Linda Rose from Willow Creek and myself fron Lancaster County Bible Church are forming a network of Guest Services/First Impressions Leaders from churches with attendance of 1000 and above. Our mission is to support and pray for each other , share in ideas and concerns we may have and the possability of gathering once or twice a year to brainstorm. If you would like prayerfully consider joining us. We are in the beginning stages of forming this network, Linda has sent out a profile for those responding to our emails so we can get to know each other. If you like contact us> denibrumbach@lcbcmail.com or Linda Rose > lrose@willowcreek.org.

Blessings
Deni

Your best volunteers are probably people who have a lot of good ideas and work in paid positions that far exceed your own (I know mine did). Consult them. Ask them if you have forgotten anything. Chances are, you have. If there is no choice in making the changes, they’ll understand that, but discuss with them one on one where possible (key ones only obviously). If you make every effort to include them and ask for their help in making the changes, they will be even more devoted than before because they’ll feel just that - included.

Leading change involves moving people through stages of awareness.
Stage 1 is Unawareness; people perform poorly because they are unaware not because they don’t care or can’t. Therefore Enlighten them as to what the current situation is and how it is affecting the mission of reaching lost people. This could come through many means, such as video, picture, descriptive stories. In First Impressions we have to remember that after someone has attended a church for some time they lose the ability to see things fresh and as a new person. Get some first time guest who are from your target group and have them give you candid and frank impressions. Let it be their words and not yours – this will help you be a problem solver and not a critic.
Stage 2 is Awareness; now that they are aware you need to Educate them to what the product would look like if we were really meeting that first time guest the way that would be most effective. To do that we Enlighten them through visuals of what “good� looks like. Get them involved in the process of creating the “good�. Give them some form of experience that will help them feel what it is like to be that target person. Then involve them in creating the new look. This might be videos, on-site experiences. Someone has already suggested that you take them to a church to see what it could look like. But don’t neglect letting them experience the bad as well. Be creative and don’t forget that first impressions happen in everyday life as well. This might be an easier teaching tool than just using churches.
State 3 is Embracing; and to get our people to embrace the idea they have to be Equipped to function in the new reality. Take time and model for them what “good� ministry looks like. Here is where many go wrong, we assume they know how to do what we already know. Don’t insult their intelligence but give them the tools to do the work effectively.
Stage 4 is Implementation; this stage requires one of the greatest efforts of a leader and that is to Encourage. Turn yourself into a cheer leader and make it your goal to pick up on everything they do right. When encouraging them be intentional about pointing out how their actions have affected the mission of reaching lost people. Many of our people have been Christians so long they forget how lost people think and what they look at when coming to church.
Stage 5 is Excel; if we do these steps intentionally our teams will excel and reach the goal of creating positive places for lost people to discover Jesus.

Definitely celebrate the good things that are happening. Make it known that you very much appreciate the role of your staff (volunteer or not). As general questions about the changes you see fit to make. I always include my staff (student ministry department) in on the brainstorming process for change from within. I think this is vital to having a healthy team. I came into a pre-existing team of volunteers and they had “always done things this way” when I came on board as the paid youth pastor. One of the things I had to do was build a level of trust first. Once that was happening we started with the smaller things first. I have now been here 5 years and we are undergoing some major changes…some even philosophical or how we approach ministry. Now my team follows where I am trying to lead them.

I STILL include them in the process of figuring out how to change things. honestly sometimes your volunteer staff will have better ideas, or ways of changing things than you do. Take the time. Invest intentionally in their input for change and evaluation. It will not only gain you a good solid base of support but also a great team to work with that gels together. If they don’t feel like their input is important you may run the risk of losing your team.

I’m also a First Impression’s director, I know exactly what you are talking about. Our Church is currently remodeling and I can tell you trying to create atomsphere around wires and dimmed lights is a little difficult.
The key to my success is my lead pastor and his team. If they are on board let say with connection, first impressions then the load is alot easier.
Yes Bill, I agree there are Sundays where I want to scream at miss opportunities or lack luster performance. I just step in………….
The next week we APPLAUSE the good things and rework the bad things. The best thing that I have ever done was invest in Mark Waltz’s book First impressions and go to his conference this summer.
But the biggest investment was believing in my 35-40 volunteers, stand beside them, show my pastor’s vision, and work hard as a TEAM to fix those hiccups along the way.
Bill, it isn’t easy!!!
But making people matter and creating an atomsphere where people can find Jesus is all worth the long hours and worry.

