Last year, we packed our bags and headed to Virginia Beach for Wave Conference.

It was a great time for me to learn from some great ministry leaders, meet one of my fav pastors, spend some great family time together on the beach and really recharge my soul. The worship center at Wave Church is just awe-some. If you ever have a chance to go see Pastor Steve at Wave Church, you really should.

This summer we’re trying to figure out what to do, but it looks like the combination of Wave Conference 2010 and getting a chance to play with the kids on one of the best beaches on the east coast is making Wave 2010 a very strong candidate for a summer trip at the beginning of August.

Early bird registration of $70 doesn’t hurt either. A great price for a great weekend. [fyi, don't know about this year, but last year, child care was available for only $5/child...and no, that's not a typo. They have a great kids ministry area complete with indoor jungle gym, they rented outdoor bouncy inflatables, did crafts, etc]

If you’re going to Wave 2010, definitely leave a shoutout in the comments below! Perhaps we can coordinate a meet-up at the event too!

What conference(s) are you going to this year and is there anything that makes it a must-go-to experience? Please share your planned big trips and leave a comment below!

If I walked into your church today, just how many people do you think would have said “Hello” to me?

Most churches think evangelism and visitor retention is a big deal. Churches create tactical plans, committees, strategy and more.

But the big secret is that it all starts with “Hello!” — Does EVERY PERSON in your church or ministry live this out?

One of my randomization rituals entails taking one day a month and committing to saying hello to EVERY PERSON that I cross paths with throughout the day. Sounds easy, sounds silly, but it is actually pretty hard to do! Our culture and society (especially in NYC!) has become a society of strangers existing together. Just get onto an elevator full of people and you’ll understand just how close we can be with others and still never bother to say a simple greeting.

If you are self-aware of this simple practice, you might be surprised at just how often you choose to look away, look at the floor, stay silent, or just simply walk right past people you do not know.

Remember that culture is formed top-down. So your behavior is critical in influencing how others in your spheres of influence actually act. What’s more is that I’m willing to bet that if everyone in your church has a mindset to simply say “Hello!” or “Good morning!” or “Good afternoon!” or “Hi there!” to every person they personally see coming into the building, you’re attendance will change within weeks. Seriously.

Do you yourself say “Hello!” to everyone you see at church? And what do you think about this one-word answer to visitor retention in your church? Please leave a comment below and share what you decide after reading this post.