChurchMarketing #Evangelism #GreatCommissionToolkit

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