More life lessons from the Disney experience...

Okay, I over analyze things sometimes. Just ask my wife about any movie we see. I have trouble just allowing myself to get engulfed in a story, instead I am looking for the subplots, themes, or illustrations that would work well in a sermon. Sometimes it is a neat gift and sometimes it is quite annoying to those around me.

So, I am going all around Disney. Taking it all in and watching their people work. When I would go running in the morning, I would see a painting crew out making sure the light poles had that perfect coat of paint. I was constantly amazed at the amount of trash that the thousands of people produced. Yet that trash was never on the ground very long. There was always someone quickly at work making the trash disappear. They went out of their way to be friendly to all their guest. They were always doing whatever they could to make you not feel stressed. From offering to take our picture for us, to someone asking my girls for their autograph. They did everything they could behind the scenes and with their guest to make it the most "magical" experience for all their guest.

So it got me thinking about how we do church. Do we do a good job of making our guest feel so welcomed that it helps make their experience a good one. Now, I am not setting all the God factor aside in this. I understand and know that our times together are to point people to Jesus, bring glory to God and allow him to speak to us as well. But as every new person comes in our doors, they are a guest. Not a visitor, but a guest. And as a guest, our first impression team is so crucial to making sure they have no distractions that take away from what the worship experiences are all about.

So kudos to all of you who are serving the body of Christ by being a part of this first impression team. Greeting people in the parking lot is huge. Helping someone find their way to a part of the new building is huge. Helping someone find a seat, locate the nursery, and understand that in this place you are not just another person in a pew. Helping people see that they matter.

I don't want us to be Disney, but I do long for many of our people to find their way to serve within the body by being a part of First Impressions and helping everyone connect at VNC.