Contents
This folder contains all of the tools we use to train our Guest Services Teams including:
- Working with Volunteers:play-by-play action of what happens when you work with a new volunteer.
- New Volunteers: play-by-play overview of the commitments and responsibilities of the volunteers in Guest Services.
- Parking Team: play-by-play action of what happens when you serve on the Parking Team.
- Worship Experience Prep Team: play-by-play action of what happens when you serve on the Worship Experience Preperatio Team.
- VIP Hosts Team: play-by-play action of what happens when you serve on the VIP Host Team.
- Greeting Team: play-by-play action of what happens when you serve on the Greeting Team.
- Usher Team: play-by-play action of what happens when you serve on the Usher Team.
- Get Connected Team: play-by-play action of what happens when you serve on the Get Connected Team.
- Resource Center Team: play-by-play action of what happens when you serve on the Store Team.
- Guest Services Director: play-by-play action of what happens when you serve as a Guest Services Director.
- Guest Services Team Coach: play by play action for building relationships with volunteers inside AND outside the church walls.
- Greeting Team Trainer: play-by-play action of what Greeting Team Leaders do when they help lead their teams and the tools to guide them through the process.
- Usher Team Trainer: play-by-play action of what Usher Team Leaders dowhen they help lead the team and the tools to guide them through the process.
Working with Volunteers
WORKING WITH VOLUNTEERS: play-by-play action of what happens when you work with a new volunteer.
- The Table, Fellowship One (F1) and personal contact are your main tools for inviting people unto your Guest Services Team.
- Key: Your ministry will not happen on Sunday’s if you do not prepare during the week. It will require prayer and a lot of personal inviting. You’re the team leader.
a)It’s up to you. The good news is...with the Lord’s anointing, you’ll have a great team.
b)However, you’ll need to take ownership of it before the Lord.
c)With the Lord’s help it will grow and you will have a positive influence upon your team members - and your team members will have a positive influence upon Innovation and all who visit.
- The Team Leader as Shepherd
a)As a Team leader you serve as a pastor for your Team members.
b)Offer one-on-one encouragement, prayer and support
c)Meet socially as a group
d)Don’t forget your “huddles” each Sunday
e)Remember to get your new members involved ASAP. Remove all hurdles to their involvement.
f)Keep in mind; if your Team is not a good fit, then help the volunteer find a different place to serve at Innovation. We want this to be a good experience for all volunteers.
- Steps for On-the-Job training (OJT)
a)Call and meet the interested volunteer(s) on a Sunday before the Worship Experience
b)Before: Go over the GS Manual’s page description of the specific ministry
c)Have the new “potential” team member “shadow” someone from your team
d)After: Review how it went and ask if he or she would like to try it as part of the team next time.
e)If the answer is yes, give the volunteer copies of the New Volunteer Handbook. Also, stay connected during the week for further discussion and questions.
New Volunteers
NEW VOLUNTEER’S HANDBOOK: play-by-play overview of the commitments and responsibilites of a volunteer in Guest Services.
- Ministry Description
- Volunteer’s Covenant
- Innovation Vision
- Three Soils
- Volunteer Evaluation Form- A & B
- Spiritual Gifts questionnaire
This section is written from the perspective of the New Volunteer. It is also contained in the New Volunteer handbook that is given to all new Ministry Team volunteers.
- MINISTRY DESCRIPTION: (The single page description of the Team)
- VOLUNTEER’S COVENANT:
a)Operating with personal responsibility means that you will approach your volunteer role as a priority in your life and make decisions that line up with that calling.
b)As a volunteer you will come in prepared every time you volunteer and bring your best because you realize that when the calling’s significant there’s nothing insignificant.
c)As a volunteer you will strive not just to arrive on time, but be a catalyst of the culture and be there early looking for opportunities to “jump in”.
d)As a volunteer you will set the standard for your team regarding communication. You will be the first one to respond to your leader and proactively find a replacement for when you will be out of town.
e)As a volunteer it is imperative that we watch out for each other as a TEAM. Use initiative and don't wait to be asked. Support your other GS teams if they need help.
f)As a volunteer you understand the weight and demand placed upon your Pastor, the staff and your leaders and will pray for them regularly.
g)As a volunteer you will prioritize your life and strive to grow in your relationship with Christ through personal application and participation in a LifeGroup.
h)As a volunteer you realize that you are a reflection of Jesus Christ as well as Innovation Church.
- INNOVATION VISION
a)Vision breaks our bondage to small ideas!
(Luke 19:10)"For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost."
