Mark Waltz | ...Because People Matter

Still Crazy After All These Years

28 Years today, Babe!

We were young, silly, immature... and crazy in love. Laura (you can follow her on twitter here) has shown me crazy, faithful support in seasons that would have destroyed many marriages. She has laughed with me, cried with me, prayed with me and... still loved me. She's my only lover, my best friend, the mother of our one daughter, and the companion who keeps calling out God's best in me.

I'm committed for life, Laura; I want to grow old, very old, quite ancient with you. Happy Anniversary! (And with that - we're off to celebrate. I'll rest from blogging until after the Thanksgiving holiday.)

Not a Waiting Room for Christians

This morning my assistant, Julie (she's awesome!) brought this blog entry to my attention. Actually she was loud with excitement like she'd just found a $100 bill hiding in the side of her purse. No really. She was happy. Then I read the post. I was happy! It comes from a man who's been attending Granger for the past year or so. On his blog he shared his personal experience of Granger Community reflected against the backdrop of his workplace.

Hope this is as refreshing for you as it is for me.

At work a co-worker starting talking about the "Relationslips" series at Granger Community Church… Now, I knew he went to [the] same church as me but it's a big church with multiple services and I have never seen him there before…

 

He asked another guy that goes to GCC if he caught the weekend they talked about "Leadership slips". The message basically talked about working with people that you don't always see eye to eye with. That pretty much includes everyone. Then during all this another woman chimed in and said her daughter just started going to GCC and since going there deleted her MySpace and Facebook accounts. I guess those must have been a negative issue in her life.

I know you’re wondering “what's the point?” Here it goes, for the first time in my life we go to a church that is not all made up of Christians. I know, duh what church is? Right?

 

…At Granger Community I'm in an environment where any given weekend a good majority of people around you might be unbelievers. I don't have a clue what the percentage of unbelievers vs. believers are at Granger Community. To me it seems higher than the average church though. Which I don't think is a bad thing because it means they are getting the un-churched to walk through the doors.

 

Hearing these co-workers talk made me realize that I work among people that go to the same church as me but are not committed to God yet. For me this is a very refreshing realization. Not the fact that they are casual church goers but the fact that GCC is a church that is not a waiting room for Christians but a hospital for the hurting. It's easy to think weekend services are all about us (Christians) when really in many ways they should be about leading the unbeliever to Jesus (emphasis added).

Thanks, Josh for sharing your experience. I'm grateful to be part of a group of Christ-followers who are creating a space for your friends to learn they matter to God!

Read Josh's full blog post here. Check out the Relationslips series here.

Leaving Well. How Rare.

Last week my friend, our pastor of performing arts here at Granger, announced to our staff that he is stepping away from his staff role. But he's not leaving. He's just not going to receive a paycheck. Pastors and church leaders rarely leave well. I admire Butch for his courage, his character, and his faithfulness. He is a trusted friend and leader.

Here it is in his own words.

I wanted to take a moment to tell you about a personal adventure I’ll be taking in the near future. A little background: Five years ago, I felt God’s call to move into ministry at GCC. So, I left my career to come to GCC. Next to marrying Chris, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have not for a moment doubted my calling, nor regretted my decision to follow that call. However, over the past several months, I have had this sense of completion - a sense that I have helped take our teams to the place God has asked of me, but that there are higher, better places God has in store for our team. I have also sensed that God wants someone else to help lead us there.

After several weeks of processing this with Tim Stevens and Mark Beeson, I have decided to step down from the paid ministry at GCC, return to the marketplace, and remain at GCC as a volunteer minister and a future member of the Administrative Council (Church Board of Directors.) I love our church, it’s mission, and it’s values. I trust and respect the leadership of our Senior Management Team. I cannot think of a better place in which to serve and worship.

My experience as pastor of creative arts has been amazing and has helped move me closer to God. I am grateful for having been given this opportunity. I am grateful for having been able to serve with each of you - it’s meant more to me than you could ever know. Over the next few weeks, Tim and the SMT will be working on my transition plan. My goal is to leave and lead well through this change and help position our team and our church for an amazing future.

