Mark Waltz | ...because People Matter

Guest Services Best Practices #22: Everyone Can Greet

At first the notion that everyone can greet flies in the face of what I train and coach – with our own people and leaders of other churches. A warm body, even a warm smiling body, just isn’t enough. There’s a unique wiring that people-people, wow-makers possess. Make no compromises.

However, here’s what’s true. The only people greeting guests should not be limited to your greeters or other guest services team members. Your guests may see the occasional “official” nametag on an usher or hospitality host or greeter, however, those volunteers and staff aren’t the only people your guests will see – or interact with.

Nor do they care if someone is wearing a label or not. A warm, inclusive, accepting greeting is a warm, inclusive, accepting greeting regardless who’s doing the greeting.

Consider Ruth Saratore from Granger Community.

I attended Ruth’s funeral on Monday of this week. She was 88 years old. Always sat on the second row, left side of the center aisle, every Sunday. Ruth wasn’t one of those people who felt she owned that seat. In fact, she was constantly inviting people to sit with her.

Matt spoke at Ruth’s funeral. His story? Five years ago he entered Granger Community for the first time. Alone, tentative, looking for a seat. He made it down front early one Sunday and heard the sweetest sound. It was Ruth. “Are you alone young man? Sit right here with me.” No, Ruth wasn’t hitting on him. She was in her eighties. He was barely 30. At the end of the service, she told him, “I’ll be here next week. I hope you come back. I’ll be saving a seat for you.”

That was enough for Matt. Granger was his home. His church.

Several more people revealed the same “sit with me”  story. Stories that continued beyond the weekend service. Phone calls. Visits. Ruth extending herself to serve and love others.

She never wore a nametag. She wasn’t a greeter (although she could have been). She didn’t volunteer at guest relations.

But she greeted. Warmly, inclusively, and unconditionally accepting.

Guests don’t really care who warmly receives them. You don’t need a label or a tag. They don’t really care.

What’s your church culture like? What culture are you creating?

Everyone can greet.

What’s your story of an authentic, caring culture?

Wired. Churches. Granger.

Get Here.

• take the bus
• hop a plane
• drive your car
• start walking now

Bring Someone With You.

• your pastor
• your spouse
• your neighbor
• the bus driver
• your Starbucks' barista

Pack Some Stuff.

• your Bible
• a pen
• another pen for the bus driver
• a couple layers of clothes - it's Indiana
  
• a little cash for the cafe

Expect.

• exuberant worship
• practical tools
• engaging teaching
• less clutter, less noise
• new ministry networks

Register.

• now
• online
• here

Starbucks. Church. What if?

Several people have passed this video on to me. Maybe you've already seen it, too. Then again, maybe you haven't. At any rate it's Christmas, and I feel like sharing. Enjoy!

Volunteering... as Staff

Twenty years ago I worked in human relations in a non-profit agency for six years. During those tenures I volunteered in local church ministry. I led students, taught classes, and chaperoned youth events. Then I spent half a dozen years on a church staff as a youth pastor. From 1997 to 2000 I worked in the marketplace in retail management. Those years were fulfilling years, but they also reminded me of the tremendous contribution our volunteers make.

For the past nine years I've served on the senior management team at Granger as pastor of connections. My entire week is given to serving the church's mission to reach and disciple. I've empowered volunteers. I've trained volunteers. I've celebrated volunteers. Volunteers who give time, energy, and talent for the cause of Christ.

So, a couple weekends ago I strapped a radio to my belt, slipped a headset on and served in the volunteer role of "point person" for our weekend services. I volunteered.

Our point persons run command central for the weekend. They are the communication hub for coordinating needs and requests from children's ministry, ushers, greeters, traffic team and more. They fulfill an enormously responsible role every weekend... as volunteers.

Here are some observations about my volunteer weekend:

• I walked miles around the church campus. I went home Saturday night with a blister on my left heel. Band-aid on Sunday.
• I handled more radio calls than a Bell operator on a party line in 1957 (I have no idea what that means. I just know the radio on my belt kept the headset chirping with activity.).
• People will let you know what you're supposed to do if you don't.
• Timing matters.
• Prompt timing matters.
• People will let you know what you're supposed to do if your timing isn't prompt.
• I touched more volunteers and staff than I ever do when I'm merely roaming hallways and being "present."
• Our volunteers are phenomenal. They give and give and give. And smile all the while.
• People really do create the "wow."
• When volunteers are empowered, they will lead, sacrifice, serve, and make a profound difference with their lives.
• It was a ton of fun!

