Step 1 – Communicate the need for the ministry.
    Heighten the awareness of the First Contact ministry to church members and adult
    Sunday School members through church newsletters and web-site information.
    Consistently update the ministry to adult Sunday School classes and infant and one
    year old departments. These areas will reap the benefits by the First Contact
    ministry.
    Step2 – Enlist a core group of people to visit prospects. (for the Director of First
    Contact)
    Enlist a core group of people who will visit prospects. Each volunteer
    visitor is enlisted to visit one family. They will be free to minister the family and bring
    them into the fellowship of the church. These volunteer visitors may be, young adult
    couples, adults active in the outreach ministry of the church and senior adults who
    have a love for young families.
    Step 3 – Develop a detailed plan for ongoing prospect discovery.
    Develop a detailed plan for ongoing prospect discovery and ministry. Some
    suggestions are . . .
    VBS prospects
    LifeWay Prospect Services
    Expectant Parent classes
    Weekday programs
    Families who visit on holidays
    Birth announcements in the newspaper or signs found in new parents’ yards.
    Step 4 – Build relationships.
    Cultivating and building relationships with prospects may
    include these opportunities. . .
    Bible Studies for couples (beyond Sunday School)
    Young Adult Fellowships
    Introducing the mom and day to other couples who have similar interests
    Invite them to your home for a meal or coffee
    Prepare a meal for the family when the baby and mom come home
    Volunteer to stay with the siblings when the baby is born
    Prepare an inexpensive gift for the new baby and for their
    sibling
    Provide books or brochures that may help a mom with questions about the new baby
    Step 5 – Develop a ministry plan.
    Meet on a regular basis to develop a ministry plan for each prospect family.
    Encourage and help
    volunteer visitors know the best way to minister to their prospect family.
    Provide materials, resources, and inexpensive gifts for the newborn and other siblings.
    Include copies of BabyLife and ParentLife magazines
    Provide devotion materials like Stand Firm and Journey magazines
    Step 6 – Train volunteer visitors to make contacts
    Train volunteer visitors to make visits. Encourage them to prepare for the home visit
    by calling ahead and making an appointment. Enlist someone to teach them to share
    the gospel with a family.
    Keep in touch with volunteer visitors while they are ministering to families to make sure
    they have what they need and encourage their efforts.
    Step 7 – Prepare a budget
    Prepare a budget for the Preschool Division Director that might include the
    following: resource and visitation supplies, outreach event publicity, new parent,
    fellowships, new parent dedication, and parenting classes. Plan for gift ideas,
    quarterly parent newsletters from your church,
    ParentLife, BabyLife, and
    HomeLife.
    Include cost for a New Baby Bible, yard signs from you church, baby birth
    announcements that are laminated, flowers for worship service baby
    announcements., child development books, videos, and Christian parenting books for
    your church library (these are share in home visits).
    Step 8 – Prepare a calendar
    Prepare a calendar that includes special events and ongoing events for young families.
    Parent dedication services
    Prospect discovery event
    Parent fellowships
    Parent night out
    Family play days
    Parent Library emphasis week
    Mother’s/Father’s Day

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