“The Church is the Only Place Where I Get a Hug”
She meant it as a throwaway comment. I don’t think she grasped the weight of the words that just came out of her mouth. I overheard it in a breakout session after a training for...
Category: First Impressions
Don’t Cover the Mouse
It was a day to remember, but for all the wrong reasons. Merriem and I had heard great things about a particular restaurant in Durham (no, I won’t tell you the name of the place). It...
Flashback Friday: The Last Straw
Every Friday I dig into the archives and dust off an old post. If you haven’t read it, it’s new to you! On Friday, Merriem and I stole away to one of our favorite...
Own It & On It
Not long ago I had a conversation with a couple of friends who are church planters. These guys are heroes: serving Jesus and building community like a boss. They’ve sacrificed time, sanity, and salary to...
What is the Cost of Bad Service?
I recently read The Experience, a new book by Bruce Loeffler and Brian Church. In it, Bruce draws on his decade experience as a Walt Disney World cast member to help organizations get better at delivering...
Summoning the Genie
When you’re responsible for overseeing hospitality at a church, it’s only a matter of time until you start asking the “now what?” questions: We’ve developed a process for welcoming guests…now what? Everybody receives a gift on...
Flashback Friday: Answer the Question They’re Not Asking
Every Friday I dig into the archives and dust off an old post. If you haven’t read it, it’s new to you! A couple of weeks ago our kids were out of school for...
Why Outside Greeters are More Important Than Inside Greeters
Let’s start a turf war, shall we? Because a post title like that is just the thing to get some gang warfare going between those who love the great outdoors and those who love great...
Absorb the Awkwardness
Every time a guest shows up at your church, you have a chance to give them a gift. No, not the keychain-with-your-church-logo or a complementary-smoothie-at-the-local-cafe type of gift, but something with far more meaning and...
Flashback Friday: Your Church Ain’t the DMV
Every Friday I dig into the archives and dust off an old post. If you haven’t read it, it’s new to you! A few weeks ago I endured that American tradition, the event that’s as...
