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Membership Emphasis Day Sermon - Nurture and Retention Sermon

The Membership Emphasis Day sermon emphasizes the importance of nurturing and retaining new believers following the successful WAD IMPACT 2025 evangelistic project, which resulted in over 14,000 baptisms. It highlights the need for personalized attention, discipleship, and community integration to ensure these new members grow in their faith and remain active in the church. The sermon calls on all church members to actively support and mentor new believers to foster a welcoming and supportive environment.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
125 views4 pages

Membership Emphasis Day Sermon - Nurture and Retention Sermon

The Membership Emphasis Day sermon emphasizes the importance of nurturing and retaining new believers following the successful WAD IMPACT 2025 evangelistic project, which resulted in over 14,000 baptisms. It highlights the need for personalized attention, discipleship, and community integration to ensure these new members grow in their faith and remain active in the church. The sermon calls on all church members to actively support and mentor new believers to foster a welcoming and supportive environment.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MEMBERSHIP EMPHASIS DAY SERMON

MAY 10, 2025


Nurture and Retention: Growing in Faith Together
Pastor Alexander Agyapong, PhD.
Executive Secretary, Mid Ghana Union Conference
Suggested Hymns
Opening Hymn - SDAH 348 – ("The Church Has One Foundation")
- SDAH 618 – ("Stand Up! Stand Up for Jesus")

Meditation Hymn - SDAH 334 – ("Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing")


- SDAH 500 – ("Take Time to Be Holy")

Closing Hymn - SDAH 358 – ("Far and Near the Fields Are Teeming")
- SDAH 369 – ("Bringing in the Sheaves")

Introduction
"And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable
men who will also be qualified to teach others." - 2 Timothy 2:2

As we celebrate the remarkable success of the WAD IMPACT 2025 evangelistic project, with
over 14,000 baptisms within the Mid Ghana Union fields, we express our deepest gratitude to
every individual, church, elder, pastor, and member who played diverse roles in this
extraordinary evangelistic programme. Indeed, it will go down in history as one of the most
impactful evangelistic campaigns due to the high level of commitment we all put in.

The Challenge of Nurture and Retention


However, as we bask in the glory of this achievement, we must also acknowledge the crucial
challenge that lies ahead: nurturing, retaining and acculturating these new believers. Ellen G.
White emphasizes in her book "Evangelism," "The work of the minister does not end with the
baptism of the converts. At that point the work has just begun." (Evangelism, p. 362).

As believers anxiously awaiting the soon return of Christ, we're passionate about winning souls
for His kingdom. However, retaining and nurturing new members is equally crucial for the
growth and vitality of our churches. Available statistics indicate that 39.95% of Seventh-day
Adventist Church members have left the church over the past 50 years. This means that almost
40% of people who were once members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church have chosen to
leave the church over the past five decades. This is a significant number, indicating a substantial
loss of membership and a high attrition rate.

James A. Cress, former leader of the General Conference Ministerial Association, has shared
his expertise in his book, "You Can Keep Them If You Care: Helping New Members Stay
On Board". With decades of experience in pastoral and evangelistic ministry, Pastor Cress
emphasizes that nurturing new members is as vital as winning them.
Principles for Effective Nurture and Retention
1. Personalized Attention: Each new believer needs personalized attention and guidance
to grow in their faith. "As newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it
you may grow up in your salvation." - 1 Peter 2:2

Ellen G. White notes in "Christian Service," "Every soul that has been
converted to God needs individual care and attention." (Christian Service, p. 30)

2. Discipleship: We must disciple new believers, teaching them the ways of God and
helping them develop a deep, personal relationship with Jesus. Jesus' command to
"make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19) is not just about baptizing but about
nurturing and guiding.
3. Community Integration: New believers need to be integrated and well acculturated
into the church community, where they can find support, encouragement, and
accountability.
"Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." -
Hebrews 10:24

Ellen G. White writes, "The church is God's appointed agency for the salvation of men. It
was organized for service, and its mission is to carry the gospel to the world." (The Acts
of the Apostles, p. 9)

Call to Action
As we mark Membership Emphasis Day, we urge every member, church, and leader within the
Mid Ghana Union Conference territory to prioritize nurture and retention. Let us:

1. Reach out to new believers: Provide personalized attention, guidance, and support
(spiritual and physical).
2. Disciple and mentor: Teach and guide new believers in their spiritual journey.
3. Integrate into our church community: Welcome and include new believers in
church activities and fellowship.