I will "volunteer" again in the role of "point person." I'll wear different shoes, but I will volunteer again.

Suggestions and Feedback

Recently I received an email from a church who's considering placing a "Suggestion Box" in their lobby for their people to place ideas. They're hoping that while anyone could use the box, that they'll also hear from new people. Great question!

Here was my email response. Thought I'd share it here...

• You might consider not using the word “Suggestion” on the box.
  • The suggestion box says “we want your ideas.” People will likely infer that if you want ideas, you’ll act on them. Of course that won’t always be the case.
  • You’ll get suggestions about how the pastor ought to preach differently. About the choir. About the music in general. About the volume being too loud or too soft. About the temperature being too warm or too cool. About Sunday School classes and teachers. About children …and on and on and on.
  • Again – if you label the box “suggestions” but don’t act on them, people will cease to use the box and be miffed that their idea wasn’t used or even listened to.
  • If you call it a suggestion box, how do you intend to respond to the requests you’ll receive? You probably have a plan. I’d just make sure you’ve anticipated the kinds of suggestions above, so that your box doesn’t promise something you won’t or can’t deliver on.
    • For instance, will you put space on the card for name and contact info so you can follow-up? This would allow you to cast vision, responding with reasons why you’re not making changes on a particular suggestion or to share the kind of change you’re making because of their thoughtful idea.
    • If you intend to take action based on the number of people who suggest a certain change – like “The drums are too loud. Get rid of them” – then you’ll actually set up a new voting mechanism where votes are being cast every weekend. Then you’ll cease to operate out of clear mission and vision and determined values, and instead you’ll “do church” on the whim of people who may not understand your calling at all.
• What if you called it a “Feedback” box?
  • In my opinion “feedback” may be acted on – or it may not. It’s feedback. Feedback is always helpful, even when people don’t understand the values, vision or mission. Feedback allows you to…
    • Shape messages and vision-casting because you see over time that people are missing the core values and vision of your church.
    • Respond with gratitude for feedback because now you understand how people are feeling and perceiving what you’re doing.
    • Make changes to better practice your values and better live out your mission.
    • Empower people to be part of making who you are better – as one people with one mission.
• In terms of the card itself, I’d include:
  • Space for name, contact info and best way to contact. Some will opt to not complete this section, but for those who do you can do direct follow-up if that seems helpful.
  • Keep the questions open-ended without getting too detailed. This allows people to respond with what “struck them” or what’s important to them. Here are some ideas…
    • “Tell us about your experience”
    • “I would/will invite a friend to come with me.”
    • “Today I felt… “
    • “Please pray for…”
  • I’d keep it simple and short.
• I’m watching a number of churches get feedback in follow-up letters.
  • Include a postage-paid card with a welcome letter, asking new people to complete it and return it.
  • Use similar statements like those above.
• At Granger we place two questions on our bulletin/program and keep the invitation for feedback in front of every person every weekend.
  • On a tear-off stub people are given space to “tell us about your experience” and “please pray for me…”
  • Most people use this space to request prayer support, but every week we receive feedback about guest services, the weekend service, the preaching and more.
• Finally, as I mentioned when I started this list, determine a plan for how you’ll respond before you put your plan in place. Decide what weight you will give to what comments.
  • While every person matters, my experience is that churched people can have very specific and pointed opinions about subjective issues such as music, volume, styles of preaching, and convenience. These folks often haven’t figured out yet that church isn’t necessarily about them. It is – in that they matter, we want them to grow, we want them to serve and live with kingdom responsibility and joy.
  • You won’t please everyone. You can’t. Jesus didn’t. Stop trying.
  • Decide what environment, what experience you’re hoping to create and facilitate that will help people “get it”; that will help people see and experience Jesus. When you get ideas that help you accomplish that better, particularly with your hardest to reach audience of those who don’t know Jesus yet – take those ideas and run!
  • Let all the others help you recast vision and feel no requirement to do anything else with it.

What are you doing at your church to allow people to help you stay true to your mission, vision and values?

