At Northside, one way we help new members meet other people and get involved is by offering a class for them four times a year. Brian Middleton has faithfully helped me teach this class over the past 15 years to 400+ new members. In each class, Brian and I ask the participants what drew them to Northside and what they like about the church.
What would you guess our new members mention most often? Out of curiosity, I recently tallied their comments from the last 10 classes, and the results are listed below, with the number of times each comment was made listed to the left.
35 Members are welcoming, friendly, kind, close, and caring – “They remembered my name!” “I like Miss Joy’s hugs!”
24 Involvement opportunities – “I can’t believe how many ways there are I can serve! Northside is so well organized!”
15 Family or friends at Northside – “We want to be where our grandkids are.”
14 Good, Bible-based preaching – “I love Toby’s sermons, and I can really relate to them!”
11 Children and youth – “Northside has a lot to offer our kids, and there are a LOT of young families here.”
10 Adult Bible classes: Bible-based, variety, quality –“I love that we’re not just hearing opinions, but learning God’s will for us.”
9 Outreach, Know Your Bible, missions – “I’m a Christian because of Know Your Bible.”
7 Worship/singing is uplifting, inspiring – “I’ve never heard such good singing before!”
6 Elders: Leadership, prayers, visits, open to questions – “Several elders visited my daughter in the hospital and prayed with us.”
6 Bible reading and study are emphasized – “I like the suggested Bible reading schedule, and I do it every morning.”
4 Fellowship opportunities – “I really want to make friends, and there are so many ways to do that at Northside.”
4 Care for the sick; hospital visits – “So many people have asked about my husband’s illness and told us they are praying for us.”
3 Northside is a church of multiple generations – “I love it that my kids have great Prayer Pals the age of my parents!”
3 Small groups – “We were looking for a church with a strong small group ministry.”
3 Spiritual growth – “I have grown so much since I’ve been at Northside. I especially appreciate Celebrate Recovery and Step Study!”
2 Evangelism; winning souls – “I’m a Christian because a member asked me to study the Bible with him.”
2 Family Camp – “I love Family Camp! I got to meet a lot of people and I really enjoyed the Bible classes and fun activities!”