Most churches have some kind of First Impressions team. You may not call it first impressions, you may call it guest services or greeting, but most churches have some type of team or process for greeting people when they enter the building on a Sunday morning.
I don’t know if I’ve ever come across a church that does first impressions perfectly. Usually, churches tend to focus on one angle or another and miss one or the other. The church may focus on cleanliness of facilities and miss friendliness. They may focus on friendliness and miss the ability to really serve people and play a part in the Sunday morning experience.
First Impressions, though, covers a large part of that Sunday morning experience. From the way the parking lot looks to the greeters that stand in it, to the umbrella team or first time guest tent, to the information desk or the welcome desk, it all plays a part in how people perceive our church when they enter.
So, what can we do as leaders and staff at our church to help the first impressions shine? We can ask a few pointed questions and follow it up with some honest answers. Maybe you could even allow your team to walk through these.
Do people know where to go?
There may be no worse feeling than walking into somewhere you’re unfamiliar with and slightly intimidated by and having no clue where to go. The sad part is, each week so many churches leave guests in the dark about where to find their children’s ministry, where the restrooms are, or even where the auditorium is.
I’ve learned this lesson many times, but none more than at the hospital. When we walk into the hospital having never been there before, it’s so overwhelming and confusing. Without directional signage from the parking lot entrance on, we’d be completely lost. Without the person at the front desk, we wouldn’t’ know where to find a room. Do people know where to go? Is it clear and personal?
Do people feel greeted or served?
This may sound like the same thing, but it’s not. You see, when people come through the doors of our churches, we obviously want them to feel welcomed, but we also want them to feel served. This goes back to Jesus himself. He served people. Nothing makes more of an impression on a mother than not only greeting her but asking if you can help carry something. It’s going the extra mile. It’s noticing others’ needs. Don’t just greet, but serve. Does this take more than standing at a door? Of course, but it also makes a better impression.
Do people experience what we want them to experience?
As a church, you should have somewhat of a goal of what you want people to experience when they come to a service. From the parking lot to the restrooms to the way the building smells, it all plays into that experience. Simply put, is your goal being accomplished? To correctly answer this, you may have to have someone new come in that’s never had the experience. You could hire a secret shopper or have an unbiased friend attend.
Is the last impression as good?
So many people miss this. It can cover a wide range of topics, but are people thanked on the way out? Is there appropriate signage helping them get to their car or out of the parking lot? Are people clearly directed toward first time guest areas and is the restroom clean (a lot of people use it on the way out)?
All of these questions help identify weak areas and strong areas. The important thing is that, at the end of the day, we’re representing Jesus well and removing the friction from the church experience.
Jonathan Pearson is the Connections Pastor at SpringWell Church in Taylors, S.C. Jonathan is the co-host of the Next Up Podcast and author of Next Up: 8 Shifts Great Young Leaders Make (June 2014) and the upcoming book Be the Switch. He is married to Melissa and has a son named Riley. They live in Greenville, S.C. Find Jonathan online at JonathanPearson.net.