It’s been a true pleasure to have been your pastor. Thank you for continually sacrificing and serving Jesus with your gifts in our church. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Your Friend in Christ,

- Butch

I'm grateful to be along for the journey with you, friend. I'm looking forward to see what God's up to in your story.

Guest Services Best Practice #10: Imitate Jesus’ Attitude

Read Philippians 2.1-11. You'll discover that serving with Jesus' attitude means...

• setting one's own agenda aside for the sake of others
• humility is about character
• trading personal preferences for profound inconveniences
• prioritizing others' interests... interests? Yeah, interests
• being willing to not only serve, but be known as a servant
• surrendering to the Father's kingdom agenda of love

There may be more to the job description for staff and volunteers who create welcoming environments in the local church, but every role summary must be developed on this foundation.

Jesus.

Period.

Any questions?

Spiritual Formation Isn't a Department Ministry

 

Last week Tim Stevens used a similar diagram to illustrate the importance of keeping the weekend service's purpose clean and clear. In Steven's words "We are at our best when we focus our weekend services squarely on those who are at the beginning of their spiritual journey..." (read his post here). Some would argue that discipleship happens in some component outside of the weekend. Perhaps in groups. Or maybe a class.

Really? Since when does discipleship happen in a department of ministry?

Dallas Willard points out in his book, Renovation of the Heart, that spiritual formation begins at birth. As in - human birth. Like as a baby. Through our parents, friends, coaches, pastors, culture, life events - good and bad we are daily being formed. Formation is happening. Hence, because all of life is spiritual, spiritual formation happens whether or not we ever make it to church. Our views of God, life, others and ourselves are being formed everyday in every way. That's spiritual formation.

However, spiritual transformation - or rather - life transformation (it's all spiritual) occurs through the power and work of the Holy Spirit. And He utilizes what He chooses to transform us. He uses relationships, the Scriptures, biblical teaching, spiritual practices, serving, giving, and life experiences to transform us.

Spiritual transformation has never been a department. Unless you consider the Holy Spirit to be a department.

Our role in the local church is to leverage every venue, every tool, with clear communication to help our people live integrated lives that are step by step surrendered to the work and cause of Christ through His Spirit. Our role is to be responsible to our people by being responsible for environments that help them take their next step in relationship. (For more on this thought, check this out)

What is your church-wide plan for making disciples?

Guest Services Best Practice #11-B

I just watched this video again in a training session Tim Stevens led in North Carolina. I watched again. Laughed out loud. Shed a tear or two.

Then I realized this should have been included in my previous post. I'm so grateful for the thousands of volunteers who lead and carry the ministry of Granger Community Church! Enjoy - again.

Guest Services Best Practice #11: Value Your Volunteers

 

Gonna keep this simple. It seems like a no-brainer, yet it's so easy to miss opportunities to value the volunteers who lead and carry the ministry of your church. Here are some ideas:

• Bake a cake! The cake above was actually provided to one of our weekend teams by their volunteer leader - just because.
• Send a note - after the weekend serve.
• Thank them face-to-face.
• Cast vision as you thank them - remind them why they do what they do...why it matters at all.
• Demonstrate that you're happy to see them!
• Empower them with responsibility for the ministry.
• Take time to coach them. Invest in them. Believe in them.
• Provide serving roles of significance. Make it worth their time and energy.
• Thank them publicly. During a service.
• Throw a party!
• Don't assume they're "lifers". Give them opportunity to "re-up".
• Brag on them to other volunteers.
• Brag on them to other volunteers in front of the volunteer you're bragging about.
• Ask about their life. And care enough to listen.
• Remember what they told you... and follow-up.
• Pray for them.
• Trust them to pray for you.
• Build relationships.
• Develop reasonable spans of care, so you really can care, and people really do experience care.

Okay, I'm off to join Mark Beeson, Kem Meyer, and Tim Stevens for a day of training church leaders in Raleigh, NC. Maybe I'll see you there!