Psyched about WiredChurches and INNOVATE '08

It starts tomorrow morning. Shelley Arredondo and I get to spend the day with a room full of people who drove, flew, and got up early to explore the whys and hows of making their churches more welcoming to guests who are seeking Jesus. This workshop invigorates me: I always meet people who inspire me with better ideas than I've had. I'm always encouraged by the bold steps leaders and pastors are willing to take for the sake of people who matter and for the honor of the God who created them.

Then, Thursday and Friday mark red-letter days on my calendar. The INNOVATE conference will bring 800 plus pastors and church leaders - paid and unpaid - from across the continent to our campus in little Michiana. The purpose is not to create a bunch of GCCites. It's not to re-make churches into who and what we are. We are who and what we are because of a unique call on our church, a unique leader and his team, a unique collection of God-SHAPEd people, and a unique demographic surrounding our church region. Another church cannot possilby be GCC.

Innovation is about tapping the original and reinventing the familiar. Innovation is about creating, but it's more than being creative. Innovation is about bringing 100% of who we are to the Kingdom table and expecting God to do something crazy explosive with it, well beyond our meager 100%. Innovation is about team, risk, thinking, rethinking, getting practical and moving. Innovation is about connecting real life with a real God in real time.

It's going to be a radical few days of inspiration, connections, and kingdom-building.

See you there.

Overheard...

It's a typical evaluation. We ask the same questions after every WiredChurches workshop. But it's the one response I'd never seen on an evaluation about a workshop I'd led or co-led. It appeared on the responses from this past Friday's First Impressions workshop:

The question: If I could make only one change to this workshop to improve it, it would be to:
The response: Most everything!

There were plenty of other encouraging comments (although encouraging me wasn't the point), but as you can see, this one stood out to me.

Then I remembered these words  from my friend, Mark Beeson.

By the way, Mr or Ms "Most Everything," if you're out there, I'd love to know what the one thing was that actually worked for you. I really want to keep that!

I Can't Read My Own Book... Can You?

I came home after a fun weekend away with my family to a package from my publisher. It wasn't my second book, I'm still working on it. It was a copy of my first book, First Impressions: Creating Wow Experiences in Your Church - except I couldn't read it.

It's printed in Korean! Who knew? I'm still playing phone tag with Group Publishing to learn how this came about. Crazy wild. Who knew this concept of creating space and atmosphere that communicates that people matter to God could transcend cross-cultural lines?

Maybe people are just people who need to know their Creator loves them and wants them in on his kingdom.

There's Hospitality in Houston!

I'm in Richmond, TX just southwest of Houston, and the team at River Pointe Church know how to impress! I just arrived tonight - Friday, the 15th - to lead a workshop about First Impressions at the church tomorrow.

I've known through my assistant, Julie (who so helps me stay organized so I lead better), that this staff team is conscientious and caring. When I spoke with their Front Porch Ministries Director, Margie Davis, today that was all confirmed again.

Then, before I got away from the airport, I got this fun phone call from my wife who couldn't believe what this team had done for her. To acknowledge that I was away from home and family on this trip, the church team sent my wife a gorgeous floral "thank you!" I'm thinking, "who are these people?!" Incredible. Here's a picture of the bouquet (yes, the pic was taken with a cell phone...). I'm impressed (and isn't my wife beautiful?)!

As I followed my voice-directing GPS to the final right turn to my hotel, I discovered they had put me up at a very nice Marriott smack in the middle of the high-end shopping area, City Walk in Sugar Land. Yes, Sugar Land. Gotta love it. And, yes, I was impressed.

And, then, if that wasn't enough, a basket of goodies and gifts welcomed me to my room. The accompanying card confirmed again that this team gets first impressions... and they get that first impressions means care.

Why am I here? I'm not sure they need me or my message.

But, I'm thrilled to be here. Tomorrow's going to be a great day with over 130 new friends from churches in the surrounding area... All of whom will learn why first impressions matter from a church called River Pointe just outside of Houston, where hospitality reigns!

A New Day at the Local BMV

Shocked. Amazed. Mystified.

