Guest Services Game Changer

Last night I watched the women’s NCAA basketball game where Brittney Griner from Baylor dunked the ball for two points! Yes, I said dunk! (Sic’em Bears!) This was her first dunk of the season and it was a game changer! After that trip down the court the entire team was different. They were fired up and playing like champions! It only took one move to change the entire flow of the game.

Making a game-changing move in ministry can produce the same effect. It’s those moves that can take a team from good to great, from showing up and serving at the same location to serving as a team that can’t wait to link arms and make Jesus famous. One game changer I have seen in guest services this past year is moving from a “positional volunteer” approach to a “do whatever it takes to serve the guest in front of you” approach.

We experienced our game changing moment when team members were given the freedom to leave their “position” or “post” to serve the person in front of them. Walking them to the environment they are looking for, children’s ministry or the worship center, instead of pointing in that direction. Finding the answers to their questions or walking them to the help center to get the answer. This sounds so simple, but it was an epiphany to many team members! They saw themselves as volunteers who did their job well. They were lacking the big picture vision. It was as if volunteers had an imaginary invisible fence around the area they served and if they took three giant steps away they would get shocked. Giving them the freedom to move has brought new meaning to the role volunteers play on the guest services team. They have moved from volunteers to team members, from opening the door and saying hello to greeting each guest and helping them feel like they are part of a community.

Yeah, it’s been that kind of game changer. Team members are fired up and serving like the spiritual champions they are!

To God be the glory!!

Environmental impact

Each environment has a specific purpose for the overall guest services experience. As people flow from one environment to the next we want the same message to be heard, they matter to God and they are valued here.

The key to a successful Sunday morning experience is the ability for each volunteer to seamlessly transition people from one environment to the next.

How is this accomplished?

• Friendliness
• Knowledge
• Servant Attitude

Volunteers must be approachable and friendly! They should have a passion for the vision and a general knowledge of what the church offers on Sunday (children's ministry, middle school/high school, how to get connected to groups, etc). Their attitude is one of service, "whatever it takes" mentality! As a leader, it's important to give volunteers the freedom to leave their "post." Walking a family to the children's area or a couple to the Worship Center while sharing the vision of the church or answering questions about the church is invaluable!

More is more

When it comes to (fill in your ministry area here) ministry, there is always one thing needed most, VOLUNTEERS! The church is and will always be a volunteer run organization. Each volunteer is a moment of truth for the "big C" church! I am so thankful for the faces I see on a weekly basis serving God by serving His people. But to be honest, there is always room for more! The more volunteers you have, the more opportunities you have to pour out of Jesus Christ and to fully serve each family member and guest.

When it comes to Guest Services, there are several areas to focus on, all of them equally important in caring for church family members and for guests;

• Parking Team
• Greeters (Parking lot greeters, door greeters, worship center greeters)
• Host Team (greeting, ushering and offering)
• Help Center (info booth)
• Volunteer Central (volunteers taking care of volunteers, vision-information-prayer)

Do you have other teams you focus on to make sure your guests are cared for?

One Chance

We have all heard the saying "you only get one chance to make a first impression." True, but when it pertains to guests arriving on your campus I believe it must be a weekly strategy. Maybe we should tweek it to say you get one chance weekly to make an impression. Good, bad, first, second (and so on), isn't as important as what's happening this week!!

With that in mind, we start with;

• What worked well last week?
• What do we need to stop doing?
• What will we change this week to make our impression count?
• What's our strategy for implementation?

Every week matters, every area matters, because people matter!! Every week people decide in the first 2 minutes whether or not to return to your church, we must make this a high priority!

Honor your guests

I went to college at the University of Toledo. At least half of the people I tell that to come back with, "Holy Toledo!" I started wondering where that phrase originated. The theories were endless, but one really stuck out to me. One theory is that the phrase came about because there was such a high concentration of churches on one boulevard. If that were the case, we could say that about any city!

There are sooooo many options for people looking for a church home. That is why I believe we must HONOR a persons decision to attend our church. They could have gone to any number of churches, but there are right there in front of you! What are you going to do to make them feel honored and cared for?

I look at it like I am inviting them into my home. How would I treat a guest in my own home?

I would

• give them good directions!!
• make sure the house is spotless
• meet and greet them outside
• walk them in
• show them around
• give them the best seat of the house

That's a good place to start! What are you doing to honor your guests?

