The Four Phases of the 

New Convert Care Program

 By: James Wilkins

            Introduction: We as Pastors must learn to stop acting like America is still a Christian nation.  When Joshua and Caleb died, it did not take ISRAEL but a few years to become an apostate nation.

            After the great revival spread throughout the world, which was led by the apostles in Jerusalem , it was only about 40 years before many false preachers and doctrines plagued their work.  In fact, several of the New Testament books were written because of the first great apostasy, which followed this world-wide revival.  Jude, II Timothy, Titus and  I and II Peter were not prophesies which foretold future apostasies, but instructions to pastors who were dealing with crippling problems which plagued their churches.

            The Bible, God's perfect manual, has principles which deal with, and  will overcome a period of apostasy.

The First Phase of the New Convert Care Program:

The Follow-up Phase:

A.  The new convert needs following-up and care as soon as they are saved.  Medical science states that the most important time in a human being's life is the first 48 hours. 

First: Our converts are saved in a Period which is totally non-Christian, because of 50 years of humanism.

Second: The young converts (babes in Christ) know nothing about God.  The primary way a baby learns is through observation and personal attention.  Left to learn by themselves as they observe the Good God-Good Devil religion which is destroying our country, they will become victims and fail.

Third: Just as natural babies need immediate and thorough attention from their birth through the early years of their lives, so do our spiritual babies (the new converts).

Fourth: The new convert needs following-up as soon as possible, because all the newborn spiritual baby has to rely on is an emotional experience.

                        *  Salvation brings emotions.

                        *  Salvation is an experience.

            All the Devil has to do in order to stop, or at least confuse the newborn spiritual baby, is to cause him to have another emotional experience by GETTING HIM TO SIN.

            When the new convert sins, he becomes confused, and possibly permanently wounded.  We can prevent much of that through a good follow-up program.

            We use the From Salvation to Service booklet.  It has seven principles the new convert needs to know  as soon as he is saved.

             DO NOT GIVE the booklet to him with out making an appointment with him in order to go over the principles in the booklet.  There are over 150,000 of these booklets in circulation.  Those who have benefited  the most from these booklets are the new converts who had someone make an appointment to go over it with them. 

USE THIS BOOKLET WITH THOSE WHO ARE SAVED AT THE ALTAR.

              Train your workers to take five minutes and very briefly fill in the new birth certificate, and review the seven key principles of the book.  Have them make an appointment with the new convert within six days for the pastor (or who he may send) to go over the principles.  Make sure the new convert understands the principles, even if it takes more than one session, and answer any of the questions he may have about the lessons. 

            By following this procedure, it forces one to follow up on the new convert immediately.

The Second Phase of the New Convert Care Program:

The Protection Phase.

          A.  The new convert must be protected in at least 5 areas:

 First: From the influence of nominal, back slid, or careless Christians.

 Second: From the proselytizing spirit which dominates our society today.

 Third: From the ghosts of the past; most of the people of today have had serious  disappointments and disenchantments in this life.  They are much more sensitive, and  easily offended.

Fourth: From himself, or his fleshly nature.  Alert him that the flesh is not changed  by giving him the Salvation to Service booklet, noting section five.

Fifth: From the attacks of the Devil, also in section five of Salvation to Service.

            THE SOLUTION:  Appoint a role model over them ( to be an extension of the Pastor), as soon as they are saved.

The Third Phase of the New Convert Care Program:

The Development Phase.

            In the book of Acts, the early disciples were developed into mature, soul-winning, and discipling members within a few weeks or months, instead of a few years.

            We must begin to go by the manual or the Biblical pattern,  instead of judging ourselves by ourselves.  THE BIBLE IS TRUE.  It will still develop new converts into strong and secure soul-winning members,  if we learn to go by Biblical principles instead of following the sloppy handling methods of our new converts which has produced our day of apostasy.

            Just as our domestic children deteriorate and develop poor habits, and get into trouble unless they are properly trained, so DO our new spiritual babies. 

            In order to hold and develop our new converts, we must:

First:  Appoint over them a spiritual role model as soon as they are saved.. 

Second: Stress the standards of the Bible, and seek to get them to make the commitment at the end of each lesson.

Third: We must grade them, and then make a big deal over their progress, so they will get their fulfillment from doing spiritual things, rather than seeking satisfaction in the world.

Fourth: Major on the promises, and minimize the problems.

The Fourth Phase of the New Convert Care Program:

 Involvement

First: We must recognize our mandate.  Jesus commanded us to “As ye go, make men into disciples.” (Imitators of Christ).  We must stop the practice of the average church who is losing their new converts.  They just leave the new convert “hanging”, hoping that they will find their way,  and get involved.  We must begin immediately in the process of discipling them so well, that they will begin to disciple others also.

Second: We must recognize the shortness of time.  As of May 15, 1948, we began the last generation (before Jesus comes, Matt. 24:32-34), and traveled 60 years toward His imminent coming.

Third: We must begin the simple process of discipling as given in the ONEdisciplingONE plan. 

Summary:

            WE MUST place a shield of faith around our new converts as soon as they are saved through a direct, proper follow-up. Give them the Salvation to Service booklet, and place over them a role model.

            WE MUST protect and shelter them while they make the transition from being religious (humanism), lost sinners, to where they submit to the Pastoral tutorship.

            WE MUST train them to observe (doing instead of just learning the Word).  The stress in the Bible IS DOING, not just hearing.