Guest Services Best Practice #12: Expect New People

This really happened to me.

I walked into a restaurant early in the lunch hour. Like 11:00. Surveying the place, I saw, well, nothing. Lots of open tables. And still I was told "give me just a couple of minutes and we'll have a table for you." I could see at least 1,200 seating options. But I waited.

As I sat down I intuitively wiped bread crumbs from the table into the floor and thought "this doesn't make sense. There's no way there have been other customers in here for lunch already." Of course, the mess had to have been left over from the night before. We then learned that the coffee and tea were still brewing.

Bottom-line? This staff wasn't ready for us. They weren't really expecting customers - not this early any way.

How about your church? Is it apparent that you're expecting new people? Here are some simple ways to communicate "we've been expecting you!"...

• a core of people who know church isn't all about them - but about others, so they...
• • give up their front parking spaces
  • move to the center of the row, leaving the aisle seats open
  • greet people around them - even when they're not "on" as an usher or greeter
  • invite their friends to join them
• parking attendants in the parking lot
• greeters at entry doors and ushers throughout the building
• signage that points to "new family children's area" or "guest services"
• a verbal welcome from the front of the room that includes (without embarrassing) new guests
• a program/bulletin that speaks to new people, using "normal" language
• visible, accessible "on-ramps" that help new people connect and grow

When your guests show up will they think, "Wow! They acted like they were expecting me... and they were happy about it"... or will they feel as if they've crashed a party they weren't invited to attend?

How are you planning for and expecting new guests at your church?

Somethin's Brewin' at Granger

 

You may have seen this on Tim Steven's blog (LeadingSmart.com) a day or so ago. Curious? Read Tim's post here.

Let's just say 2010 is going to be a year to engage at Granger like never before. If you're at Granger - hang on. If you're not at Granger... hang on.

I Want to Work with You

Each year the resourcing arm of our ministry, WiredChurches.com, offers strategic and practical workshops and learning experiences to equip other churches (Watch here for 2010 venues and dates to be released soon). I get to be part of that training experience. It's a dynamic privilege to partner with ministries who are focused on reaching and connecting people who matter to God.

I also receive multiple invitations each year to consult and train off-site with other churches and conferences. My first responsibility is to my local church - Granger Community Church - where I serve as pastor of connections. With oversight for guest services, groups, classes, volunteer involvement, retail services and member care (with a great team of staff and volunteers!), I must limit the number of invitations I accept to travel off-site to consult and train.

This year I can accept about six additional travel engagements to work with your staff and/or volunteer teams. Read this for a complete summary of how we can work together.

Here are my current available dates for 2010:

• Jan 23-24 or Jan 30-31 (tentatively scheduled, unconfirmed)
• Mar 20-21 (tentatively scheduled, unconfirmed)
• Apr 24-25
• Jul 17-18
• Aug 28-29
• Nov 6-7

These dates have some flexibility dependent on our local church calendar. At the same time the priority of my local ministry could alter these dates until confirmed.

I'll be in Raleigh, North Carolina on Tuesday of this next week with some of my favorite peeps. We'll be leading an all-day workshop. Here's the skinny:

• Mark Beeson will be talking about leading teams from his deep well of experiences and teaching.
• Kem Meyer will be delivering a talk straight out of her book about church communications.
• Tim Stevens will be teaching creative ideas from his book Pop Goes the Church. 
• I will be teaching about creating WOW experiences at your church (based on this?)

It is going to be a packed day where we will be bringing everything we have to add value to pastors and church leaders. It's my hope you can join us! Download PDF Brochure

If you want to link up on any of the six dates in 2010 above, you can email me - mwaltz@gccwired.com or catch me on twitter. I look forward to hearing from you.

Guest Services Best Practice #13: Make Room

Our senior pastor, Mark Beeson, says often - "New people can really be a headache for churched people. New people expect a parking space, a place to sit, and a place for their kids. And they don't know that you already have a choice parking space, a favorite seat, and a place for your kids." When a church is intentional about reaching new people who don't know they matter to God, new people will show up. And they will take your parking spot, and sit in your seat, and crowd your children's space.

