Taking Greeting for Granted

This week I decided that no one is more important in a local church than the "greeter" - you know, the person who goes out of her way to make sure you feel at home when you enter a church.

Good greeting is so much more than just saying "hello" or sticking out your hand for a quick shake - there is enormous opportunity at stake when a person (especially a visitor) enters your church for the first time. Since first impressions are so critical to how a person views another person, product, or organization, we should be spending some time figuring out how to maximize the role of the greeter in the local church.

I recently attended a conference on church finances led by Nelson Searcy of The Journey Church of New York. I learned a lot about money and churches that I will write about in future blogs, but I left with some CDs about the processes of assimilation used by that church. Some of the info was old news to me, but I was surprised to learn how defined the goals of their greeters were. I think I knew what I heard on the CDs already, but the succinct-ness of the way Nelson spelled out the task of greeting made perfect senses to me. So like any other good process I learn from another church - I stole it straight out.

Here it is (feel free to steal from me)...

Greeters at Four Corners Community Church now have 4 specific goals in mind for every person that walks in the door. They make sure that every person is:

1. Greeted - say "hello" and "we're glad you're here"

2. Directed - be certain the person knows how to find the areas they need be (bathrooms, childrens, the auditorium, etc.)

3. Treated - let them know we have free food and drinks available and where to find them

4. Seated - walk people to their seats (especially if you have a full room like we do at Four Corners)

Rocket science? No, not at all. But it does take some effort. I see the process above no different than the way I treat a guest in my home - when was the last time someone came in your home, you met them at the door, shook their hand, and sent them off into your home and never spoke to them again? I am amazed at how often churches are bad hosts.

So, I am committed to making sure Four Corners never gets this wrong. I want to treat our guest like we would treat them if they came over to our houses for dinner - like we are actually glad they came.

We already do a pretty good job in this area, but there is room for improvement - so we are going to make "greeted, directed, treated, and seated" the mantra of our greeting team.

As a good friend of mine used to say, "Onward and Upward" Four Corners!

Can a church get the Flu?

So...I've Had the flu for a week now - no idea where I got it. Man, has it really screwed-up my productivity!

I wish I'd gotten the flu shot.

I was talking with my mom a couple of days ago and she suggested that maybe I should see the flu as a blessing because it is forcing me to slow down (insinuating that maybe my life is moving at too fast a pace - I'm working too hard). Could be...I doubt it. But that's why we love our mom's isn't it...they alway see more in us than is really there.

The reality is I probably got the virus from germs off of someone's hand I shook at Four Corners.

Nevertheless, in one of my high fever moments, I pondered how a "virus" might affect a church. What happens when an otherwise healthy and active congregation slows down for a period of time? If the easy-to-track indicators of health (attendence and offering) stagnate, is that an indication of a virus at work? Still more, what are the indicators of a healthy church?

At Four Corners we focus on 4 things. We believe that when these four things are happening at large within our congregation, then we are healthy...

1. INVEST and INVITE. We believe that the local church is one of the primary tools God uses in the world. So we build meaningful relationship with our neighbors, co-workers, and family...and we invite them to be part of something that is very important to us - CHURCH.

2. LIVE GENEROUSLY. We know that our calandars and our checkbooks are the best indicators of what we value in life. We make sure that we regularly give time and money to help build the local church, and through it the Kingdom of God.

3. HAVE A FRIEND, BE A FRIEND. We know that poeple desire community and that the people we hang around have an affect on us. So we regularly make time for friends who encourage us in our relationship with Jesus.

4. TAKE MY NEXT BOLD STEP. We believe nothing is more important than a person's relationship with Jesus, and like any relationship it takes efforts to keep it thriving. So we actively look for ways to take our next bold step with Jesus.

When these four things saturate a congregation, then attendence numbers and offering grow - like a good virus. Attendence and money are important to a church because the larger those numbers, the larger the impact a local church can have on its community (thus, the greater impact God's Kingdom has in a community).

For the first time in 3 years, Four Corners is not on an obvious growth curve in terms of people or money. So let the evaluation begin...

I can think of scores of testimonials from people who are actively TAKING THEIR NEXT BOLD STEP with JESUS. We have more positive feedback in the spiritual growth area right now than we have ever had. I give us an "A-" (there is still room for more).

Also, Life Groups (led by Ryan Hartsock) are at an all time high. People are HAVING A FRIEND and BEING A FRIEND more than ever before in our congregation. I give us a "B+" (up from a D- just 6 months ago).

As far as LIVE GENEROUSLY...it's split. In terms of the percentage of people in our congregation who volunteer in the local church at least once per month, we are healthy - a "B" (above average).

In terms of the percentage of people who are being generous with their finances I give us a "D+" (below average). I don't think this is a reflection of their desire to be more generous with the money, I think it is a reflection of our debt consumed society (i.e., I think a lot of people are living beyond their means).

For INVEST and INVITE I give us a "F." Some people hit homeruns with this all the time, but most have never even attempted it. I think they are mostly afraid of rejection - or they just don't know how. This is the area where the leadership of the church can help our people the most right now. Creating opportunities for people to see how this process can work.

Are we at the peak of health right now? No. Are we sick? No, but I think the virus is among us. In the next few weeks we need to wash our hands, take our vitamins, and drink lots of water. Maybe even go ahead and get that shot. There are too many good things God wants to do through us right now for us to be laid up with the flu.

Bible Vomiting

I went to a memorial service this morning for Gaile Reider, known to me as the mother of Andy Reider the worship leader at Four Corners Community Church (where I serve as exectuive pastor). The service was unique. Gaile loved worship music, and many of her children are involved in leading, producing, and creating music - true, living monuments to her legacy. What was special about the event was that her children were leading the worship at the service. I am not sure how they were able to do it without falling apart - but the service was perfect and they all accomplished what they came to do.

Like usually happens at events like this one, the first few moments I considered my own mortality...selfish I know, but in a highly emotional time it's hard to think straight. After my own self-pitty party, I found myself very much immersed in the moment, feeling real empathy for the family - and especially Andy. I wish he still had his mom here with him.

This is the sixth funeral I have been to in about 2 years, about 1000% more than the number of funerals I have attended over the previous decade, and I have noticed one thing constant at each one...whenever someone (be it the pastor or a well-wisher) quotes Bible verse about being together with our loved ones one day it really does soothe the soul.

Granted, I hate (okay, not "hate" - but you know what I mean) Bible vomiters...people who always have a Bible verse for every situation. In fact, in the era of sarcastic humor in which we live, one of my favorite "jokes" is to be the first one to come up with a Bible verse for every situation (part of the fun of being on a young church staff). But as I sat there today and heard Dave Workman quote just a few Bible verses that talk about how God is our comfort and how followers of Jesus will be united with Gaile one day, I found myself realizing what I have known before - words spoken from the Bible can be powerful, cutting directly through to the heart.

Tomorrow, for our Sunday morning service, the programming team and I have place a worship song (Word of God Speak) just after the message by Ben Hodges - and in the middle of the song there will be a place for the reading of Psalms 139. I am really looking forward to experiece, and hope that everyone attending experiences the power in those words.