It's time to go home

Do you ever feel nervous when you invite people to church? Oh, I do! I pray the parking team is ready and smiling and more interested in helping people find a spot than anything else. Then I move onto the parking greeters, I pray they are outside when it's cold or holding umbrellas when it's raining, always with a happy heart and a hearty hello! Next, the door greeters. I pray they are opening the door before a guest even thinks about reaching their arm out to grab the door handle, and walking guests where they need to go, not pointing with quick directions, until they have reached their destination. I pray they worship the entire time they are here! Through the music and the message!

I guess I feel like I am inviting them to MY house, and I want everything to be just right!

If you stopped by my house, I would totally greet you outside (with an umbrella if it was raining), I would smile and hug you because I would be so glad you were there! Then I would show you around the house, point out points of interest, and give you the best seat in the house! Church and home are the same, right? (Well, except for the hug, could be awkward!)

I think they could be. We could think of each person on our campus as someone we have invited to our HOME. I think about it like this;

Honor their decision to attend your church

One chance weekly to make an impression

More is more

Environmental impact

I will unpack each one of those statements.....stay tuned!

I make a mean iced caramel latte

Not mean as in "growly," but mean as in "goooooooood", just to clear any confusion!

Over the past couple of months I have found myself learning a lot, like a whole lot! We recently opened the World Cafe at West Ridge Church. The cafe itself is full of learning opportunities! Purchasing products, entering products into a POS system (point of sale, not anything else), merchandising, creating recipe's and making coffee drinks, training volunteers, etc. but my favorite lesson is all about the people. It's always about people! We are not in the coffee house business, we are in the people business and we just happen to use coffee as a vehicle.

Once More With Hobbits

Whenever I need to know a trivial little ditty, I "google" it! (you know that's actually in the dictionary right?) So, I'm in a meeting when a friend gets a text that says; "OMWH." With a puzzled face, she asks, "What in the world does OMWH mean?" Being near a computer, another friend googles it and immediately says; "Once More With Hobbits." What?? "Why would my husband send me that?" After looking a little further, the second definition was "On My Way Home."

That made a little more sense, her husband was on his way home. Then something weird happened, I starting thinking about what he would tell her about his day when he got home, maybe he would share his last impression of where he was that day. I know this sounds crazy, but I went from that thought to thinking about what is the last impression a guest has when they leave our church on Sunday? What would her husband tell her if he had just left our church as a first time guest?

I can just hear my husband saying (lovingly); "Stacey, you just aren't right," but seriously, I can't be the only one thinking about this! We don't want guests leaving with a bad taste in their mouth about God or the church, so what steps should we take to make sure their experience as they leave church leads to a conversation that is positive with an excitement to return?

Where to start? How about the time frame between the end of service, to leaving the church property...

As guests exit the worship center, is there a place clearly marked for them to go and ask questions about the church? Were people there eagerly waiting to answer questions? Did they have the knowledge (or training) to answer the questions? Were they friendly when they answered, or was there a sense that they wanted to leave and the guests were holding them up? Were there greeters at the exit doors inviting guests back next week? Was there a team of volunteers directing traffic out and smiling at each guest as they passed?

Where would you start? What questions would you ask?

Although the entire guest experience from arrival to departure must be evaluated, I am going to start with the last impression this week, I'll keep you updated!!!

bye F A B I A N

Over the past 6 months, I have watched a children's ministry volunteer grow in a mighty way. We don't currently have a special needs ministry, but God has blessed us with several children who would benefit from this type of ministry. This volunteer seems to have a huge heart for these kids, and I have been blessed watching the transformation of two children in particular.

Daniel
Daniel has Down's Syndrome. He is high functioning and is integrated with the other students. The first weekend I was there was tough for him. Change is hard for Daniel, and there was a lot of change that weekend. We completely redesigned the room to accommodate more students, that was a change. We started a kids worship team with high impact, less traditional music. Oh and I was there, that was a change in leadership. This all weighed heavily on Daniel and as I was teaching I looked over and he had started to remove clothing. Luckily we had a video to show so without missing a beat we turned the lights off and took care of Daniel before any of the other students even noticed. That was also this volunteers first day. She decided to get to know Daniel after the large group lesson was finished. He doesn't say much until he really knows you. So she put quiet music on for him, asked questions that were not answered and tried to play catch with him. He watched her closely, but didn't really respond. After two months of taking the time to just hang out with him, (he doesn't go to small group, he stays in the large group environment where he is comfortable) a breakthrough. As Daniel was leaving, he told his mom to tell this leader he likes to watch animal planet and he growled and said lion!!! The smile on this leaders face was ear to ear! Every week since, Daniel runs up to his leader and hugs her! He talks to her about animals, plays catch, dances to worship music, and they even eat an occasional doughnut together. That's first hour for this volunteer, now it's time for second hour.