Conclusion
In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul instructs Timothy to entrust the things he has heard to reliable men
who can teach others. This verse emphasizes three things linked to nurture and retention:

1. Apostolic succession: Passing on teachings from one generation to the next.


2. Reliable teachers: Identifying trustworthy individuals to carry on the ministry.
3. Multiplication: Teaching others to teach, creating a ripple effect.

This verse connects to nurture and retention by highlighting the importance of:

1. Mentoring: Entrusting reliable individuals to care for and teach new believers.
2. Discipleship: Passing on knowledge and values to others.
3. Multiplying impact: Equipping others to teach and nurture, ensuring the continuation
of the ministry.

"The work of winning souls to Christ is the most important work ever given to human beings."
- Evangelism, p. 16. The success of WAD IMPACT 2025 is just the beginning. Let us work
together to nurture and retain these precious souls, that they may grow in their faith and become
disciples of Jesus Christ. May God bless and guide us as we strive to fulfill this mission.

A Story of Tolerance and Nurture


A new member, Manu, was attending church service for the second time since his baptism. As
the congregation was engaged in worship, Manu’s phone suddenly rang, causing a disruption.
Some members of the congregation reacted harshly, whispering to each other about his
carelessness.

Feeling embarrassed and ashamed, he quickly silenced his phone and tried to blend in.
However, the damage was done. He felt like an outsider, and his enthusiasm for the church
began to wane.
The next day, Manu decided to meet up with some friends at a nearby restaurant. As he was
sitting down, he accidentally dropped a glass of water, which shattered on the floor. His friends
immediately rushed to his side; concern imprinted on their faces. "Are you hurt?" they asked,
as they helped him clean up the spill. "We're very sorry." In that moment, Manu felt a sense of
relief and gratitude towards his friends. They didn't scold or criticize him for his clumsiness;
instead, they showed empathy and kindness. He immediately reminisced what happened at
church the previous day where he was vilified for inadvertently leaving his phone in the ring
tone.

This story highlights the importance of tolerance and nurture in our interactions with new
members. Just as Manu’s friends responded with kindness, we should strive to create a
welcoming and supportive environment for those who are new to our faith community.

AMEN.

Bible References:

1. 2 Timothy 2:2 – “And the things that you have heard from me among many
witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

2. 1 Peter 2:2 – “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow
thereby.”

3. Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

4. Hebrews 10:24 – “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good
works.”
Spirit of Prophecy (Ellen G. White) References:

1. White, E. G. (1946). Evangelism. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing


Association.

o Page 362: “The work of the minister does not end with the baptism of the
converts. At that point the work has just begun.”

o Page 16: “The work of winning souls to Christ is the most important work
ever given to human beings.”

2. White, E. G. (1947). Christian Service. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald


Publishing Association.

o Page 30: “Every soul that has been converted to God needs individual care and
attention.”

3. White, E. G. (1911). The Acts of the Apostles. Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press
Publishing Association.
o Page 9: “The church is God's appointed agency for the salvation of men. It
was organized for service, and its mission is to carry the gospel to the world.”

Other References:

1. Cress, J. A. (2000). You Can Keep Them If You Care: Helping New Members Stay On
Board. Silver Spring, MD: General Conference Ministerial Association.

2. West-Central Africa Division (WAD) IMPACT 2025 Evangelistic Project – Statistical


Summary & Church Reports (2025).

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