Recommendations

We are writing to thank you for the valuable information you provided to LakeView Church from your “Unannounced Visit” [dated January 17, 2016]. Your keen observation skills helped us see LakeView through the eyes of a first-time guest The fifteen page report you sent us detailed everything guests might experience when deciding to visit our church for the first time.

We carefully reviewed the information in your report and implemented many of your suggestions. These changes have helped improve our ability to connect with visitors. An interesting side-effect of your visit was that it sparked other ideas about how LakeView could become a more welcoming environment. This shift in our culture has made us open to try new things and continually evaluate the ideas raised by people at LakeView to determine which can help us enhance the visitor experience.

Since this recommendation might be seen by other people, we are listing information from your report that was very helpful to us.

Changes to improve the navigation of our website and fix information that was out of date.
Improvement signage both outside and inside our church to guide visitors.
Update Welcoming Team name tags to be easier to read.
Enhance visibility of our Guest Services desk for people entering the front doors.
Better Access to the Fireside Room where we serve coffee and tea.
Effectiveness of our Welcome Team before the service in greeting people and what we might do to improve the experience. This includes engaging visitors more proactively.
Sunday morning program changes to help clarify the information being provided.
Recognize a general need to improve the welcoming culture at LakeView, with intentionality in action from the pulpit to the pew. This includes the congregation engaging visitors during our “Greeting Time” and after the service ends.
You recommended applying the 10-ft. rule for people to apply when deciding if they should engage an unknown person.

Sincerely Yours,

Amy Elsner, Brian Moyer and Dave Wilson
Welcome Team Leaders
LakeView Church
Stoughton, WI.

I can highly recommend Welcoming Touch Ministries and Ward Utterback to my fellow pastors and churches. Bethel Church had Ward with us two years ago! We still are implementing the many things that we learned and plan to continue! Everyone who visits Bethel mentions how friendly and warm the people were. I am so glad to share something that will help us declare the gospel in a better way!

Sincerely,
Pastor Charlie Martin
Bethel Baptist Church
Bethel, NC.

I married into Windsor United Church of Christ (WUCC) in Windsor, Wisconsin 49 years ago. My wife was baptized and confirmed there so we pretty much know every member. Over the years it was noticeable to us that we weren’t growing proportionally to the community. Various things had been tried but nothing seemed to have a lasting impact that was noticeable. So I brought the issue up to a few members and they agreed something needed to be done. The journey with Welcoming Touch Ministries, Incorporated had begun.

I warned people that we soon would find out just how “friendly” WUCC really was. With church leadership approval, Ward [Utterback] and I scheduled an Unannounced Visit service when there was a large youth program guaranteeing most of the congregation would be in attendance. He [Ward] came and sat 2/3rds of the way back on the right hand side of the sanctuary. After the service was over he sat in the chair and not one single person came up to greet him. I was right! It was a real eye opener for the rest of the core group and they were eager to do something about it.

Ward came back (I actually wondered if he would!) and worked with us. He preached a sermon [A Welcoming Church Culture] and held a [Welcoming] Workshop. Both ministry services were very well received. In addition we received a custom written WUCC Welcoming Ministry Manual which will always be a go-to reference. Our Choir Director has taken over the Greeters and many of us continue to show by example how to go up and meet a stranger using the techniques Ward shared with us.

Today the church is more filled each Sunday and we receive many warm comments about how much it means to have somebody stand at the door and be welcomed. We have two umbrella buckets ready to assist people when the weather is wet.

A few weeks before Christmas I noticed a stranger sitting near the back of the sanctuary. I introduced myself to her and encourage two other people to go over and do the same. Other people introduced themselves after the service but she didn’t get up. I went over when the sanctuary was nearly empty and she started weeping. My wife came over and we took her into an office where she felt comfortable. We talked and prayed with her for quite a while. Satan rules a very cruel world. She has been back every Sunday and many people have come up to her, introduced themselves and welcomed her.

