Advertise on podcast: Church Staff Book Club

What makes a guest feel welcome at church? Is hospitality a job description or a culture everyone shares? In this episode of the Church Staff Book Club, we dive into Chapter 2 of The Come Back Effect to unpack why church culture isn’t built by greeters... it’s built by everyone. From volunteers and tech teams to senior pastors and worship leaders, your guest experience reflects what people feel before they hear the sermon. 🎙️ In this episode, we cover: Why “culture is what people whisper in the lobby”A powerful story about hospitality in rural GuatemalaHow unspoken behavior builds or breaks your church culturePractical ways to help people linger after church (and why it matters)Why the “production mindset” may be killing your margin for meaningful connectionsHow to reinforce culture through stories, not just slogans 🛠️ Plus: We explore real, tactical solutions to shift a church culture—from service speed to bounce houses. 📚 Book featured: The Come Back Effect by Jason Young & Jonathan Malm 👥 Great for: Guest Services teams, volunteer leaders, church staff, pastors, and anyone shaping the Sunday experience. 💬 Leave a comment below: What’s one small shift you could make to help your church feel more welcoming? 👍 Like | 🔔 Subscribe | 📣 Share with your church team

The guest doesn’t need you to be perfect. They need you to be present. In this episode of the Church Staff Book Club, we break down Chapter 4 of The Come Back Effect and explore why presence beats performance in church hospitality. From the parking lot to the pulpit, your guests can tell when you’re distracted, rushed, or multitasking... and it matters. Whether you’re a pastor, volunteer leader, or on the greeting team, this conversation will help you lead with empathy, margin, and emotional awareness. 🎙️ In this episode, we cover: Why multitasking is the enemy of hospitalityHow body language (even your feet) tells people if you’re really listeningThe 4 biggest distractions that prevent us from being fully present:→ Pressure, Pace, Performance, and People What to say when you do need to exit a conversation gracefullyWhy Sunday morning presence starts with weekday connectionThe difference between service and true hospitalityHow to train your team to slow down and show up for guests 📚 Book featured: The Come Back Effect by Jason Young & Jonathan Malm 👥 Who it’s for: Guest services teams, church staff, pastors, volunteer leaders, and anyone shaping the Sunday experience. 🛠️ Practical + relatable content for churches of all sizes. No book reading required. 💬 Question for you: Have you ever felt like someone wasn’t really listening? How can we make sure our guests never feel that way? 👍 Like | 🔔 Subscribe | 📣 Share with your team

In this episode of Church Staff Book Club, Jonathan Malm and Jason Young dive into Chapter 5 of The Come Back Effect: “Think Scene by Scene.” You’ll learn why it’s not just about the stage or sermon, but every transition point guests experience at your church: parking, check-in, kids drop-off, seating, and even how they exit. These in-between moments are often where people feel the most confusion and where churches lose trust without realizing it. Whether you’re a church staff member, guest services leader, or volunteer, this conversation will help you: Understand how guests emotionally experience your church “scene by scene”Map the guest journey to improve hospitality and clarityTrain your volunteers to guide, not just greet, peopleEliminate confusion and frustration from first-time experiencesBecome a helper in someone’s story, not a hindrance 📘 Get the book: [The Come Back Effect by Jason Young & Jonathan Malm] 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 💬 Drop a comment or DM us with your biggest church hospitality question!

In this first episode, we dive into our own book The Come Back Effect and explore why how people feel at church is just as important as what gets done. From parking lots to greeters to follow-up teams, we discuss how emotional intelligence, hospitality, and intentional leadership create environments where guests feel seen, valued, and want to return. You’ll hear: Why great systems alone don’t create great experiencesHow to help volunteers lead with empathy, not just efficiencyWhy church leaders sometimes feel like cogs and how to fix thatWhat it means to be an “emotional bodyguard” for your guests Whether you’re a solo pastor or on a big team, this episode will help you reframe how your church welcomes people and why that feeling matters more than you think. 📚 Book: The Come Back Effect by Jason Young & Jonathan Malm 💬 Let us know what stood out. Tag us on social or send us a message!

How well do you really know the people showing up at your church? In this episode of the Church Staff Book Club, we unpack Chapter 3 of The Come Back Effect and dive into the challenge of creating welcoming church experiences. Not just for the crowd you already have, but for the guests God is sending your way. 🎯 Whether you’re a guest services leader, pastor, or volunteer, this episode will challenge how you think about hospitality, spiritual assumptions, church culture, and guest comfort. 🎙️ We discuss: Why some “welcoming” experiences actually make guests uncomfortableThe difference between demographics and psychographics (and why both matter)How churches accidentally create experiences for staff instead of visitorsWhat foot-washing and awkward song lyrics can teach us about cultural assumptionsHow to spot your real “target” guest and why specificity increases impactWhy signage, language, margin, and pace make or break the guest experienceThe difference between hospitality and service (and why your church needs both) 👥 Who this episode is for: Church staff, guest services teams, worship leaders, communications directors, hospitality teams, volunteer coordinators, and pastors who want to build a culture that makes people feel seen, known, and comfortable from the parking lot to the pew. 📚 Book featured: The Come Back Effect by Jason Young & Jonathan Malm 🎧 Subscribe for a new chapter each week as we walk through powerful leadership books so you never have to learn to lead alone. 💬 Question for you: What’s one moment in your church that might accidentally make a guest uncomfortable? How could you tweak it to show care? 👍 Like | 🔔 Subscribe | 📣 Share with your team