Easter Sunday was the most unbelievable thing our church has ever experienced. Over 500 people made a real and personal decision to follow Christ. Any time we experience God’s blessing like this I get asked by many church planters how we count our salvations. This is a valid question because there is no “standardized” way to get a total.

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Most of this post is nuts and bolts but before I get into the how let me comment on the why. We have done “invitations” for people to receive Christ several different ways at Elevation. I don’t think there are wrong ways to do it but I do think there are better ways. Our goal is to not just get people to raise a hand or stand but to actually get them to take the first step in a lifelong process of being a Christ follower. So, for us, the why is what drives the how. Here is what a Sunday looks like along with our simple counting approach.

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When everyone walks in our auditorium they are handed a worship guide (our version of the “bulletin��?). Inside is a perforated section called the connection card. On that card is a box that can be marked if a person is “praying to receive Christ today”. That is all pretty standard. What makes the difference is how Pastor Furtick drives people to the card.

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Once the invitation is offered in the worship experience Pastor typically asks for a show of hands. From there, he spends several minutes explaining how we want people to let us know of there decision on the Connection Card. This is a time intensive explanation, but has been the key to getting people to take the next step forward in there faith. (If you want to see Easter Sunday’s message, check it out here).

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Once the card is explained, Pastor offers two options:
(1.) Take the completed card to our “Next Level Area��? or
(2.) Place your card in the offering.

The “Next Level Area” is set up in the atrium and manned by a team of people. Here we get contact info and give everyone who made a decision a gift- a great gift.

The gift package contains:

• a new leather Bible (with some Elevation orange)
• a bookmark with scriptures, a card with some scriptures to help someone just getting started reading the Bible from Pastor
• our latest worship CD

The pack costs us almost $14. This Sunday alone cost over $7,000 to do this gift, but it’s worth every dime and then some.

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Our Next Level Team heads up all of our follow up processes. They are responsible for giving away the gifts and following up with a phone call and getting all new believers plugged into a starting point class or another small group. We put our best people on this team because it is so important.

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In the end, we count salvations by the total number of completed cards with a checked salvation box. We always have many more hands that go up in the air than actual cards, but we always go with the lower numbers. We average over 70% of the cards we receive indicating a decision for Christ being turned in at the “Next Level Area��? and getting the gift and bible. The rest come through the offering.

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I’ve heard of churches doing a lot of things to record salvations numbers but this is what has worked the best for us. Our effort and planning are nothing without the supernatural power of God. We know and believe that and take it very serious the responsibility we have at tending His flock at Elevation. And it’s days like Easter Sunday that leave us all in awe of God’s power.

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Chunks Corbett, Executive Pastor

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We often get asked how far we plan in advance at Elevation. At this point in March, Pastor Steven has given us an outline of every series we will do through the end of 2008.This allows us to plan as a worship team and creative department well in advance so that we can give our best to each series and worship experience.

On the worship side of things, we try to plan set lists for the next series and submit these in our Big Picture meeting about a month out.In other words, we will begin a new series called Break Out on Easter. We developed the set lists for this series 4 weeks ago. We will then turn in set list ideas the week after Easter for the next series that begins in late April.

Wade Joye, Worship Pastor

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As we reminisce about our two short years in existence there are several major events that stand out; spontaneously baptizing 426 over two Sundays, putting up a football field size tent for 2,300 people to worship under at one time for our capital campaign, our one year anniversary live CD recording and the list goes on and on.Â

The end product of assimilation process is that new people are added into the mix…to end in the right place means you need to start off in the right direction. If you are a growing church with new people walking through your doors there is a reality that you must understand….you can’t assimilate what you don’t know. I don’t care who you are, you can’t get around this simple fact….you can’t assimilate a nameless person.Â

One of the basic building blocks of church growth, at least at Elevation Church, is to figure out who is showing up.The life line of our data collection process is our Connection Card.Â

Our goal in making people feel welcome, relaxed and free from distractions, ultimately puts them in a place where they are more likely to respond to the gospel and hear the voice of God. Because we go the extra mile to make people feel like we are glad they showed up, they are more likely to give us their information on a Connection Card.Â

As you think through this somewhat simple process, you will see the profound impact it can have on your church.Â

How do you go about obtaining your guests information?Â
What message do you communicate in the process of gaining the information?Â
Is your Sunday morning experience guest friendly?Â

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