First Impressions Academy

Be A Church
People Come Back To.

Most first-time guests decide if they’ll return before the sermon even starts. We help you become a church that guests want to come back to.

Join Academy

Pricing

Choose the support that fits your church - each level has the same goal: help more guests come back

What’s included:

First Impressions Path: ⓘ
First Impressions Path: a month by month guide to take you through a year's worth of impactful hospitality + guest care
Need For Speed Course by Greg Curtis
Volunteer Essentials Bundle
Huddle Talks + Debrief ⓘ
Huddle Talks + Debrief Toolkit, and so much more
1 on 1 Onboarding Call ⓘ
1 on 1 Onboarding Call build a custom learning path
Weekly Office Hours ⓘ
Weekly office hours with staff and coaches
Monthly Member spotlights
To be Discounted Event Tickets/Perks ⓘ
2 member events/year (1 online, 1 in-person with discounts & gifts)
Monthly Coaches Panel ⓘ
Join us online each month with our expert coaches to talk through different ministry challenges and how to solve them
Monthly Strategic Mastermind ⓘ
Masterminds with other leaders in the same role as you, workshopping the real up's and down's of ministry.
4 month topic based ⓘ
4 month topic based sessions to dive deep into real church growth and discipleship strategies
Bi-monthly sessions ⓘ
Bi-monthly sessions with your cohort peers and an Academy expert Coach

Core Content

$49/month

Join Academy Content
First Impressions Path: a month by month guide to take you through a year's worth of impactful hospitality + guest care
Need For Speed Course by Greg Curtis
Volunteer Essentials Bundle
Huddle Talks + Debrief Toolkit, and so much more
Free Onboarding call to build a custom learning path
Weekly office hours with staff and coaches
2 member events/year (1 online, 1 in-person with discounts & gifts)
Monthly Member spotlights
Join us online each month with our expert coaches to talk through different ministry challenges and how to solve them
Masterminds with other leaders in the same role as you, workshopping the real up's and down's of ministry.
4 month topic based sessions to dive deep into real church growth and discipleship strategies
Bi-monthly sessions with your cohort peers and an Academy expert Coach

Core + Cohort

$99/month

Join Academy Cohorts
First Impressions Path: a month by month guide to take you through a year's worth of impactful hospitality + guest care
Need For Speed Course by Greg Curtis
Volunteer Essentials Bundle
Huddle Talks + Debrief Toolkit, and so much more
Free Onboarding call to build a custom learning path
Weekly office hours with staff and coaches
Masterminds with other leaders in the same role as you, workshopping the real up's and down's of ministry.
Monthly Member spotlights
Join us online each month with our expert coaches to talk through different ministry challenges and how to solve them
2 member events/year (1 online, 1 in-person with discounts & gifts)
4 month topic based sessions to dive deep into real church growth and discipleship strategies
Bi-monthly sessions with your cohort peers and an Academy expert Coach
First Impressions Academy

100% Money-Back Guarantee

We believe so deeply in the power of First Impressions Academy that we’re making this completely risk-free. Join as a Member with the assurance that if, for any reason—or even no reason at all—you’re not completely satisfied within the first 30 days, you can get a full refund, no questions asked. This Iron-Clad 30-Day Guarantee is our commitment to you. Take the first step, dive into the Academy, and experience the transformation. If it’s not everything you hoped, we’ve got you covered.

Act Now: Join First Impressions Academy, completely risk-free, to strengthen your church's hospitality all year long.

What's Included in All Academy Memberships

When you’re in, you’re in. These perks come with every membership.

Monthly Training Modules – Practical sessions designed to elevate your guest experience with clear, step-by-step application.
Playbooks & Systems – Ready-to-use templates, checklists, and scripts developed by seasoned church leaders so you can implement proven systems faster.
Live Coaching Sessions – Personalized guidance and real-time Q&A with hospitality experts to help you overcome challenges and grow with confidence.
Community of Like-Minded Leaders – A supportive network where you can share ideas, solve problems, and celebrate wins alongside leaders who understand your world.
Quarterly Members-Only Events – Focused virtual events centered on our content pillars : Volunteers/Teams, Follow-Up/Assimilation, and Hospitality.
Bring Two Team Members Free – Multiply your impact by inviting two leaders to join the Academy at no additional cost.
Exclusive Volunteer Resources – A full year of pre-service huddle scripts and practical tools to equip and encourage your volunteer teams.
Everything listed here is included with your Academy membership.

