Is Your Guest Service Team in a State of Desperation?

Maybe you’d give a resounding yes! But you might just be answering the wrong question.

I’m not talking about a team that has lost its vision, or struggles to get enough volunteers, or seems to constantly experience missteps with guests (although all of those things may be true).

No, the question is this: is your team desperately dependent on God?

It’s a question we don’t often think about when it comes to guest services within the church. Sure, we talk about the best methods for parking cars, and how we properly honor our guests, and the most effective strategies to get them to come back. And all of those things have their place.

But we rarely address the work of the Holy Spirit within your team. I often act as though all of my strategies and systems will carry the weight of a guest’s expectations. I assume the working formula of Enough Volunteers + Adequate Planning x Memorable Experience = Life Change for a Guest.

But what if those things aren’t enough?

What if all of our planning and strategizing and budgeting and volunteer training was for naught if God didn’t show up?

A couple of weekends ago, Vance Pitman reminded our congregation of what desperation for God looks like. Of the very real necessity to cry out to him in prayer and trust him for the results. Of the fact that all the human effort in the world will accomplish nothing if he doesn’t intervene.

And it made me stop to think: how does that translate to first impressions? Do we really believe that car-parking and door-opening and coffee-pouring will change someone’s life? Oh sure, it might get their attention. It might brighten their day. It might even make them come back.

But life change happens when the Spirit awakens someone’s heart. And that awakening comes quicker when God’s people ask for it.

So again, the question: is your team asking for God to move? Do you demonstrate that by praying for his supply, not just your strategy?

Are you desperate?

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