Are you okay with that?

The reality is many churches aren't. By churches, of course, I mean people - 'cause the church is people.

I've visited churches who appear to be thoughtful about new guests by providing designated parking for guests. But there are only three spaces reserved! Really? You expected three guests? That's it? I've heard horror stories of church members standing in an aisle telling a guest, "that's my seat." Argggg...

Are you making room for new guests? Are you communicating that you expect them? [more on that in the next post]

What about:

• asking your volunteers, staff, and members to park in the parking spaces furthest from the building, leaving the front spaces for your newer guests?
• designated parking for guests - and making sure it's adequate in size?
• using ushers to seat guests, providing them choice seats without regard for "owned" seats?
• putting traffic teams in the parking lot who's job it is to not only direct traffic, but provide a warm welcome before guests and members reach the building?

What are you doing to make room for new people?

Still Refreshing

Our media arts team created this months ago for a First Wednesday experience. I pulled it up again this morning to reflect on God and the Scriptures that capture His ancient and active work.

It's still refreshing to me. Enjoy.

Water from Granger Community on Vimeo.

Guest Services Best Practice #14: Get Dressed!

It's just a good idea. Fully clothed greeters at the front doors of your church is more than helpful. And, of course, that's not exactly what I'm talking about here.

People will show up dressed. The question is will they be dressed for your guests? And how will they know how to dress unless you tell them? No rocket science here. But someone needs to communicate the expectations, whatever they are.

Years ago before jeans became the new business casual, we expected all our guest services volunteers to avoid denim and dress "professionally". We've really relaxed that expectation in recent years, but we still expect our team members to...

• look in the mirror before they leave the house. Messed hair and crusty eyes are not welcoming.
• leave the Bud Lite t-shirt at home for mowing. Not helpful at the front door.
• dress modestly. We want people turned on to Jesus, if you know what I mean.
• be themselves. Use an iron if the shirt calls for it, or don't if it doesn't.

The point is - communicate what you expect. Once your team member arrives to serve, it's a difficult conversation to ask them to not serve or go home to change. Avoid that. Be clear up-front.

Guest Services Best Practice #15: Tell Stories

Tim Keel wrote: “Throughout history people have told stories and been shaped by them, and in doing so they have discovered and constructed ways of understanding who they are and what is happening in the world around them.”  [Intuitive Leadership: Embracing a Paradigm of Narrative, Metaphor, and Chaos]

The numbers on your weekend service tally sheet represent faces. Faces of men and women and children. And those faces hold stories. Personal and real stories. And while we may not get the opportunity to engage details of life stories with many folks on the weekend, we will walk away with stories.

Over the past few weeks I've heard stories - albeit shortened versions - of pain, loss, enormous joy, and quiet peace. I heard the story of a man who is literally dying; the cancer will take his life in just a few weeks. Another man told me the heart-wrenching, but inspiring story of his 35 year old brother who died just a week ago. I celebrated with a man who started a new job this week - after being out of work for a year. I needed to hear those stories as much as those sharing needed to tell the story. They help me look at my own life, and they help me take in what is really happening around me.

I want our teams to hear stories like those. Stories that take us past the task. Past the rush of getting everyone into the service. Past the pace of a four-service weekend. Stories that cause us to pause and thank God for the people we get to encounter, offer a cup of cold water in Jesus' name, to pray for as they hurry into the service.

There are other stories. Stories of our team members' God-moments with our guests. Moments that marked them. Moments that called the best out of them. Moments where they got to witness God at work - right in front of their eyes. Everyone needs to hear those stories. Stories that help us "get it" - God is using us to bring up there down here. 

America's authority on story-telling, Robert McKee put it this way: "Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact." 

Tell stories. And perhaps more importantly - listen to the stories of others. It is the ultimate human contact.

Have a story of hope and human touch to share from your weekend experiences? I'd love to hear it. Leave me a comment...