Culture Team
Culture - Clear - Clarity
First of all, thank you for being willing to help us figure this out. I really believe this is an important area for the future of our church, and I think you're the right person to help shape it.
I went ahead and started brainstorming some thoughts, mostly to bring clarity to the onboarding process and get the ball rolling. Right now, I'm thinking about calling this team the Culture Team, the team that helps create care, connection, and clarity for everyone who joins Team Local.
One of the biggest goals here is simply getting aligned on how we bring people in and how we take care of people once they're here.
Below, you'll see a breakdown of what the Culture Team owns and what the Admin Team owns. The Admin Team will be led by Valeria from Spanish and will handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes support—forms, emails, automated texts, tracking, and administrative follow-up.
Throughout the document, whenever you see (Culture Team), those are the areas I'm looking to you and your team to own, develop, improve, and lead. There are a few places where the Culture Team and Admin Team will collaborate, but generally speaking, the Admin Team supports the process while the Culture Team owns the people.
The two main areas I'm focused on right now are:
Onboarding — creating a simple seven-day process that moves someone from signing up to being successfully onboarded and ready to serve by the following Sunday.
Team Care — creating systems and rhythms that help people feel seen, known, valued, and connected once they're on the team.
At the bottom, you'll see a section around Team Care. Honestly, that's the area I'm most excited for you to help shape. I want it to reflect your personality, your strengths, and your ideas. I've included a few thoughts and some basic standards just to get the conversation started, but I don't see those as final. I see them as a starting point.
Take some time to read through everything. I'd love your feedback, your ideas, and your perspective. This is definitely not finished, I just wanted to put something on paper so we could begin building together.
Thanks again, man. Excited to see what we can create.
What Culture Team Owns
Team Responsibilities
Connection
Welcome new team members
Personal texts/calls
Follow up with incomplete onboarding
Placement
Coordinate shadow experiences
Connect people to team leaders
Culture
Ensure every new volunteer feels seen
Protect team culture
Answer questions
Tracking
Monitor onboarding sheet
Track completion status
Report weekly numbers
What Admin Team Owns
Sign-up forms
Automated texts
Essentials links
Tracking sheet maintenance
Reminder messages
Locker Room access
The 7-Day Team Onboarding Flow
SUNDAY
Sign Up Day
Guest signs up to join a team.
Information captured:
Name
Phone
Email
Desired Team
Existing Team Experience (optional)
Automatically enters onboarding sheet.
Goal: Get them into the system.
MONDAY
Welcome Day
(Admin)
Text Message #1
"Welcome to Team Local! We're excited you're taking your next step. Over the next few days we'll help you get connected and ready to jump in. First step: watch Essentials."
Links:
Essentials Video Page ( This page will include instructions for next steps : Fill out “I have completed Essentials Form, get familiar with locker room, review code of conduct and sign the team covenant.)
Admin updates tracking sheet.
Columns:
Signed Up : Checked by individual signing up, automatically.
Welcome Text Sent : Checked by Admin team.
Essentials Completed: Checked by Culture team.
Covenant Signed: Checked by Culture team.
Code of Conduct Signed: Checked by Culture team.
Shadow Scheduled: Checked by Culture team.
Goal: Start the journey immediately.
TUESDAY
Personal Connection Day
(Culture Team)
Call or text from Culture Team member.
Something simple:
"Hey! My name is Dante. I help oversee the Culture Team at Local. Just wanted to personally welcome you and see if you had any questions."
No interview.
No pressure.
Just relationship.
Goal: Turn a signup into a person.
THURSDAY
Team Placement Day
(Culture Team)
Check who completed Essentials. They’ll fill out the “I completed essentials form”
Check who completed the Team Covenant.
If not completed: Friendly reminder text to take time to complete it.
If completed:
Determine:
Which team fits best
Set up shadow opportunity for Sunday
Team leader assignment
Culture Team sets introduction with Team Leader.
"Meet Rosa. She's one of our Hospitality Team Leaders and will be your point person this Sunday."
Goal: Create ownership.
FRIDAY
Sunday Preparation Day
(Culture Team)
Personal text.
"Can't wait to meet you Sunday! Here's where to go and what to expect."
Include:
Arrival Time
Parking Instructions
Meeting Location for Huddle
Dress Expectations
No surprises.
Goal: Reduce anxiety.
SATURDAY
Anticipation Day
(Culture Team)
Quick reminder text.
"Tomorrow is your first Sunday with Team Local! We're excited to meet you. See you at 8:30am."
Short.
Exciting.
Goal: Build anticipation.
SUNDAY
Shadow Day
New volunteer arrives.
Meets:
Culture Team lead
Team Leader
Gets:
Quick tour
Team introduction
Shadow assignment
No responsibility yet.
Observe.
Meet people.
Experience culture.
At the end:
"How was your experience today?"
If positive: Invite them onto the schedule for next Sunday.
Goal: Let culture convince them.
Here are 20 practical suggestions your team can own to help team members feel seen.
If people feel seen, known, and loved, they stay longer, serve better, and become leaders.
Team Care Ideas
1. New Team Member Welcome
Every new volunteer gets a personal text, call, or voice memo within 72 hours.
Goal: Nobody joins alone.
2. Shadow Sunday Host
Assign a Culture Team member to every new volunteer on their first Sunday.
Walk them in.
Introduce them around.
Sit with them if needed.
3. Team Birthdays
Track birthdays and celebrate them publicly in team chats and personally.
Could be as simple as a text and graphic.
4. Team Anniversaries
Celebrate 1 year, 2 years, 3 years serving.
People stay where they're celebrated.
5. Sunday Hype Team
Create energy before service.
Music.
High fives.
Introductions.
Conversation.
Their job is making Sundays feel alive.
6. After-Service Connection
Don't let people disappear immediately.
Create moments for conversation after church.
Especially with new volunteers.
7. Monthly Team Hangout
No agenda.
No ministry.
Just friendship.
Coffee.
Tacos.
Beach.
Bowling.
Community before productivity.
8. Team Lunches
After church once a month.
Invite different groups.
Mix ministries together.
9. Encouragement Team
Every week identify 3-5 people and send a personal encouragement text.
Simple.
Specific.
Powerful.
10. Prayer Team Care
When someone shares a need:
Follow up
Pray
Check back in
People remember who checked on them.
11. Team Member Spotlights
Highlight one volunteer weekly.
Social media.
Gloo.
Sunday slides.
Celebrate stories.
12. Welcome Every New Team Member Publicly
Post in the Team Gloo:
"Everyone welcome Sarah to Team Local."
Create instant belonging.
13. Team Wins Report
Share wins every week.
Salvations.
Stories.
Guest feedback.
Growth.
People stay connected to mission.
14. Sunday Hospitality for Volunteers
Water.
Coffee.
Snacks.
Simple things communicate value.
15. Team Appreciation Gifts
A few times a year.
Handwritten note.
Coffee card.
Sticker.
Hat.
Small gifts.
Big impact.
16. Random Check-In Calls
Every week call one volunteer.
No reason.
Just:
"How are you doing?"
17. New Friend Introductions
Intentionally introduce people who should know each other.
Build friendships.
Not just teams.
18. Team Celebration Nights
Quarterly.
Celebrate wins.
Tell stories.
Honor people.
Have fun.
19. Care Response Team
When someone is sick, struggling, grieving, or going through something difficult:
Meal train
Prayer
Texts
Visits
Care becomes visible.
20. "I Missed You" Follow Up
If a volunteer disappears for 2-3 weeks:
Reach out.
Not:
"Where have you been?"
Instead:
"Hey, just wanted you to know we missed you and we're thinking about you."
Huge difference.