What’s an Excellence Walk—and Why Does My Church Need One?

Picture this:

It’s a bright Sunday morning, and you’re excited about what your staff and volunteers have in store for your attenders.

But, as the first cars start rolling into the parking lot, you get that nagging feeling like you’ve forgotten something.

Sound familiar?

That’s why we implemented an Excellence Walk.

What’s an Excellence Walk?

The Excellence Walk concept and checklist can be used in any ministry, but we’re focusing on how we use the tool in our kids ministry.

In #kidmin, we’re intensely focused on providing a great experience for families each and every week. If a family has a great experience, they’re going to want to come back.

Returning families are a vital sign of a vibrant, healthy kids ministry.

Before each weekend begins, our kids ministry team uses the checklist to walk through the entire area to make sure everything is ready for the weekend.

 

 

As you take a look at the checklist, you’ll notice it’s divided into the following areas:

  • Lobby/Common Area/Restrooms
  • Guest Services
  • Self-Check-In Area
  • Classrooms

While kids spend most of their time in the classroom, every area matters to families. And every interaction is an opportunity to build trust with new families.

That’s why we check off items like “Guest Services counter is tidy,” “pen cups are filled,” and “bathroom mirrors are clean.” Those small details matter in the overall image you’re creating for your kids ministry.

In the classroom, if a leader or volunteer doesn’t have the right supplies or equipment, they’re not able to fully teach and connect with the kids. The checklist helps us double check that everything is fresh, stocked, and working correctly.

How to Use an Excellence Walk

Feel free to tweak the details of the checklist to fit your ministry. The goal of the checklist isn’t to create the cleanest kids ministry rooms; the goal is to create an environment for kids, parents, and leaders that helps them focus on Christ.

We use the checklist at the beginning of each weekend, and we also use it between services to “reset”—since we have multiple services in the same spaces on the same day, resetting ensures every family has a great experience no matter what time they attend.

For more tips on creating a great experience for families, check out our recent Facebook Live video where members of our team discuss the Excellence Walk Checklist and much more:

 

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