Additional Benefits of the Cohort Experience

Monthly cohort meetings to process ideas, implement strategies, and learn together.
A small group of church leaders like you who want to grow and solve real ministry challenges together.
Coaching from seasoned ministry leaders who bring practical insight to every discussion.
Quarterly focus topics so your group can go deeper on the issues churches are facing.
A space to process challenges with people who get it, removing the isolation many leaders feel.
Shared resources and real-world ideas from churches across the country, so you stop spinning your wheels.
Plus everything included in Academy Core!

Imagine Guests Returning Again and Again

Join Academy

Imagine Guests Returning
Again and Again

Picture this:
You are consistently seeing new guests every weekend at your church. And you're blowing them away!

You’re connecting with people and doing what you love most about ministry.

With First Impressions Academy, you’ll have everything you need to make that vision a reality. Our mission is simple yet powerful: to provide you with the coaching, content, and community you need to turn first-time visitors into lifelong members of your church family.

First Impressions Academy

We Know How Discouraging It Is When Guests Don’t Return

You’re in the right place if:

You believe in the power of radical hospitality
You’re dedicated to building a welcoming culture
You’re committed to meaningful follow-up
You view hospitality as a core ministry
first impressions

What You Can Expect:
More People Find a Place to Belong

Here’s what you can expect to achieve:

Increased Guest Retention
Instead of seeing guests come once and never return, you’ll have systems in place to make every visitor feel engaged with and invited back.
Empowered Volunteers
Imagine a volunteer team that is on mission with you, motivated in their roles, and fully equipped to create a warm, impactful atmosphere at your church. And you no longer do everything!
Stronger Follow-Up Connections
Proven follow-up strategies ensure nobody is forgotten, and every person feels how much they matter.
Enhanced Online Presence
First impressions start online. We’ll help you create a welcoming digital presence that draws people in.
Deeper Community Engagement
By deeply rooting a culture of hospitality into your church’s DNA, you’ll become a place of belonging and connection. Make those on the outside feel invited in.

The Power Inside
First Impressions Academy

Step-by-Step Systems, Strategies, and Playbooks to Transform Guest Experiences

Playbooks and Systems That Work

What You Get: Proven, downloadable guides for guest services, volunteer onboarding, follow-up practices, and so much more.

Fresh Monthly Content

What You Get: Video teachings from pastors and experts in hospitality and guest care. The monthly content aligns with what's happening in the church calendar so we are complimenting the work you are already doing.

Insights from Proven Leaders

What You Get: Learn directly from leaders who’ve faced and overcome the same challenges you’re dealing with, and apply their proven methods to increase guest engagement and retention in your church.

Weekly Live Calls, Exclusive Course Content, Monthly Coaching Calls, and so much from leaders in the field of guest care, hospitality, and church growth.

Weekly Live Calls

What You Get: Join us weekly as we meet a leader in the field of hospitality, guest care, church growth, etc. Bring questions and your own insights. These calls are informal and incredibly valuable as it creates space to share and learn with and from each other.

Exclusive Courses

What You Get: Learn from some of the best through our exclusive course library. Leaders like Jason Young, Greg Curtis, and many more! Currently in the library : Volunteer Huddle Talks and an entire year’s worth of huddle scripts so you can start running these THIS weekend!

Monthly Coaching Calls

What You Get: Collaborate with our Academy coaches MaryAnn Sibley, Jason Moore, and Jason Young to dive deeper into the monthly content and implement the playbooks at your church. This open floor style coaching call allows you to talk with the coach as well as each other.

We know we are more powerful together. Finally, a space for you to rub shoulders with other leaders like you. This is your community, your people to share the good, the hard, and everything in between. We learn together, we laugh together, we pray together, and we grow God’s Kingdom together. Join us!

FI CoLab

What You Get: post questions, ask for feedback and share your wisdom in this private discussion space. Here we also post recordings of our live events, upcoming event reminders, and other exciting updates.

Connect One on One

What You Get: with the Academy, you can see who is online the same time as you and chat in real time. You can connect with other leaders in churches similar to yours. You can send a DM to someone who posted something that interested you. This is YOUR community.

Ready to Create a Church
People Want to Come Back To?

Join thousands of church leaders who are committed to making
every first impression count.

first impressions

Watch the Mini-Series

first impressions

Exclusive Bonuses for Members

On top of your core training and community, you’ll unlock these member-only extras to help you implement faster and lead with confidence.