One young young couple visited at Thanksgiving as they were “church shopping”. When introducing themselves to the congregation the day they join the church the husband said they came her one time and didn’t need to go [church] shopping anymore!

Other strangers have been welcomed warmly and are starting to return. Welcoming Touch Ministries was the catalyst we needed. The techniques Ward teaches are now such a natural thing we don’t even think about it. It has even allowed men to invite men to men’s group.

I like to think of this program as not being completed. It is the beginning! Thanks Ward!

Dave Norby
Church Member
Windsor United Church of Christ
Windsor, WI.

When you come to church every Sunday, it is difficult to see people, facilities and Sunday worship as a guest. We asked Ward [with Welcoming Touch Ministries, Inc.] to come for an “Unannounced Visit” last July so that we could see how someone new to Calvary would see us. During the visit, Ward played the role of a guest perfectly. He assumed nothing and saw much while at the church. He made several pages of observations and included areas where we were doing well and areas that could use improvement. In areas needing improvement, he gave us several good suggestions. As a church, we were able to discuss and then implement changes that helped to make Calvary a more welcoming church. All we needed was a set of “fresh eyes” to make it happen!

In Christ,
Pastor Rod Ankrom
Calvary Baptist Church
Rhinelander, WI.

Ward,

I wanted to drop you a note to say how much we appreciate your ministry “Welcoming Touch.” It was so great to meet you in Wisconsin at the camp and to see your beautiful state and hear how God was leading in your life with the vision and dream of serving Churches around the Country. When you came to Bethel Baptist Church in Vilas, N.C. last year to help us in training to be a more welcoming Church, you came by faith. I so appreciate you being willing to come to a smaller Church. When I left First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks in Largo, Florida, I was leaving a Church of 8000 members where I had served for 37 years. We came to Bethel in North Carolina with less than 50 people attending. The Church is 165 years old and in a very remote, rural area. What a transition! We are now in our 8th year and God is blessing “big time”. Your ministry was so helpful and I can’t tell you how impactful that weekend was here at Bethel. Thanks for being so open to reaching out to churches of all sizes! I look forward to meeting up again this September in Wisconsin!

Blessings,
Pastor Charlie Martin
Bethel Baptist Church
Bethel, NC.

Dear Church Leader,

I am serving as Interim pastor of a smaller church that had gotten comfortable. They began to realize their need to become a more welcoming and growing church. Sometimes all you need is an outsider to issue the wake-up call. Ward Utterback did just that. He asked me to help prepare the church for his visit and conference. The leadership knew what was coming and the impact of Ward’s Conference blew their socks off. One of our men has made Welcoming his ministry and he trains others in how to keep this ministry alive and well.

The church is much more welcoming and has grown. Now we have the luxury of experiencing some growing pains. They know now it “doesn’t just happen” but takes deliberate plans and actions if we are going to continue to grow and continue to be a welcoming church.

I want to recommend to you “Welcoming Touch Ministries” and Ward Utterback. Visitors will begin to become regulars and growth really can be achieved.

Sincerely,

Dr. Dennis Hansen
National NAMB Missionary
Church Planting Catalyst

Welcoming Touch Ministry helped our church see what a first time visitor or guest experiences when they come to our Sunday morning worship service. It [Unannounced Visit] gave us fresh eyes that we do not have. It helped us understand some very important areas we can improve on and to celebrate. Our leadership appreciated both the strengths and the growth areas. The follow-up discussion about the detailed report was most beneficial. Ward (or Welcoming Touch Ministries) provides wonderful insights.

Chris Reinertson
Senior Pastor
Southtown Baptist Church
Minneapolis, MN.

Last October we had Ward Utterback, from Welcoming Touch Ministries, come and teach our leaders about starting a powerful welcome ministry. We knew we needed training in this area because God was sending us dozens of visitors, but we retained less than 10% of them. After trying many things ourselves, we decided to contact Ward.