Fabian
4 weeks ago Fabian arrived. Fabian is hearing impaired. Fabian's sister helps him to understand what is happening, but the same volunteer felt like his sister should go be a kid and she would help Fabian. The first week after meeting him, she immediately bought "The Joy of Signing" from a garage sale. She learned to say; "Hi my name is" and she brushed up on the alphabet. That next Sunday she put her new found skills to work. Fabian's eyes lit up! Her learning has continued. Yesterday, she worked with Fabian on his memory verse, using ASL. 4 weeks!! Just 4 weeks! He knows 2 Peter 1: 5-7. The volunteer gave him a doughnut for remembering his verse and working so hard with her. He wanted another one, so she asked his sister how to say "No more doughnuts, if you eat too many you will get fat." Fabian's sister taught her that and more!

What an amazing blessing to see this transformation take place right in front of my eyes!! You see, I'm doubly blessed. This volunteer happens to be my 17 year old daughter Sophie. As a leader, seeing other leaders grow in their service brings great joy!! As a leader and a mom, this great joy brings tears as well. Thank you child for your amazing example to be all things to all people. Paul would be so proud!! (maybe not as proud as your mom though!!)

As we were leaving church yesterday, Sophie waved and signed; "Bye F A B I A N," she showed us each letter and said we should try next week. Good idea!

Advantage Orange

What is “Orange?” If you are tempted to say a great color, you are only partly correct. Orange is a way of thinking. Although I have believed wholeheartedly in the Orange vision for a couple of years, the vision is becoming even more clear with the first chapter of “Think Orange” by Reggie Joiner.

It’s all about the advantage of combining influences. “When you think orange, you see how two combined influences make a greater impact than just two influences.” The example Reggie used that combined finding homes for children with great photography and art galleries created a powerful movement that caused inquiries about adopting these children to double. Separately, these two entities were both doing a great job, but together, the outcome is remarkable. Yep, that’s Orange!

The church has an even greater potential to become remarkable! The church isn’t just a small percentage of the population, it’s potential is THE population! My heart is racing after writing that! “Think Orange” is about combining the church and the home for the sake of impacting the next generation. The church is represented with yellow and families are represented with red, combining these two influences creates a radical shift in strategy!

Seven years ago, my mind shifted radically. I believe that each year ministry needs to be evaluated. I have always taken the time to ask leaders, volunteers, parents and students their opinion about what is happening in ministry. Well seven years ago I realized that although that’s good, it’s not good enough. I never considered asking our junior high pastor if we were handing him kids that were ready for junior high ministry. I asked. I found out we weren’t. Our JH pastor wanted students to know their testimony before they got to junior high. Simple, but that’s when the light came on! We needed to change our strategy to combine our influence! So we started meeting together on a regular basis. Not just us, we included the senior high pastor and the Christian development pastor as well! Big powerful ORANGE change!

Instead of working on the same thing at the same time with a different strategy, helping children and students grow in their faith, we all began working on the same thing at the same time with the same strategy. It was challenging. It caused us to redesign our programming. It convinced us that partnering with parents could give children and students a better chance. It was worth it. Advantage….ORANGE!!

Think Orange

Check out the "Think Orange" group blogging project over at Elemental Children's Ministry.

www.elementalcm.com

Do not fear

My favorite quote from this post......"The best thing that can happen to us is for our fears to be realized so that we realize the thing we feared wasn't as bad as the fear we felt. And God is right there to pick us back up!"

Thank you Lord for loving us so much. I pray that today I turn my fears and worries into prayers that grow my faith. Amen.

Evotional.com

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Steps to Contentment

An amazing wonderful mentor of mine gave me an index card with the steps to contentment about 10 years ago that I still carry to this day. Not only do I carry it, my husband does too. Contentment is an awesome thing....but I have to admit it's not always easy for me, I must be reminded to be content.

Steps to Contentment
by E. B. Pusey, a 19th-century church leader.

1. Allow thyself to complain of nothing, not even of the weather.
2. Never picture thyself under any circumstances in which thou art not.
3. Never compare thine own lot with that of another.
4. Never allow thyself to dwell on the wish that this or that had been, or were, otherwise than it was, or is. God Almighty loves thee better and more wisely than thou dost thyself.
5. Never dwell on the morrow. Remember that it is God's, not thine. The heaviest part of sorrow often is to look forward to it. "The Lord will provide."

