The statistics tell us a brand new baby cannot survive more than three days without water, food, touch or care. That means spiritual babies will not survive more than three days without the same.

We must do more than send home a letter from the Pastor or a phone call. We have to immediately get involved in their lives. The "Adoption Program" is the perfect way to establish this care.

Each person in your church will be asked if they are willing to adopt new converts. You must clearly state that no adoptive parent should give money or pay the bills of the new converts. The church will have a list of people willing to adopt and as each new convert is born you will go down the list connecting the new babies with their new spiritual adoptive parents. Having a list of names prevents the assumption that someone adopted them and the babies fell through the cracks without care.

As a person comes out of the waters of baptism someone from the church who is next on the list to adopt the new baby should come forward and make contact with the new baby.

At this time they should exchange contact information and arrange for the first meeting, being a home visit for Bible study.

You will ask the new baby if they know everything there is to know about the Bible. They of course will say no. You will then smile and say that's great I don't think anyone knows everything about the Bible. Ask them what is their favorite kind of pizza, have a pen ready to write it down. Then ask them what their favorite soft drink is.

Once you have the information for the pizza and drink ask them what is the best time of the week to come over for 30 minutes to teach them a home Bible study. Set the date for your first meeting confirming the time they suggested. It is very important not to stay past 30 minutes.

Once you get to the home of the new convert if appropriate give them a hug, tell them how excited you are that they are coming to your church. Sit down with them, say a short word of prayer over the food and fellowship with them. After the food, open your Bible to only one verse of scripture, read that verse talk about it for 2-4 minutes, try and make it a simple scripture, not a doctrinal one. You want to avoid being there to make them Pentecostal and teach them the whole Bible and every doctrine in their first few months of being born. Remember feeding babies meat will kill them!

We believe you should not teach a chart Bible study to new babies. You should allow them a little time to grow before putting doctrines and meat into them. I cannot tell how many new babies I have seen choked out by the strong meats. They will have plenty of time to learn the word and doctrines, but our objective is to love and fellowship with them while we are in their home, not to teach them everything we know about God!

Again, we are their to love them, ask them questions, get to know them, find out what their needs are and who they are. There is an old saying that says, "They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care"! Your job is to show them how much you care; they will learn the Bible later.

You will also want to keep in touch at least once a day by phone. Call them ask them how they are doing and have a short conversation with them. Keep it brief and all about them.

By the second day of their new birth you should arrive un-announced at their home around 6:00 pm with a small package of cookies, or a small gift bag with a candle or something small. Stay outside and just tell them you were thinking of them and wanted to drop by a gift. Do not go inside their home, even if they ask you to. Tell them you only have a few minutes but wanted to drop the gift by.

Each service you should call the new convert the day before and remind them of the service times. Be sure to ask them if they need a ride to church, offer to pick them up if they like. Babies forget some times, so this will be important.

You will also want to invite them to your home for dinner. Invite their whole family, while they are there with you show them love and get to know them better. You may also take them out to eat if you are not comfortable bringing them to your home.

You will sit with your new babies during service. You NEVER want to leave them alone during church. Introduce them to other church members and get them involved in all of the church activities that you can.

 Overview

Day One:

Connect, exchange information, and set *Bible study time.

Day Two:

Visit their home with cookies or small gift bag, remember do not go inside, just make it a brief visit and let them know you are thinking of them.

Day Three:

Call your new converts and make sure they know about the services, offer them a ride to church.

 Second Week:

 Invite the new convert to your home or out to dinner.

*Continue the Bible study and visitation every week for as long as they convert wants you there.

Also I have a FREE Power Point on new convert care you can download from this website under TOOLS called Retention: Taking care of the babies.