An assimilation effort: Developing a plan to move first-time guests into fully-engaged members of First Baptist Church Atlanta

This Doctor of Ministry Project Report describes the researcher's study of new member assimilation and its application to the ministry context of First Baptist Church of Atlanta, Georgia (FBA). The project objectives required the researcher to examine the statistical data which reveal the church's attendance and new member assimilation patterns. When combined with other contextual factors of the church, the statistical data confirmed the need for the project.;The researcher surveyed practical and scholarly writings in the field of new member assimilation. The literature provided insights into assimilation strategies which have proven effective in the respective ministry contexts from which the authors write. The researcher discovered in the literature a commonly held, prevailing philosophy of ministry that aligns ministry resources and programming with the priority of new member assimilation. The resulting contrast with the researcher's ministry context at FBA exposed the need to review the philosophy of ministry at FBA.;The researcher concludes that a renewed, comprehensive strategy for guest assimilation is needed at FBA. The development of such a strategy falls beyond the scope of the project objectives. The benefits of this awareness, if acted upon, have the potential to enhance FBA's assimilation effectiveness in the future.;The researcher's final objective was to develop a new curriculum for the church membership class. The researcher designed the curriculum based on the insights and suggested practices of assimilation experts. The class includes components that experts have found to be most effective in creating a sense of belonging on the part of new members. Participants will be given the opportunity to evaluate each class.