Second, what helps me when I hear of changes that Life makes, I immediately refer back to our mission statement, which they’ve done an incredible job of drilling into our subconscience by constantly refering to it, as well as other statements that relate to it. I think that is critical for any changes made to be presented in light of your mission statement and how they relate to it. But I might want to get some discussion going about your mission statement first so they can take ownership of it first. Then, like a great salesman of sorts, you can work from that frame of reference and say “…because you agree with our mission ______, in which you’ve said ____, ____, etc… we recommend that these are the opportunities we have the privilege to improve on: ____, ____, etc… so that we can accomplish ____, ____, etc., fulfilling our mission and God’s calling on us and our church!!!”

Third, I recently learned something that does not work - I was leading a lifegroup and I sat down with them to really just get their opinions without already having a gameplan in place - there was one in the works but I wanted to hear from the group before I went to my coleader to finalize it. That was a mistake because it caused alot of confusion and misunderstanding. I learned that when God is calling us to do something and the leadership team knows exactly what that was, our responsibility is to be faithful to that call no matter what the resistance or opinions of others may be, while of course being sensitive to their concerns but still firm in our convictions. I know Craig has spoken about this before and the leadership team of Life faces this on a continual basis. I guess I needed a refresher course on the subject and I’m better for it now…

I hope this helps somehow Bill. I don’t have it figured out by any means but this topic is really important to me so I’m enjoying sharing with you what I can. And thanks for asking such a good question and being willing to receive the feedback - I know the Lord will bless you and countless others as you continue to do that…

Zane Hatch,
Host Team Leader,
Northwest Oklahoma City Campus

If you want someone to take ownership, they have to be involved in the process and be clear about what your vision is, not just the vision toward the change, but where you want to end up in a couple of years. May God bless your endeavour.

I am going to give my husband the credit on this one although I do it because he taught me this. He’s been in a leadership and consulting role in business for 18 years. My husband is a very humble guy. I tell you this because what he does, he doesn’t receive any credit for his ideas. You have to be willing to set that aside.

1) He decides what the goals/vision/changes, etc. are going to be in advance.
2) He starts a series of meetings with groups of people involved. He asks/directs specific questions to the team which are set on a track to lead them to the vision that he has already decided on
3) He confirms what he heard them say (which 95% of the time already aligns with what he has concluded) and then says, let me go and put this together and we will meet again
4) He meets again and reveals to them the plan

Usually he gets 100% team buy-in and ownership because they were all in on the talks. He knows where they need to go, but human nature doesn’t necessarily like to be told.

I am sure that he would be happy to talk to you.

2. Avoid the following formula as often as possible.

Staff holding all the power Staff having an idea = try to convince non-paid staff of your idea.

Sometimes this is done by calling the idea “vision”.

Good churches have leaders that cast vision.
Great churches have leaders who create environments for people to cast the visions God is leading them too.

4. if you want someone to be more aware of impressions that they make, send them individually (or with their own family) to 4 churches over 4 weeks. Send them to the Episcopal church down the street. Send them to the Disciples church, and send them to and a local Black Baptist Church. Then one of your choice. Then meet with them and have them share their experiences. They will come back with an understanding of impressions better than you can communicate.

I recently came into a position as Worship Director of a larger church where the worship team and staff was all-volunteer with a long heritage of doing things a certain way … so, I can understand your dilemma.

A couple of real quick thoughts:
1 - before you communicate with them, get your vision clear … write it down, draw it out, rehearse it .. make it your own, and know that you can communicate it clearly.
2 - CELEBRATE the good that they are doing before bringing in the change.
3 - if AT ALL POSSIBLE, expose your volunteers to some places where they are “doing it” the way you’d like to see …. maybe a trip to visit a certain church, or a conference, or a book together … but a way to build trust, respect, and community .. yet, cast vision at the same time.
4 - be ready to LISTEN.

Simple sounding I’m sure … but I’ve found this to be helpful for me so far!

For the Kingdom,
Fred

What I would do (and what I have appreciated in the past) is have a discussion with the different teams about what they are doing well, and then lead into what isn’t working so well. If something isn’t working, the people involved can generally tell that it is not working well and probably have suggestions for improvement. When you are having the discussion, you can introdudce your ideas. Chances are that most of the people, because they have been involved into the discussion, will buy into the changes that you suggest simply because they feel as if they are part of the process.

I’ve gone through this process many times, and I generally find myself buying into someone’s idea much more easily when I have the sense that I have been a part of the discussion.