E-FOLLOWUP FAQs - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1. What is E-Followup? 

A1. E-Followup is an electronic improvement on the Followup Card. It was developed to ensure more comprehensive, timely and accurate capture of information on all converts and newcomers to the regular and special programs of Deeper Life Bible Churches. E-Followup is based on a user-friendly web application with a relational database as its back end.

Q2. What is Followup? 

A2. All the actions and efforts made by individuals or groups of people to get a saved soul to become established in the Lord and in the Church and become a soul winner (Acts15:36). Followup also includes “friendship evangelism” with newcomers with the intent of helping them to become born-again.

Q3. For how long do I followup a convert?

A3. Until he or she has grown from desiring sincere milk (1Peter 2:2) to eating strong meat (Heb. 5:12,14) and is now a soulwinner too.

Q4. Why has the church changed to E-Followup? 

A4. E-Followup provides 24/7 access to monitor the spiritual progress of converts from anywhere in the world with internet access. It makes the followup work accessible, available for the leadership review and provides hard data/statistics for evidence-based reporting. The line of accountability for souls is clearly defined.

Q5. What are the challenges with the Followup Card?

 A5. It could not provide up-to-date information on the spiritual growth or condition of converts. It was not widely adopted in Lagos.

Q6. How do we transition from using Followup card to E-Followup? 

A6. 

1. First, read the E-Followup presentation of 6th June 2021 and undergo the E-Followup training to learn how to upload data of converts/newcomers and how to prepare management reports for monitoring progress of convert growth. 
2. Second, REGISTER and obtain a Username and Password for E-Followup. 
3. Third, undergo hands-on training on how to use E-Followup and practice weekly.

Q7. What are the common challenges with E-Followup so far? 

A7. Login and connection issues due to poor local internet signal and soulwinners forgetting their Username and/or Passwords and having to reset them. The percentage of reporting is still low, as many are just adjusting to the new approach.

Q8. How can we improve the use of E-Followup?

A8. Free login into the E-Followup webapp without requiring data on the part of the users. Upload training videos to HELP section.

Q9. Who can see the data in E-Followup? 

A9. The Followup minister (from Soulwinner’s profile), can see information on all converts/newcomers uploaded with his/her Username and Password. However, Pastors and Overseers can see data on converts and newcomers in their churches, regions, states and nation. The GS is at the Administrator level and can access data on any church from any Region, State or Nation.

Q10. Is E-Followup safe or protected against phishing and hacking? 

A10. The church database is based on a 256 bit encryption system

Q11. Who is a convert according to E-Followup?

 A11. A convert is anyone who has sincerely taken a decision to confess and renounce sin, believe in, accept and confess Christ as Saviour and Lord with his/her mouth.

Q12. Who is a newcomer according to E-Followup?

A12. A newcomer (visitor, invitee, guest) is anyone that attended the weekly/monthly or special program of the church for the first time but is not born again.

Q13. What is the importance of Building Blocks in setting up E-Followup in a Region, State or Nation? 

A13. Building blocks are strategies, approaches, actions that help provide a conducive environment for the successful deployment, adoption and success of E-Followup. They came from the E-Followup learning experiences in the Lagos HQ churches.

Q14. Where did E-Followup come from? 

A14. E-Followup is an initiative of the GEM Followup and GEM ICT units in Lagos headquarters churches. It however builds on the foundation of the Followup Card approach to followup of souls in the church.

Q15. What is GEM? 

A15. GEM means Gospel Explosion Movement. It’s an evangelistic initiative from the headquarters church to ensure continuous, driven, spirit-directed and abundant harvest of souls in Lagos. There several formations or departments in GEM e.g.

1.  Followup; 
2.  ICT; 
3.  Market outreach;
4.  Literature outreach;
5.  Young Professionals Forum (YPF); 
6.  International Friendship League (IFL);
7.  Medical outreach; 
8.  Hospital/NGO outreach; 
9.  Publicity;
10.  Automobile and
11.  Special outreach.

Q16. What is the E-Followup or Executive Management report (EMR)?

A16. The E-Followup or Executive Management Report (EMR) provides pastoral oversight of souls at the Group, Old District/Regional, State or Nation. The foci of the EMR includes: 

(i) No of Groups who have NOT uploaded converts;

(ii) Groups who have uploaded incomplete data (no followup minister, no followup         minister phone #);

(iii) Groups with over-burdened followup ministers (following up more than five converts); 

(iv) Groups who have not messaged, called or visited their converts; (v) No of converts baptized; 

(v) No in convert class; 

(vi) No in discipleship class; 

(vii) No who are now members or workers. Other issues may be added as the situation in your Region, State or Nation demands.