Here is the Gospel. Jesus came to this earth to reach out to those who are far from God and to rescue them. This is His vision. It is also the primary vision of God for each generation. Therefore, it seems obvious to us that this vision must also be the primary passion and mission for Innovation Church.
So, how can we be a church for those who are far from God—those who are outsiders? Today, it seems that a line is being drawn between Christians and non-Christians. There is a growing animosity between the two—at least this is how it is being presented in our media and government. Some of this is the fault of misunderstandings and miscommunications. Sometimes people have had hurt feelings. Many within the media think of evangelical or born again Christians as judgmental and intolerant. And sometimes, there are immature Christians who behave that way.
Nevertheless, we live in a generation that is hungry for a spiritual reality. Many believe there is more to this life but are suspicious of those who approach them with what they perceive as religion - which they often view as judgmental. Also, it may seem that the "stuff" many Christians are talking about just does not connect with their lives. We were wondering if Christianity in the first century was also like this, or was it more organic, more connected to the real world.
Today it seems that many of our churches are devoted to sustaining religious traditions that those who are far from God are simply unmoved by. The church is asking them to learn a new language and accept the church's culture and style before they can become part of God's family. We do not think this lines up with what we know about Jesus.
For example: Some of the religious leaders who hated Jesus once said: “He's a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!” (Matthew 11:19 NLT) We think this means that they saw Jesus treating those who are far from God as friends - meeting them where they were.
b)Jesus lived for Outsiders
Jesus cared about people, even laying His life down, for those who did not care about Him. Imagine what happens when the church really gets this!
Consider this: The original church was filled with people who had practiced sex outside of marriage, worshipped anything but God, had sexual relationships with other person’s spouses, were pliable, easily influenced, without courage or stability, were men who had indiscriminate sex with other men, were crafty thieves, were those who always wanted more and those who were often intoxicated, being unable to think clearly, they were verbally abusive, always tearing others down and who, by force, tried to take what was not theirs. And yet these same men and women repented and became followers of Christ, being adopted into the family of Abraham, and came to be known as people of the Way because God paid for them, washed them and made them at home in His eternal family (see 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
Guess what? Nothing has changed. I'm sure each of us can find ourselves somewhere in this list. We were once far away from God. Now, as a group of Christ-followers, we invite those who are just like us to meet the Christ.
c)As a church we want to connect people to Jesus and to each other.
This is our passion and mission. To do so we utilize methodologies that will attempt to reach people who are not interested in church. Rather than run from our culture we can choose to harness it to connect with people and show them God's timeless truths. Therefore, we gather together in a worship experience that is not designed primarily for ourselves but for those whom the Lord is seeking, those who are far from Him.
d)How do we demonstrate this when we gather on Sundays?
We create a non-traditional environment. We simply mean a church environment that is not concerned with or devoted to religion. Keep in mind that Jesus is incarnational. That is, He became like us (but without sin) so we could become like Him. The religious leaders rejected Him because He did not live up to their religious expectations.
So also, we are to be incarnational. As a church, we become like those who are far from God (but without sin) so those who are far from God can draw close to God.
e)How can we do this without watering down the gospel?
Jesus did it and made the gospel come alive. So also with us, the message must remain vibrant and life changing. At our Sunday Worship Experience we want to accomplish four things:
- Welcome: We want each person to be welcomed as if they just walked into a five star restaurant. Even those who are far from God still appreciate good service. Thus, our Guest Services team (Parking team, VIP Host team, Greeter team, Usher team, Get Connected team, Experience Prep Team and Resource Center team) all work together to treat each guest as a VIP and thus prepare him or her to receive God's eternal word.
- Worship: Our goal is for the Innovation family and all our guests to anticipate the beginning of praise and worship. As the countdown begins, the anticipation grows. When the lights go down each person is enveloped in the worship, music and lights.
- Word: Similar to coming attractions at a theater, each biblical series is painstakingly developed and presented with creativity, video and life-changing proclamation.
- Witness: At our VIP booth & Life Groups wing each visitor comes to understand that they can be part of God's bigger story. Also, our hope is that the entire Innovation family will be a living witness to the Good News by respectfully inviting those who are ‘outsiders’ to come to one of our series – one that we hope will connect to their present need.
In this way we do not ask those who are far from God to learn our "church" language, culture, style and traditions before they can become part of God's family. Rather, we create an environment that they have some familiarity with, and then give to them the opportunity for life-change in Jesus Christ.
f)This is a revolution
We are a church that submits to God’s Kingdom. We partner with one another to reach souls in a way that we could never accomplish individually. God gives new vision, that each of us will find our place in His bigger story. God’s strategy has always been to give you a fresh vision of a new reality. A vision that will break our bondage to small ideas.
