The story about the Russian 'deep cover' agents has been all over world news last week. They were allegedly trained by Russian Intelligence in Moscow and sent to spy on America. Their mission was to infiltrate policy making circles and send back intelligence to Russia.
Imagine a senario where deep cover agents infiltrate your church. Their mission is to report back to their puppet master and dish up what is really going on at your church. Not what you think is going on, but what is really happening.
Imagine to my surprise when I came across a real life puppet master who sent his secret agents into churches – not to spy and use it against churches, but to go undercover and use it to serve the vision and the mission of that church.
This service to churches includes an eye on everything:
- Your church’s website
- parking lot
- foyer/lobby
- nursery
- facilities
- signage
- restrooms
- overall feel and a main focus on the worship experience including music
- technology/media and preaching.
About a month or so ago I came across a guy called Greg Atkinson. Greg oversees a ministry called 'Secret Shopper'
The corporate world has used for years the idea of mystery shopper. This is where a 'undercover brutha' or 'sista' (I've always wanted to use that word in a blog post) uses the service the business offers. The undercover brutha then writes a report about their experience using a pre-determined report that is then handed back to the client to reveal their areas of strengths and weaknesses.
Why is a secret agent/secret shopper so important? I've said before that perception is everything. That it is not about how churches see themselves that really counts, but how others from outside the church see them really matters. Secret shoppers or undercover brutha's will help you see yourself how others see you.
Brilliant.
Have you every used a secret shopper?
