It’s hard to overcome a negative first impression. Your first gut reaction about a church, a business or even a person,  will determine how you feel about that institution or individual for a long time.  A while back I visited a well-known, fast growing congregation in Florida. I was not doing a secret shopper visit or a communication audit (some might find it shocking that I attend church without getting paid for), but I felt compelled to share with a staff member some of my impressions, specifically my run in with a parking lot attendant. I was cutting it close to get to the church by 8:30 for their first Sunday morning service. As I tried to follow the serpentine of cones that led me around the back of the property and again back to the front, I realized that the cones were not there for the sake of the…

Yesterday my church, Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN gave birth to its fourth campus in the Bellevue area just west of Nashville. I have been on the board since our early days and I must say this is the most successful launch we’ve ever had. Yesterday morning we had over 1,200 people attending two services. It’s a phenomenal statistics by any standard. There are many factors why we saw such success: from the newly remodeled Circuit City building we purchased, to a beautiful sunny day, and to several families from the area already attending our downtown campus. But I believe the main reason for this amazing first day rested on Bellevue’s campus pastor, Justin Davis becoming a shepherd to the community before we even had a first service. Months before our opening day, Justin and his wife Trisha and their three boys have been living among the people God…

It’s easy for me to see what needs to be fixed in the churches I visit. I hate to admit it, but I’m a critic. I’d like to think that I’m a nice one, but I’m a critic nonetheless. After all, people don’t pay me to pat them on the back and tell them good job. Church leaders want to know what’s not working well and what can be done to be more effective for the kingdom. However, my favorite part of any secret shopper visit is to celebrate what’s done well. And nothing makes my heart happier than when I run into volunteers who love God and serve their church with a smile and open arms. This past weekend I was able to reconnect with two of the best volunteers I’ve ever encountered in all my secret shopper visits. Linda and her husband Harrod have been greeting at First…