Caring for Newborns
My wife is not a baby expert, but I do believe she does an excellent job caring for our two little ones. Thankfully, our youngest child has celebrated his first birthday and is not quite as dependent as he was at birth. Having a newborn is a tremendous joy and challenge at the same time. Children, especially newborns, require a lot of time and attention. At the hospital, newborns are monitored constantly. When a newborn goes home, he often sleeps in a crib near his parent's bed, so they can get up at the hint of a need. Grandparents and other family members can't wait to join in the act and smother the new one with cuddling, kisses, and gifts. New babies need lots of love, care, and attention!

New Christians need a lot of that, too. I'm afraid that churches make a mistake by simply teaching and baptizing someone, then announcing the addition to the family at the next service so everybody can gather around to shake hands and introduce themselves. How long would a baby last with no more attention than that? A healthy church "makes a fuss" over a new convert, lavishing love, care, and attention on the spiritual babe in Christ.

Here are some excellent ideas from Allen Webster on how to care for newborn Christians:

1. Give them the VIP treatment at every service.
Give them a heavy dose of the "Romans 12:10 treatment" - "Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another." Go out of your way to notice them. Be friendly. Cross the room to talk to them. Smile at them and tell them how good it is to see them! Take the initiative to introduce them to others. Sit with them during the assembly. Try to create a genuine bond of fellowship with them.

2. Give them reassurance that they have done the right thing.
Some of their friends and family will likely object to their conversion. This usually comes as a shock to them. Paul spent a great deal of time reassuring people that the Christian way of life is the best way to live. Acts 14:21,22 reads - "And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, 'We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (also cf. Acts 15:32,41; 18:23). The devil will do his best to test the commitment of the new Christian. He is angry at losing one from his kingdom and will try to get him back before he gains much spiritual strength.

3. Encourage follow-up studies.
New Christians typically have lots of questions. Prompt religious discussions by inquiring, "Have any questions come up since our last study?" Have them write down questions between studies. Provide them with a daily Bible reading schedule and fundamental material to aid their personal studies.

4. Invite them out for a meal on Sunday or over to your house for dessert after an evening service.
Get to know them beyond their name and where they live. Don't ask embarrassing questions, but find out where they work, where they live, something about their family, where they attended school, what their hobbies are, etc. Treat them like you would like to be treated (Matt. 7:12). We need to get back to hospitality that characterized the early church. Read through the book of Acts and notice how conspicuous it is.

5. Help them get a "ton" of cards the first two weeks.
A dollar's worth of cards and stamps can be a good investment. Find out their birthday and anniversary and remember them.

6. Find an excuse to call them.
Any positive contact with church members is good until new habits are formed (and, of course, after as well).

7. Inform them of the church's program of work and areas where they can be involved.
Encourage them to get involved immediately. Give them a tour of the facilities.

Friends, these ideas are not exhaustive, but they are very practical. These are not just ideas for the preacher to implement! In a nutshell, we all need to do our part to take good care of God's newborns! None of us would ignore a physical newborn, and may we not be guilty of doing such to a spiritual babe in Christ!