1
Quarterly Members-only Event
(Online — Feb, June, and Nov)
“Elevating Hospitality. Empowering Teams. Engaging Every Guest.”
A focused, members-only online event featuring practical sessions on Volunteer Empowerment, Hospitality That Lasts, and Assimilation Pathways—plus downloadable Practical Playbooks you can use with your team right away.
2
Team Pass — Bring 2 Team Members Free
Equip key leaders to learn with you so you can align vision, share the load, and roll out changes faster across guest services, kids check-in, parking, and greeting.
3
Volunteer Resource Vault
A full year of Pre-Service Huddle Scripts, role-based micro-trainings, and printable checklists to keep your team motivated, consistent, and mission-focused week after week.
4
Plug-and-Play Templates & Swipe Files
Connection card examples, first-time guest email sequences, text follow-ups, and welcome scripts—ready to customize so nobody slips through the cracks.
5
Customized Learning Path
book your free 1-on-1 onboarding call with our Community Manager and receive a customized learning path to get you started in Academy. Whether its volunteers and team building, guest follow-up and next steps, or hospitality and guest experience, we have resources done for you and training ready for you!
6
Coaching Replays Library
Access recordings of member Q&A and coaching highlights so your team can learn on their schedule and revisit key topics anytime.

Includes all member bonuses, including access to the Quarterly Members-Only Events (online • Feb, June, and Nov)

First Impressions Academy

You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone

This isn’t just about signing up for training; it’s about stepping into a partnership with leaders like you who believe in playing all out, who are committed to equipping their teams, and who know that first impressions aren’t just a one-time moment—they’re the start of a lasting journey that can connect people to Christ. Join us as a Member, and let’s build this together.

See How Academy Helps Guests Come Back

Churches Are Seeing Guests Return

Our members share how the Academy’s training, tools, and support have helped them grow in confidence and elevate their church’s hospitality.

First Impressions Academy

Transform the Way Your Church Invites, Engages, and Retains
First Time Guests

First Impressions Academy gives you the tools, support, and community to make every guest feel known, noticed, and loved.

Join Academy

What’s Included
When You Join Today?

Here’s everything you’ll receive when you join First Impressions Academy

Academy Member Benefits:

Monthly Training Modules: Practical sessions to elevate your guest experience with step-by-step application.
Playbooks & Systems: Ready-to-use templates, checklists, and scripts from seasoned church leaders.
Live Coaching Sessions: Personalized guidance and real-time Q&A with hospitality experts.
Community of Like-Minded Leaders: A supportive network to share ideas, solve problems, and celebrate wins.

Academy Member Bonuses:

Members-Only: The Guest Experience Summit (Online — November 19, 2025)
“Elevating Hospitality. Empowering Teams. Engaging Every Guest.”
Triple the Impact — Bring two Team Members Free
Exclusive Volunteer Resources — A full year of Pre-Service Huddle Scripts and more.
All benefits and bonuses are included with your membership.

If you want lasting growth in how your church welcomes and cares for people, join Academy today.

Join Academy

Imagine a Church Where Every Guest Feels How Loved They Are

Picture this: your church consistently seeing new guests every weekend. And blowing them away!

You’re connecting with people and doing what you love most about ministry.

With First Impressions Academy, you’ll have everything you need to make that vision a reality. Our mission is simple yet powerul:to provide you with the coaching, content, and community you need to turn first-time visitors into lifelong members of your church family.

Meet Our Coaches

Dr. Jason Young

Dr. Jason Young helps leaders and organizations thrive. He is a trusted coach, consultant, and best-selling author with six books for the modern leader. Jason brings over 25 years of experience on staff with Life.Church and North Point Ministries, and consulting with Chick-fil-A, Bayside Church, FedEx, Gorilla Glue, Delta Airlines, Christ Fellowship, Rooms To Go, Audi of America, Willow Creek Community Church, and many others.

Mary Ann Sibley

Mary Ann grew up in Eastern North Carolina as a Buddhist and was never invited to church until she was a 40-year-old, single mom with two young boys. It wasn’t long after that first visit to a church of about 150 people where she surrendered her life to Jesus. She never planned or envisioned that her business experience as vice president of Commercial Banking and a CFO for a multinational tech company would lead her to work at a church. But God had other plans, and in 2002, she was invited to join the church staff, where she built a volunteer hospitality team from 30 people to over 1,000 until she left in 2014.

Jason Moore

Jason Moore, co-founder of Midnight Oil Productions, is an author, speaker, and hospitality consultant specializing in secret worshiper consultations and training that empowers churches to create transformative, welcoming environments. With more than two decades of experience, Jason has become a trusted expert in guest readiness and church hospitality, helping churches of all sizes understand and enhance the experiences they offer to guests.