Q17. What is the Church Management Report (CMR)?

 A17. The Church Management Report (CMR) provides pastoral oversight of souls in the District/Location or Local church. The CMR reports on: 

(i) No of Calls, messages, visits made to the converts during the week; 

(ii) Needs in the life of convert; 

(iii) No of converts baptized or due for water baptism; 

(iv) No of converts in convert class; 

(v) No in Discipleship class etc. . Other issues may be added as the situation in your Region, State or Nation demands.

Q18. What do we do if soulwinners are not reporting their work on E-Followup?

 A18. First, ensure they are trained on how to use E-Followup and are aware of the Deeper Life social media evangelism strategy. Secondly, send SMS reminders and call them on the phone. Thirdly, rebuke them and if there is no change, talk to their pastors/leaders and consider publishing their names and phone numbers on the general communication platform as unfaithful soulwinners. Finally, If there is no improvement, replace them quickly with committed, dedicated and faithful members, workers or leaders. The never dying souls of men are at stake, and with your God-given divine backbone as a leader, you must not hesitate in taking the third step if need be.

Q19. For how long do I followup a newcomer?

 A19. Until he or she becomes saved and established in the Lord or the Lord calls you the soulwinner home. You will not meet Him empty handed IJN amen.

Q20. What are the qualifications of a soul winner or followup minister? A20. The soulwinner or followup minister must be saved and sanctified at the least but preferably full of the Holy spirit too. With these three experiences comes such qualities as: faithfulness, prayerfulness, grace, commitment, sacrifice, perseverance, divine guidance etc. that are needed to successfully establish souls in the Lord and among the saints.

Q21. Is E-Followup accessible to every member of the church?

A21. No. E-Followup is only accessible to Soulwinners or Followup Ministers who upload information on converts and newcomers, follow them up to establish them in the Lord and provide weekly report of their work. E-Followup is also accessible to pastors, leaders and overseers to ensure they have oversight of souls and newcomers in their churches, Groups, Old-district/Regions, States and Nation.

Q22. How do I get access to E-Followup? 

Q22. You get Login access to E-Followup (through a Username and a Password) after “REGISTERING” through the “JOIN US” link on the E-Followup Login Page. Your email address, Phone No and password are your credentials  for login in.

Q23. I forgot my Username and Password. What do I do? 

A23. Go to the E-Followup Login page, click “PASSWORD RESET” and follow the instructions provided.

Q24. I click something in E-Followup and got “ERROR-404”?

A24. Click the “BACK” button and you should be okay to continue your work.

Q25. Who is an E-Followup Champion?

 A25. 

Each church must appoint an E-Followup Champion based on these minimum criteria: Spirit-filled, self-sacrificing, motivated, effective, committed, knowledgeable about ICT, available/willing to solve problems 24/7. The successful roll-out of the E-Followup is influenced by the absence or presence of an E-Followup Champion(s) in each church.

Q26. What are the 10 Commandments of E-Followup?

 A26. It’s a simple way of communicating the ideals, expectations and standards when following up souls.

Q27. What is the role of pastors in E-Followup? 

A27. Pastors play a foundational role is the successful implementation of E-Followup. Pastors must accept full ownership of E-Followup since they are accountable for the evangelism work and the converts in the churches. Pastors must provide leadership that regularly demands for data on converts and uses the management reports to take effective followup action. If pastors are not convinced of the importance of E-Followup, it may neither be adopted nor established in the local church.

Q28. What does success with E-Followup look like? 

A28. 

(1) Committed soulwinners message, call and visits converts weekly without being reminded or pushed; 

(2) Committed and holy-Ghost endued church workers prepare Church Management Report (CMR) for discussion at workers’ and leaders meeting and take action to conserve souls; 

(3) Consecrated and spirit filled followup, ICT or other church leaders discuss care and condition of souls at the weekly workers’ meeting and leaders’ meetings;

(4) The church can account for every convert and newcomer that comes into the church or attends a special program with facts and figures, data and statistics;

(5) E-Followup workers are excited and joyful at the abundant harvest and God is answering their prayers (John 15:16); 

(6) The local churches will grow steadily at first and exponentially thereafter.

Q29. How important is E-Followup? 

