To: A.I.S. Coordinator
From: Pastor & Sis. K.W. Coffman
Date: October 20, 1997
Subject: IDEASHEET/NEW CONVERT CARE

Just a word from our hearts to yours: We have benefited so much from A.I.S! We share our enthusiasm with friends in the ministry so they too can be blessed as we have. The magazine is wonderful, (I always
go right to the topic for discussion. The topics are where we’re at!), and the idea-sheets are the best ‘idea’ in church history!!! The ministry dynamics tapes seem to come at just the right time. The encouragement, enlightenment, and challenge we receive from listening to them makes us feel our labor not in vain; gives us food for thought; and makes us feel like running through the troop and leaping over the wall. Thanks so much for what you do. YOUR efforts are not in vain. To all the A.I.S. staff: ‘You’re doing a good work. Don’t come down!’ (One of Bro. Mooney’s earlier days A.I.S. tapes!)

We have a small but growing church. We understand the importance of proper New Convert Care. Therefore we would like to share the idea that has worked quite well in our church over the past few years. Perhaps you would consider using this in the A.I.S. idea-sheet.

Getting the right material into a new converts hands while they are in their homes is critical to helping them learn to be overcomers. Therefore, we have developed what we call a “Baby Shower” for our new
‘babes’ in Christ. Gifts such as bookmarkers, Bibles, highlighters, notepaper, pens, (Apostolic) music tapes, pastor’s preaching tapes, other appropriate preaching tapes, good books, our U.P.C. ‘magazines’,
and MORE are purchased and collected. We also put together a witnessing packet complete with H.B.S. materials, and appropriate tracts for them to share with their family and friends. All items are combined in a large box. It is then gift wrapped in ‘baby’ paper with a special “Welcome to the family” letter from the pastor, and presented to them on “Baby Shower” night during a church service. Along with their gifts
is their Holy Ghost certificate neatly framed for them to display at home on their wall.

For the ladies, we also include a jean skirt since every Pentecostal lady seems to need one! (Of course, we don’t push Bible standards of holiness on them, but in most cases we’ve heard them express their desire to have one before we have done so.) For the men, we get a white shirt and tie. (Again, we make sure it won’t cause offense). This has been a great success in giving our new ones, ‘help along the way.’ For them to purchase all these things on their own would be rather expensive. This is a way the TOTAL church can participate in helping disciple others! Another way to have the Baby Shower is to make it a ‘social’ type of gathering and everyone bring dinner. Dessert of course: cake decorated as it would be for a baby shower!
We’ve then played games, sang old time songs, and took turns going around the room giving “the milk of the Word” which would be nuggets of Truth, to our new ones. This is a great way to make them feel included and special.