Starting Fresh

I’m sometimes asked why we don’t have a traditional "altar call" on Sunday mornings. You know the drill, the pastor finishes the sermon and then he asks anyone who wants to accept Christ, or join the church, to come down to the front during the 7th chorus of "Just As I Am." Many people, including myself, have fond memories of that time we
walked the aisle in church and made a public declaration of faith in
Christ. This has certainly been an effective method of making important decisions in the 19th & 20th centuries, though it doesn’t go back much before that.

At TCC, we use our Connection Card to take next steps with God. And it works.

People list standing up in front of crowds as their number 1 fear. And then they come to church, hear the life changing message of Jesus and they are asked to immediately do the thing that they are most afraid of. This seems counter-productive to me. And since it isn’t prescribed or even recommended anywhere in the Bible, it’s one of those cultural methodologies that we are free to change.

But you might say, "What about not being ashamed of Jesus?" That’s partly what biblical baptism is all about. That’s your public profession of faith in Jesus. And we make a big deal out of that at TCC.

Having a membership class, instead of just walking the aisle, also lets people know what it means to be a part of our church family. This makes for more buy-in to who we are as a church and produces stronger and more committed members.

So, what happens to all those people who choose to trust in Jesus or want more info on how to become a Christ-follower at our services? Once they mark their Connection Card, we encourage them to stop by the Fresh Start booth where they get some free resources including a new believers Bible with helps for starting to walk with God, a cd that I recorded that talks about the immediate next steps to take, and some information on baptism. Then we follow up with them in a letter during the week.

This past Sunday, we started a new 2-hour intro class called "Fresh Start" that gives new believers a foundation for their new walk with God. Then, we give them the chance to be a part of a four week Connection group to help them get started.

If you are thinking about a new start with God, check out this page for more info. If you’re a pastor who would like to know more about this process, let me know and we’d be happy to help you out.