I needed to transfer registration and plates from a former vehicle to a new vehicle. It had to be done. I had time out of the office during the holidays, so I had time to go. Stand in line. Read. Wait. Wait some more. I knew the story. The only way to trim a few minutes off the ludicrous wait was to to get there well before the branch office opened to be toward the front of the line of people who would be working the same plan. It was the same ridiculous story every time I'd been there.

Until today.

Refusing to disturb my holiday sleeping in pattern, I waited 'til I couldn't wait any longer (just a couple days ago). I went online to find the branch hours to plan which early morning I'd stand in line. I was pleasantly surprised to find this...

Really? An appointment? At the BMV? With scoffing skepticism I followed the online process to schedule my Thursday, January 10, 2008, 8:30 a.m. appointment time.

I arrived at 8:25 a.m. this morning and waited the obligatory 5 minutes for the staff to open the branch. Promptly at 8:30 a.m. I was called out of the line because I had ... an appointment. I walked into a professional, up-to-date decor, friendly, competent staff. Amazing.

And, then, are you ready for this?

11 minutes later I walked out of the Indiana BMV. Done. Finished.

Way to go government of Indiana! It's a new day at the local BMV in my neighborhood.

Leading a church or a team in your church? Forgive the harshness to the BMV, but really, if the local BMV can make this kind of philosophical and practical shift in their guest services, what can you do in your local church?

Mobile Guest Services Desk?

This past September we enjoyed a fun, but disheartening loss, taking in a Seattle Mariners game with some long-time friends. As we left the game, we encountered this mobile information center - aka - Segway in a box. Is that cool or what?

So, I'm wondering... what would one or more of these mobile units do to help us engage guests and provide a WOW experience at Granger Community Church... or your home church?

Anyone already doing this?

Kill the Guest Services Desk?

I'm all about signage, so guests can effortlessly find their way around an unfamiliar space - like church. I've even been keen on a Guest Services Center or Information Center, allowing guests to easily identify the staff or volunteers who can answer questions, provide information or assist with registration.

However, I came across an interesting article on the site, Building Better Restaurants about getting rid of the hostess desk in restaurants. The Top Ten reasons there are intriguing. Read the list here - then tell me what you think:

• Does the typical guest services center in a church "hide" guest relations people behind the counter?

• Does the desk inhibit interaction with guests?

Really, read the Top Ten here by Jeffrey Summers - then tell me what you think as it relates to the guest services center in the local church.

INNOVATE: A Volunteer's Perspective

After our INNOVATE conference one of our volunteer leaders copied me in on an email he had sent to some other friends at Granger - several of whom weren't necessarily involved in guest services at all.

Check this out. Here's the email:

I have been very blessed to spend the past three days at Innovate and
Wired Churches. About 1,000 people filled our facility to share,
learn and dream bigger dreams. If you want to find out what some of
our visitors thought, go to Tim Steven's blog - www.leadingsmart.com 
Tim has links to several bloggers that were at Innovate and have
already posted a lot of their take on the conference. Just look for
his post about Many Bloggers at Innovate.

You can find plenty of post conference details in the blogosphere, but
I want to share a few observations with you:

1. There are people all across this country that are inspired by God
to reach the community surrounding them. They are passionate about
mission and they are committed to engaging people right where they
are. We are far from alone in this venture.

2. It is a privilege to serve with so many great people. Some of this
team and many others were there volunteering time and effort to insure
that our visitors felt welcome and enjoyed their total experience
here. Plus we had opportunities during down time to spend a little
more time just getting to know each other.

3. You make a difference. Over and over I heard visitors express
their amazement at the dedication and spirit of our First Impressions Team.
Many have been to GCC for weekend services too and they were quick to
affirm for others that the experience at Innovate is much like our
weekends. One of the vendors at the conference told me as we wrapped
up that the volunteers at GCC is an incredible group. He travels to
conferences and church events all over, but rarely does he see so many
people like you that treat visitors so well without sacrificing any
love and respect that we show for each other.

4. People committed to a life in the paid ministry experience great
moments.

Many were eager to share the great things going on in their ministries
during the breaks as we visited with them. Many also experience heavy
burdens. One of our volunteers spent some time with a visitor that
seemed to isolate herself in the back of the auditorium. Her job
requires so much time during the weekend that she only gets to
experience worship 3 or 4 times a year at her home church. She just
wanted the chance here to soak in some of the conference and rest from
all the burdens back home.