Great reminder, I know right?!?

Stay Thankful. Stay Gracious.

Wisdom from Chuck Swindoll.....

10 Things Chuck Swindoll Learned in 50ish Years of Ministry:

1. It’s lonely to lead.
Leadership involves tough decisions. The tougher the decisions, the lonelier it is.
2. It’s dangerous to succeed.
It is dangerous to succeed while being young. rarely, does God give leadership that young because it takes crushing and failure first.
3. It’s hardest at home.
Nobody at home is applauding you. They say, “Dad! You’re fly is open.”
4. It is essential to be real.
If there is one realm where phoniness is personified it is leadership. What I care about is that you stay real.
5. It is painful to obey.
There are rewards, yes, but it is painful nevertheless.
6. Brokenness and failure are necessary.
7. My attitude is more important than my actions.
Some of you are getting hard to be around. And your attitude covers all those great actions you pull off.
8. Integrity eclipses image.
What you are doing is not a show. And the best things you are doing is not up front but what you do behind the scenes.
9. God’s way is better than my way.
God is going to have His way.
10. Christ-likeness begins and ends with humility.

2 Corinthians 4:5-7 tells us that we must be willing to leave the familiar message without disturbing the Biblical message. We get that backwards. This was written in the first century, and now we are in the 21st century. The message stays the same. Don’t miss the message. As you alter the methods, don’t mess with the message.

Traditionalism is the dead faith of those still living. You will defend those things that don’t need defended.

Three Important Observations:

1. With every ministry a special mercy is needed.
2. In every ministry the same things must be renounced and rejected.
That is hiding shameful things, doing deceitful things, and corrupting truthful things. Guard against deception. Guard against deception.
3. Through every ministry a unique style should be pursued.
We don’t preach or promote ourselves (it isn’t about us). We declare Christ Jesus as Lord (it’s all about Him). We see ourselves as bond-servants for Jesus Christ.

Five Statements Worth Remembering During Your Next 50 Years of Leadership:

1. Whatever you do, do more with others and less alone.
It will help you become accountable.
2. Whenever you do it, emphasize quality not quantity.
3. Wherever you go, do it the same as if you were among those who know you the best.
It will keep you from exaggerating. it will help keep your stories true. Your good friend will tell you things that others will not. They will hold you close to truth.
4. Whoever may respond to your ministry, keep a level head.
5. However long you lead, keep on dripping with gratitude and grace.
Stay thankful. Stay gracious.

I made a mistake!

I love humble leaders! This is a great post by a great leader! Enjoy!

I made a mistake!

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Should I stay or should I go?

What a great question to wrestle with! When I first started in ministry, a dear friend said to me, “Make sure this is what you are called to do, because there will be days that your calling is all that you’ve got!” In ministry? Seriously? Okay, okay, all sarcasm put aside, you know what I am talking about. Ministry has it’s “bumps in the road” just like any other profession, but which “bumps in the road” are worth riding over and which ones would cause you to change direction? I’m not talking about the curriculum you are using isn’t meeting your needs, or volunteers aren’t showing up on time, I’m talking about whether you should stay in your position, or leave for another position at another location, are you tracking with me? I know, I know, you have never talked about this out loud, right?

There is a song by the group “The Clash” that says; “If I go there will be trouble, if I stay there will be double.” Leaving any position will cause trouble because change is difficult, but would you be hurting the church and causing more trouble if you were to leave or would you be causing more hurt and pain in your family should you choose to stay? Why do you feel led to consider a change?

Have you been released from your current position because you did what God ordained you to do there? I have a great friend in ministry who considers herself a change agent. She has taken two churches from an unstructured ministry approach to a structured, strategic, vision led, team approach. She has a specific skill set that once her job is accomplished it is no longer her job to do. When she successfully transitioned her last church I thought she would never leave, the ministry was healthy and thriving because of the changes and strategy she implemented. Obviously that was not the case. She is currently taking another church through a similar process and I am in awe of her god-given abilities and her strength to leave a healthy ministry to do it all over again.

Do you find yourself in a similar situation? Have you done what God has called you to do at your current location? If your answer is yes, it’s time to go, if not, see His vision to completion. But, maybe that’s not you. Maybe, just maybe you are considering a job change because you feel like you just don’t fit there anymore. Yes, I said it people, it happens sometimes

There are several reasons it may be “time” to consider a change
1. Integrity is lacking in the leadership around you and above you.
2. Unity has left the building. Can anyone say “silo”
3. Vision is non-existent or irrelevant.
4. Encouragement…what encouragement?
5. You love the people you serve and, well, you have to love the staff.
6. Other staff members joke about “drinking the punch”
7. You don’t want to be there anymore.