The class was about three hours long and worth every minute. Ward explained to us the purpose behind a welcome ministry and the process we needed to go through to make the biggest impact on guests. Everyone that took the class walked away encouraged and equipped to make a difference.

Since we have received the training Welcoming Touch Ministries provided us, things have changed for the better. We now have a welcome ministry that is intentional and impactful. Our guest retention rate has gone from slightly above 5% to about 40%. God continues to send new people our way and now we are actually making the most of those opportunities. God really used Ward and Welcoming Touch Ministries to better equip us to connect people to; God, God’s people and God’s purpose.

Roseville Baptist Church highly recommends Ward Utterback and Welcoming Touch Ministries. If your church wants to make the most of the opportunity God brings your way, when guests come through your doors, then you need to have Welcoming Touch Ministries and Ward Utterback come and train your people. Ward loves Jesus and is passionate about welcoming people into the Lord’s house. His excitement is contagious and his research and strategies are not only useful, they are transformational. We are so glad we contacted Ward and you will be too!

Sincerely,

Pastor Jackie Hill
Roseville Baptist Church
Roseville, MN.

Dear Ward:

Thank you for the opportunity to recommend Welcoming Touch Ministries. I can recommend your ministry because I was able to experience the difference that the Welcoming Program made at Trinity Baptist Church. When my wife and I first visited Trinity Baptist Church we found a fine Bible-believing church made up of sincere believers who were seeking to become more Christ-like in their relationship with our Savior. What we did not find was a church which made us feel particularly welcome. When we again visited Trinity, a few years later after you developed the Welcoming Program, we saw a dramatic difference. In some ways it was as if we were attending a different church. We no longer felt like “attendees”, we now felt as though we were being welcomed into a family.

Years later, as an Elder and Small Group Ministry Point Person at Trinity, I saw the Kingdom value of a “welcoming culture”. As I spoke with newcomers and read completed visitor cards, I saw that Trinity’s welcoming environment was one of the primary reasons that first time visitors returned to Trinity. And while I realize that enlarging God’s Kingdom must be grounded on the accurate and winsome exposition of His Word, I also understand that new attendees may never claim that blessing if they do not return for subsequent visits.

I can heartily recommend Ward Utterback’s Welcoming Touch Ministry because I have seen the difference that a “welcoming culture” makes in a church body, over time. Ward has a winsome personality and his enthusiasm for what he does is contagious, in a very positive way. If your church body wishes to be intentional about disciple-making, Welcoming Touch Ministries can assist you in planting a seed which, if properly cultivated, will bloom into a “welcoming culture” that makes newcomers want to return for more.

Blessings,
Brian Moyer
Elder & Small Group Ministry Leader
Trinity Baptist Church
Reedsburg, WI.

To Church Leaders of Welcoming Ministries,

I am writing to give an enthusiastic endorsement to Ward Utterback and the Welcoming Touch Ministries. Our Connections Team (the Welcoming Ministry of the church) recently hosted a workshop that trained our people in the activities of welcome and assimilation with Ward as our guest presenter. Our experience was very positive.

From the initial meeting to learn of Ward’s ministry to the final moments of the workshop, Ward exhibited servant leadership and expertise. His passion for helping guests feel welcome in a local church was contagious. But even more than that, he presented material that was practical and transferable to any local situation. The very next day, we implemented some of the principals he presented and our congregation was noticeably encouraged. He also left us with ideas that we can use to build our welcoming ministry in the future.

Welcoming Touch Ministries is a wonderful resource for any church interested in helping guests feel welcome in their first visit, as well as laying the foundation of love and safety that encourages them to return. I highly recommend Ward to any church that desires to increase their welcoming quotient.

For the love of Christ and His Church,

Scott Roen
Senior Pastor
Harvest Evangelical Free Church
Beaver Dam, WI.