WOW Experience at Your Church

Before a service even begins, first-time guests usually decide whether they’ll return to our church. This means we need to create no-fail, practical ways to ensure a guest’s first impression is the best impression. When guests feel valued, they will return. And when they do, they’ll have the opportunity to experience Jesus’ love. We must let visitors know “You matter to God, so you matter to us.” How do your guests react at your church?  Is it with a WOW?

Every WOW experience has some combination of the following elements:

1. 1. Surprise—a wow experience always exceeds our expectations. It creates delight, amazement, wonder or awe.
   2. Anticipation—anticipating a wow experience is almost as good as the experience itself.
   3. Resonance—a wow experience touches the heart. It resonates at a deep level. It sometimes causes goosebumps or even tears.
   4. Transcendence—a wow experience connects you to something transcendent. Suddenly, you experience purpose, meaning, or even God.
   5. Clarity—a wow experience creates a moment when you see things with more clarity than ever before. You suddenly “get it” in a new way.
   6. Presence—a wow experience creates timelessness. You aren’t thinking about the past. You’re not even thinking about the future. Instead, you are fully present to what is happening now.
   7. Universality—a true wow experience is nearly universal. Almost everyone will experience it in a similar way.
   8. Evangelism—a wow experience has to be shared. You can’t contain it. You immediately begin thinking of all the people you wish were with you. After the experience, you recommend it unconditionally. You become an unpaid evangelist.
   9. Longevity—the shine never wears off a wow experience. You can experience it again and again without growing tired of it. It endures..
   10. Privilege—a wow experience makes you proud in a good way. You feel good about being associated with it. You feel privileged, as if you are in an elite group, but at the same time humbled that you have had the experience.
       

I wish I could say with certaintity that when guests came to my church they would say, WOW!

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