- THREE SOILS
a)Jesus told a story about a Farmer who was throwing seed out into a field.
Matthew 13:3-8 “A farmer went out to scatter seed in a field. While the farmer was scattering the seed, some of it fell upon hard soil and was eaten by birds. Other seeds fell on shallow soil and quickly started growing because the soil wasn’t very deep. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched and dried up, because they did not have deep roots. Some other seeds fell [on dangerous soil] where thorn bushes grew up and choked the plants. … But a few seeds did fall on good soil...”
b)Our three primary Life Groups are strategically focused to line up with this story from Jesus (often referred to as a Parable). Jesus explained that the seed is God’s word and that the types of soil are metaphors for the condition of each human heart (see Matthew 13:18-23).
They are not primarily three types of people, but rather they are three conditions of our own hearts toward God’s word on any given day.
1)Hard soil (the devil seeks to steal God’s word)
2)Shallow soil (problems or persecution cause us to forget God’s word)
3)Dangerous soil (worries, wealth & things cause us to ignore God’s word)
c)Primary LifeGroups
At Innovation we wanted to address each condition of the human heart in regards to God’s word.
Our primary Life Groups do just this. Each 12-week group offers a conversational environment where a person can explore faith and experience community.
1)Hard soil = Starting Point Groups
2)Shallow soil = Bait of Satan Groups
3)Dangerous soil = Discipleship Essentials Groups
So what is the “good soil”? The “good soil” is soil that is prepared—ready to receive the seed. For us, it is the condition of our hearts when we have opened them daily to the healing and grace of God. We are “prepared” to receive God’s word and to walk under the direction of the Holy Spirit each day.
- VOLUNTEER EVALUATION FORM – A & B
a)These forms evaluate both your own understanding of the Ministry Team you’re serving with as well as how you’ve been prepared by your Team Leader for serving at a Worship Experience.
b)These are only for you to look over. They will give you an idea of how a Team Leader evaluates your match for this Ministry Team. It also gives you the means to offer written feedback for inproving the Ministry Team.
c)These forms are given out to all new volunteers after 30 days.
(Part A: Completed by Team Leader)
Ministry Position Goals: Needs work Satisfactory Superior
1. ______1 2 3 4 5
2. ______1 2 3 4 5
3. ______1 2 3 4 5
4. ______1 2 3 4 5
5. ______1 2 3 4 5
Rating scale:
1 = needs improvement4= very good
2 = fair5= superior
3 = goodN/A = not applicable
PROFESSIONALISM
_____ Understands the purpose and goal of the ______Team
_____ Relates well with guests and church family
_____ Relates well with other volunteers and pastoral staff
_____ Exhibits composure in handling difficult situations
_____ Exhibits sincere interest and enthusiasm towards visitors and ministry
_____ Shows initiative in regards to helping guests and church family
RESPONSIBILITY
_____ Reliable regarding schedule and time commitment
_____ Pays attention to details
_____ Willing to take on added responsibility when necessary
EFFECTIVENESS
_____ Seeks to learn in order to make this ministry more effective
_____ Willing to ask questions when in doubt
_____ Good communication and social skills
Benefits to Guest Services from serving with this volunteer…
Benefits to ministry from this volunteer's skills, experience and knowledge…
(Part B: Completed by Volunteer)
Rating scale: 1 = needs improvement4= very good
2 = fair5= superior
3 = good N/A = not applicable
ORIENTATION AND TRAINING
_____ The goals and purposes of the ministry team were clearly explained.
_____ The ministry description for your position was reviewed and procedures to be followed were explained.
_____ Training was effective and provided the tools needed to perform the assigned responsibility.
TEAM LEADER
_____ The Team Leader was available to you when you had questions or needed information.
_____ The Team Leader’s attitude was one of gracious and professional consideration.
_____ The lines of supervision were clear.
What other training or growth opportunities would you like to see offered?
What additional "tools" would make your ministry more effective and/or pleasant?
What are some suggestions or goals you would offer for the ______Team ministry?
How could Innovation improve its volunteer/pastoral staff structure and relationships?
- SPIRITUAL GIFTS QUESTIONNAIRE
a)1 Peter 4:10 “God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can flow through you.”
Each of us has a variety of spiritual gifts. We are instructed by the Apostle to manage them well so that God’s grace and love can operate through us to bless others. Thus, our gifts are for others.
b)How do we discover our spiritual gifts?
Counselors know that it is easier to act your way into a feeling than feel your way into an action. This is also helpful when it comes tor discovering our spiritual gifts. It is easier to volunteer and thereby discover your Spiritual Gift than to try to figure out your Spiritual Gift in order to volunteer.