Reading 3 Part Charts by Dennis McCallum

Home churches that follow their attendance and first timers can easily construct a chart made up of their original members, the first time guests at the group, and those won to regular attendance since their last plant. These charts graphically clarify whether a group has a problem with lack of outreach, poor follow up, or pastoral problems, as seen in regular loss of their old members. Following are several charts from Xenos home groups. These charts have an added category called Xenos transfers, which could refer either to people who in earlier years attended a Xenos home group, or who have changed from another group because of preference or marriage. What do these charts suggest about the needs of these groups?

Note: The blue portion (OM) refers to "original members" = those who were attending when the home church was planted. The black portion (RN) refers to "returning new" people = those who have entered the home church since the last plant and have attended multiple times. The top two portions (aqua and yellow) refer to different kinds of first timers = those who have come for the first time to the home church that month.

The chart above is what a chart should look like ideally. Good outreach, great follow up, and stable old members.

The chart above suggests strong outreach, good maintenance of old members, but questionable follow up.

The chart above suggests somewhat weak outreach, but good pastoral work, and good follow up.

This chart indicates very strong outreach, but very poor follow up. Old member attendance is very sporadic, raising questions about commitment.

This chart shows a group in serious trouble. The lack of outreach suggests that the group has gone inward.

This is a good looking chart.

This is a great chart. Nearly everyone who visits the group stays.

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