If you ever have an interest in helping with the Wired Churches
ministry, you can contact Lindsay Wasik at the church. It's a
fantastic experience

Keep making a difference! God loves you and so do I.

Steve

Steve gets it. He understands our vision. He knows it's not about him. And while he's serving he's modeling. He's casting vision in this email. You can cast vision any time, any place. Steve did.

I'm so grateful to serve with Steve and hundreds of others just like him.

Can you feel it? People matter.

Money and Guests - What's Your Practice

Earlier this month I posted about Money, Church and the Offering, explaining how we approach the offering in our weekend services.

Mark Holeman posted a comment, asking if any churches have experienced transitions in how the offering is received. Here's his question:

I do have a question. Have you ever changed how you receive the offering? About 5 years ago we went from collecing an offering durring the service to providing a box for dropping offerings after service. When we changed we had a 15% increase in offerings. But, due to local economic issues and "other reasons" our offerings have been stagnate. So, we are considering moving back to "pass the plate."

I'm curious if you or any of your blog readers have any experience with changing practices.

So, on Mark's behalf, I'm wondering if any readers can address Mark's question...

Southern Methodists Who Believe People Matter

My friend, Tim Stevens, and I are sitting in an airport to fly back home after spending the past couple days with about 90 United Methodists pastors and church leaders from the southern Georgia conference. The 2 days of training were attended by a diverse number of churches. New church plants who are going gang-busters and century-old, traditional congregations were represented. And across the room there was a refreshing interest in taking next steps to better reach people with the great news of God's love and his invitation to Christ's agenda to restore the world to his designed intention.

Thanks to this group for the encouragement, the questions and the ongoing commitment to faithfully prioritize our efforts to rethink church for the sake of those who so badly need to know they matter.

They just do.

Can We Just Go Home?

So, last week while enjoying some ice cream with some friends in the Seattle area, this real-life scenario went down...

We went to DQ for ice cream around 8:30. As we approached the restaurant we noticed the exterior signage was not illuminated, however, lights were on inside. It looked like somebody was home. The posted hours stated 9:30 closing time, so we wandered in.

Our friends' young boy needed to use the restroom. So, in spite of the yellow "wet floor" sign that had been transformed into a "restroom closed" sign, I encouraged him to go ahead. When the second person from our party decided to use the facilities, one of the high-school-age employees called out, "Um, the restrooms are actually closed."

Nah. She had to be kidding. I walked over to her. "Really. You're still open for nearly another whole hour. Surely the restrooms aren't closed."

"Yes, they're closed. People shouldn't be in there because of the chemicals we use," she claimed.

I smiled and suggested, "Come on, be honest. You just want to go home at 9:30 when the store closes, right?"

She insisted that, no, they clean the restrooms at this time every night.

As we sat and ate our ice cream (much to their dismay, I'm sure), we noticed the blatant move this customer service team had taken to protect their effort to get out of the restaurant as soon as guests were gone. Check this out below:

Yep. They had positioned these high chairs to block the passageway to the restroom.

Amazing. And sad.

Unfortunately, volunteers and staff members in churches send the same message to guests, albeit with much more subtlety. When we check our watches, ask if we can leave (because most of the guests are gone), wear our tiredness openly... we say, "Are we done yet? Is this over?" And our guests draw their own conclusions about our value of them compared to whatever might be happening for us elsewhere.

People matter. At Dairy Queen (or not) and in our churches.

Back Home from the Great Northwest

Our trip to the Seattle / Tacoma area was a full week of unusual sunshine (the first half of the week), reunions with long-time friends, great sights and engaging consulting and training with Rainier View Christian Church. Here are some quick pictorial highlights of our trip.

Laura and Liv outside the famed Pike's Place Market. Yep, we saw the flying fish!

Outside the original Starbucks near the Market. Starbucks is everywhere in Seattle. God is good.

The view from the 1962 World's Fair Space Needle is awe-inspiring...

Mt. Baker to the north of Seattle from atop the Space Needle.

Elliot Bay from the Space Needle.

We were invited to a Mariner's game by our friends and hosts. What a blast at Safeco Field!

The water, the mountains, the green trees. People live there for good reason.

Okay, I've made you scroll more than you're supposed to in blog world. That's enough pics for this post. To our friends in Seattle and Tacoma - thanks for such a great week!

