It might seem odd to say this as winter storms have been impacting much of the country, but now is a great time for a Spring Clean at your church – both inside and out.
We often underestimate the impact the cleanliness, tidiness, and organization of our spaces have on our guests. Think about it this way: when you’re planning a vacation and deciding where to stay, do the online images of the homes, hotels, etc., that you’re considering factor into your decision? They do for me. And they do for our guests, too. The reality is, our spaces – how we maintain our property and landscaping, how clean and tidy our interior spaces are – are critical to a guest’s decision whether or not to return for a second visit. The saying goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but we all do it.
When was the last time you looked at your location through the eyes of a newcomer? It takes time and intentionality, but it makes a big difference. When our exterior isn’t well maintained (dead shrubbery, paint that needs touch up, etc.), it sends two messages to guests: 1) we don’t take care of what we have and 2) even if we care, we’re dying and don’t have the money to take care of it (people aren’t excited about joining a dying organization). A lack of clear signage to help guests navigate from the parking lot to your kids’ ministry, worship space and restrooms is itself a “sign” to guests that you’re only expecting insiders who know their way around. Untidy or unclean spaces tell guests that we’re disorganized and careless. None of these are messages we want to give guests.
Ideally, we want them to come away from a visit to our churches with an impression of a clean, well-cared for, and fresh-smelling space. That doesn’t happen by accident.
It can be challenging to keep up with routine maintenance, but it’s critical that we pay attention to the details of our physical space and put in the work required to maintain it. At Resurrection, where I serve, we schedule a “walk-through” with several people three times a year to help us identify things we need to take care of soon. We do this six weeks before big events for us – Easter, Leadership Institute, and Christmas – so we have time to do the necessary work to be ready to receive guests.
As we walk, we each point out things that we’ve noticed, and we create a shared list using the notes feature on our phones, so we all have access to the list and can see when each line item is completed.
Here are just a few things that we look for, as you consider doing your own walk-through:
Exterior
Interior
Who should you invite to participate in your walk-through? Start with key leaders (staff or volunteer) in key ministry areas: worship, connections, kids, facilities, students, adults). A couple of times, we’ve invited the members of our Church Council to do a special walk-through. We pick a date, give each person a stack of sticky notes, and ask them to go through different parts of the building and make notes on what they see (or smell).
We’re 45 days away from Easter right now. If you haven't already, this is a great time to schedule a walk-through. Then prioritize the items you find, tackling the ones that have the biggest impact first.
Well-maintained physical spaces tell guests that you expected them, that you’re ready for them, and that you prepared for them. They remove unnecessary distractions and enable guests to fully engage in your mission and ministry. Plan your Spring Clean now and get ready for guests. It’s the first step to providing a great guest experience.
Yvonne Gentile is our Guest Experience & ShareChurch Lead Director, a former retail industry executive, and co-author of four books. She and her husband Frank have been part of Resurrection since 1996. Together they enjoy movies, road trips, and spending time with family.