I
truly enjoyed reading this book. It's accessible, it's fun, and it keeps sparking
one's imagination. I
truly enjoyed reading this book. It's accessible, it's fun, and it keeps sparking
one's imagination.
The message is something we all know - first impressions are important. It's the way the writer, Mark Waltz, applies it to the church that is so appealing. He is the "Pastor of Connections" for a large congregation in Granger, Indiana. He came to that position out of a career in retail marketing, and his job is simple-to make everyone who attends his church have a "Wow, isn't this great!" experience within the first ten minutes.
What I really liked was his ability - even though he is talking out of experience in a large congregation - to spark my imagination on almost every page about what could happen in the regular-sized Canadian congregation I attend.
Your competition, he asserts, is not the congregation down the street, but "any business, service, or experience your guests have encountered in the past few weeks." It is that level of service they will measure your church against. Do your washrooms sparkle? Are you welcomed with a smile by a person who is sensitive as to whether you need more information? Is there coffee available as people arrive? Are there clear signs pointing to areas of the building?
One thing he is clear about, the importance of staff and lay leadership team have "agreement and consensus and alignment on the mission, vision, and values" of the congregation. Having a clear focus on who you are trying to reach and the type of spiritual support you are best at giving is crucial.
This book is very accessible. You can read every word in three hours. I did. If you are really serious about providing a real welcome for people who are church-shopping in your congregation, you'll read it again and again.
Mark L. Waltz, First Impressions: Creating Wow Experience in Your Church. Loveland, CO: Group Publishing, 2005. $24.99 CDN. Review by Clair Woodbury.
Congregational News August 2005 Vol. 11 No. 5