To our friends at Rainier View - we're praying with you as you continue to reach out to people in your communities with the love of Christ.

Money, Church and the Offering

Dean recently asked about the way we handle offerings in our weekend services. Here's a previous post he'd read and referenced:

Because our weekend services are designed to communicate with clarity to people who have little to no church background, I'm often asked:

What about the offering? How do you receive it considering those in the room who are new to church?

This is a great question. Our mission is about "helping people take their next step toward Christ... together.". That's their next step. And it's a step. Often people new to church or new to church again, have had to climb over a significant barrier: "All the church wants is my money." It's a great step that they've gotten to a church service. Their next step may be coming back next week - not giving an offering!

I'd provided a link to watch the service - which you can do any time (you'll see the most recent service any day of the week) at GCCwired.com. Just follow the link to view the service. In the event you can't access the link or don't have time, here's the basic communication we provide most weekends.

We want to give you an opportunity to give now as we receive the offering. All over this room there are people who have decided to give their tithe and offerings from their own resources today. Many of us are committed to the on-going work of this church to reach people in our community and around the world - from Granger to downtown South Bend to southern India. We want them to know how much they matter to God.

Now, if you're new here today, please keep your wallet in your pocket or purse; we didn't invite you here to get your money. We simply wanted you to hear that you matter. So, as the ushers come, please drop your comment card in the bag provided and we'll all enjoy (this song or media) together.

The wording may vary a bit week to week, depending on teaching about the offering from the message theme and who the speaking pastor/host is, but our communication generally follows this gist. Again, the point is to invite people who have chosen to give to do so generously, without pressing those who are new guests.

Thanks for the question, Dean.

What do others of you do in your church to make sure the offering isn't a distraction or stumbling point for your new guests?

Headed to the Great Northwest

I'm getting very excited. I'm headed back to the great Northwest in just 10 days or so. My family and I spent six life-changing years there serving with a team at Rainier View Christian Church (Tacoma, WA). Some of our best friends are still there; it'll be rich to reconnect with them. My wife and our daughter, Olivia, are making the trip with me which adds a fun dynamic to the trip! Olivia was born there in '93. It's going to be fun to show her around a part of the country she remembers little about.

In addition to the fun of seeing some old friends (they're not that old, we just go way back... I'm old), Rainier View Christian Church is hosting me for a one-day seminar on September 15. If you're in the Seattle/Tacoma area, I'd love to meet up with you there for the day. Registration is only $15! And that includes lunch! Rainier View and the Christian Evangelical Association is underwriting this whole thing - so get in on a great rate. Pull your team together at the last minute and get to Rainier View on the 15th! Yeah, next Saturday! 15 bucks. Good grief. Get yourself there. (More info and registration here)

I'm ready. It's going to be a great experience!

EXP07 - The Worship Experience Starts in the Parking Lot

I'm in North Carolina at West Cabarrus Church just outside of Charlotte for EXP07. The EXP07 conference is a collaborative effort of the NC Southern Baptist Convention, the SC Southern Baptist Convention and the Innovative Church Community of NC. This team is full of vision to impactfully resource churches in this region. The goal is not to introduce or push any particular style of worship, music or ministry. Rather the goal is to help us look honestly at the culture in which we live, the DNA of each local church and the principles that will best help us connect the timeless message of Jesus with people who matter so much to him. The weekend church experience begins in the parking lot... and follows through to the parking lot as people exit the church campus.

I am privileged to share the presenting with Jamie Harvill and Jane Creswell.

• Jamie was a key player with Integrity Music for a number of years, and now leads his own independent publishing company near Nashville, TN.
• Jane spent 17 years with IBM and founded the IBM Coaches Network. She describes excellent leaders as "those who embody deep personal humility and fierce resolve, influencing success which is felt long after they move on". Her life work is to strengthen organizations and individuals from within.

The goal of this conference is to model a fully integrated weekend experience that can be applied to the local church. After Jamie and I teach/train about the integration of worship and first impressions, Jane will help groups and individuals with "in the moment" coaching to plan and take specific steps based on the session learning. It's a model of training that I'm eager to watch and learn from.

It's great to be in a "git-er-done" - or as one native put it today, "git-er-did" - culture.