If (some) of those statements are resonating with you, you’re not alone, but what should you do with it? The best advice I could give someone is TALK IT OUT with someone close but NOT in the church. Some leaders fear controversy and will use anything as an excuse to not deal with an issue. Don’t let that be you, talk to a friend about how you are feeling.

If the issue(s) can be resolved, stay, if not, it’s time to create an exit strategy. Should you stay? Should you go? Only you can answer those questions based on God’s timing. Take the time to explore wherever the God ordained bump in the road is taking you. Leaders understand that timing is everything.

commitment, conviction, journey

This morning, as I was enjoying a little SportsCenter and a cup of ghetto coffee (made at home, plain black), a commercial for the NCAA winter championships came on.  I listened to it and then backed it up to hear it again. As I listened for a second time I could have sworn that I was listening to a definition of amazing ministry.  

Commitment, conviction and journey were highlighted.  The commercial mentioned frustrating times, bumps in the road, changing direction, etc. You're with me aren't you????  No where did I see or hear, give up, quit, or walk away.  Like I said, ministry!!

The last word they used was difference.  Are we not called to make a difference in this world by making Jesus famous by our commitment to Him?   

Here's what the commercial said; "The bump in the road.....frustrating times...testing our commitment, our resolve.....forcing us to change direction, to charge forward with conviction...blaze a new trail, a journey to the unknown...but it might be where you find...the difference." 

Okay, seriously, read it again.  It does something to you doesn't it? 

are these ever right?

I took the 43 Things Personality Quiz and found out I'm a Spiritual Self-Knowing Extrovert

the end

This past weekend my husband and daughter were out of town at a volleyball tournament. They visited a church and were challenged to think about the past year. My husband loved the message and when he got home decided to pay it forward to the team of salesmen he leads on a daily basis. The response has been amazing! Most of his team members do not attend church on a regular basis, what a great "ice breaker" for my husband to share his passion for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!!

I asked him what the questions were and he handed me the notes from the weekend. What a wonderful man I am married to! I took a little time and answered the questions. I was challenged, maybe you will be too.

Where have you been this year?
What do I want to celebrate about his year?
What do I need to grieve?
What was life-giving and energizing to me?
What was life-draining or deflating to me?
Where have I seen God at work in my life?
Where have I seen evidence of God's care?

Where am I today?
How would I describe my current relationship with God?
What is my body been telling me about my life and pace?
What are people noticing about me?
What is energizing or exciting to me right now?
What obstacles or challenges are in front of me?
What am I saying to myself about them?
How might God's perspective be different than mine?
What do I sense that God wants to say to me today?

Where do I want to go?
Where do I sense that God is calling me to invest my life?
What will my life look like if I follow God in this area?
What are the steps I need to take to move forward?
How do I need to relate differently to others in my community?

Yay for 2009 y'all!!

Not your usual church service

What an amazing day!

Today, as the Lord lead, Pastor Bil followed. It wasn't 3 songs, a message, and pray 'em out. Today it was a moving of the Spirit that left me in awe. Pastor Bil made it interesting by inviting the youth to join service. The youth lined the floor on the front of the stage as well as in the isles. As Bil challenged the big "C" church to believe in the next generation, he invited Jason and Lindsey Gerdes up on stage to thank them and to pray over them. It didn't stop there......

As the students, leaders and Pastor Jason & Lindsey returned to the youth area, they circled them and the prayer continued. It didn't stop there.......

Jason shared from his heart what he wants for each student that passes through the doors of Element Student Church, he wants them to pursue God with all they've got. Not get caught up in doing and saying the right thing, but purely chasing after God. Then Lindsey, through tears, begged each student not to leave that room without knowing Jesus as their Savior. It didn't stop there.....

Nicole and Emmi sat at a table holding hands with tears in their eyes. I saw them from the back of the room and sat down next to them. I asked if they were okay, they nodded but did not speak. I then asked the question, do you know Jesus? They both said no. I asked them if they would like to pray right now to receive the gift of eternal life. They both made the choice to follow Jesus. I told them after we prayed that there were angels rejoicing in Heaven. We all three cried.

The greatest part is, it doesn't stop here.