A29. Many of our churches are not growing daily as in the Acts of Apostles. Many churches are stagnant or declining in attendance. A due diligence of charting the attendance figures of your church over a period of three or six months will reveal this. While there are many reasons, one of the reasons we can influence is sacrificial, loving, unrelenting and effective followup of the genuinely saved souls to establish them in Christ and in the church. Whatever stops growing dies, slowly but surely. If we neglect E-Followup, there may not be much of a church to hand over to the next generation.

Q30. How does E-Followup provide confidentiality and security of convert and newcomer information? 

A30. The use of Usernames and Passwords is the first line of protection of the personal information of our converts. Followup workers, pastors and overseers are also expected to be matured believers who will keep confidentiality of information they have access to.

GEM: FOLLOW-UP UNIT

Purpose:

-          To make converts of the guests who attend our Church Services and Programs

-          To nurture the converts till they are established in faith, conserved and integrated into the body of Christ in the local Church (our Districts).

Method of Operations 

-          Attend to guests during our program, ensure they fill and submit complete personal data to enhance follow up subsequently. A "Guest" is either a newcomer or a convert who responded to an altar call during a Program. "Programs" include all Services and Outreaches - Combined Services, Retreats,  Crusades,  Weekly Fellowships, School Outreaches, GEM Sections Outreaches, etc. 

-          With support from ICT Section, collate, capture and store the guests data in the Central Church ICT Portal (dclmhub. org).

-          Send initial follow-up SMS immediately after the program. 

-          Distribute guest slips to Groups and Districts after capturing for immediately mobilisation of Follow-up Team and Church members for follow up of the guests. 

-          Place phone calls and visiting the guests within 24 hours. 

-          Invite and bring them to weekly fellowships. 

-          Introduce Cell Units in the homes of those who will not come to the Church weekly fellowships presently. 

-          Invite and bring all the guests to Believers' Forum within 1 week after the first contact.

-          At the Forum, introduce to them the follow up programs specially designed for their steadfastness in faith and spiritual growth.

-          Start weekly Bible Classes i. e. Converts Classes. 

-          Prepare them for water baptism. 

-          Proceed to Discipleship training for them. 

-          Engage them and lead them out for personal evangelism, as many as are genuinely saved. 

-          Graduate them and absorb as many as ate saved as members of the Follow-up Team. 

Follow Up Strategies. 

For Organised Programs

The following are strategies to get Maximum Participation of Invitees and

Pre-Program 

-     Plan intercessory prayers e. g. to get the invitees attention, keen interest and have bountiful harvests through the program. 

-     Collaborate with GEM Publicity for effective mobilisation of members and invitees. 

-     Pre-register invitees, intending guests. 

-     Keep in touch with the invitees daily through SMS, phone calls or visits till the day of the program. This should include programmed daily SMS from the Group. 

-     Liaise with the Transport Section (officers) to provide buses assigned to guests only.

-     In residential program setting like Retreats, liaise with the accommodation and kitchen sections to make special arrangements for the guest’s accommodation and feeding. 

During Program

-     Ensure the Groups make adequate transport arrangement for the invitees and monitor the transportation to the venue of the program.

-     Register the guests at the point of entry into the venue, or welcome them during the Moderation session, depending on the program setting

-     Counsel and collect data of the guests during the welcoming address and during altar calls.

Post Program Strategies

-     Collate, capture and store the guest’s data in the Central Church ICT Portal (dclmhub. org).

-     Send initial follow-up SMS immediately after the program - appreciation SMS to newcomers and congratulatory SMS to converts. 

-     Sort the guests slips into Old Districts and handover to the Follow-up Reps of various Old districts who will in turn distribute to Groups an Districts for prompt follow-up.

-     Apply the Follow-up operations outlined in Section C above till the guests are genuinely converted, established in the faith, become useful and fruitful in the body of Christ.

-     Use WhatsApp and other Social Media to enhance follow-up activities

Non-Program Related Strategic Plan and Activities

-     Train the Follow-up Team members for more effectiveness.

-     Monitor Districts and Groups attendance to ensure the fruits of follow-up translate to numerical growth of the Churches.

-     Make follow-up visits to old members in our Districts (including Location Churches), especially the absentees from fellowships and those facing challenges.

-     Commit each member of the Follow-up Team to engage in personal evangelism 

-     Motivate others (workers and members) to function in the follow-up team, in view of inadequate hands in comparison with the follow-up work demand.

-     Provide follow-up supports to all other GEM Sections during their outreach programs.

-     Do regular reporting and reviews of the follow-up works for continual improvement. This should include weekly progress reports, monthly plan/performance appraisal and quarterly review of the entire follow-up works and strategies.