Join Academy
First Impressions Academy

Leaders Ready to Create Radical Hospitality

You’re in the right place if:

You believe in the power of radical hospitality
You’re dedicated to building a welcoming culture
You’re committed to meaningful follow-up
You view hospitality as a core ministry
first impressions

What You Can Expect: Transformational Outcomes

Here’s what you can expect to achieve:

Increased Guest Retention
Instead of seeing guests come once and never return, you’ll have systems in place to make every visitor feel engaged with and invited back.
Empowered Volunteers
Imagine a volunteer team that is on mission with you, motivated in their roles, and fully equipped to create a warm, impactful atmosphere at your church. And you no longer do everything!
Stronger Follow-Up Connections
Proven follow-up strategies ensure nobody is forgotten, and every person feels how much they matter.
Enhanced Online Presence
First impressions start online. We’ll help you create a welcoming digital presence that draws people in.
Deeper Community Engagement
By deeply rooting a culture of hospitality into your church’s DNA, you’ll become a place of belonging and connection. Make those on the outside feel invited in.

The Power Inside
First Impressions Academy

Step-by-Step Systems, Strategies, and Playbooks to Transform Guest Experiences

Playbooks and Systems That Work

What You Get: Proven, downloadable guides for guest services, volunteer onboarding, follow-up practices, and so much more.

Fresh Monthly Content

What You Get: Video teachings from pastors and experts in hospitality and guest care. The monthly content aligns with what's happening in the church calendar so we are complimenting the work you are already doing.

Insights from Proven Leaders

What You Get: Learn directly from leaders who’ve faced and overcome the same challenges you’re dealing with, and apply their proven methods to increase guest engagement and retention in your church.

Weekly Live Calls, Exclusive Course Content, Monthly Coaching Calls, and so much from leaders in the field of guest care, hospitality, and church growth.

Weekly Live Calls

What You Get: Join us weekly as we meet a leader in the field of hospitality, guest care, church growth, etc. Bring questions and your own insights. These calls are informal and incredibly valuable as it creates space to share and learn with and from each other.

Exclusive Courses

What You Get: Learn from some of the best through our exclusive course library. Leaders like Jason Young, Greg Curtis, and many more! Currently in the library : Volunteer Huddle Talks and an entire year’s worth of huddle scripts so you can start running these THIS weekend!

Monthly Coaching Calls

What You Get: Collaborate with our Academy coaches MaryAnn Sibley, Jason Moore, and Jason Young to dive deeper into the monthly content and implement the playbooks at your church. This open floor style coaching call allows you to talk with the coach as well as each other.

We know we are more powerful together. Finally, a space for you to rub shoulders with other leaders like you. This is your community, your people to share the good, the hard, and everything in between. We learn together, we laugh together, we pray together, and we grow God’s Kingdom together. Join us!

FI CoLab

What You Get: post questions, ask for feedback and share your wisdom in this private discussion space. Here we also post recordings of our live events, upcoming event reminders, and other exciting updates.

Connect One on One

What You Get: with the Academy, you can see who is online the same time as you and chat in real time. You can connect with other leaders in churches similar to yours. You can send a DM to someone who posted something that interested you. This is YOUR community.

1
Ready-to-Use Training Library
1
Ready-to-Use Training Library

Step-by-Step Systems, Strategies, and Playbooks to Transform Guest Experiences

Playbooks and Systems That Work

What You Get: Proven, downloadable guides for guest services, volunteer onboarding, follow-up practices, and so much more.

Fresh Monthly Content

What You Get: Stay ahead with current insights and proven methods used by leading churches. These monthly updates mean you’re never alone in facing new challenges, and you’ll be equipped to handle them effectively.

Insights from Proven Leaders

What You Get: Learn directly from leaders who’ve faced and overcome the same challenges you’re dealing with, and apply their proven methods to increase guest engagement and retention in your church.

2
Guidance from Experienced Leaders
2
Guidance from Experienced Leaders

Step-by-Step Systems, Strategies, and Playbooks to Transform Guest Experiences

Playbooks and Systems That Work

What You Get: Proven, downloadable guides for guest services, volunteer onboarding, follow-up practices, and so much more.

Fresh Monthly Content

What You Get: Stay ahead with current insights and proven methods used by leading churches. These monthly updates mean you’re never alone in facing new challenges, and you’ll be equipped to handle them effectively.

Insights from Proven Leaders

What You Get: Learn directly from leaders who’ve faced and overcome the same challenges you’re dealing with, and apply their proven methods to increase guest engagement and retention in your church.

3
Community of Like-Minded Leaders
3
Community of Like-Minded Leaders

Step-by-Step Systems, Strategies, and Playbooks to Transform Guest Experiences

Playbooks and Systems That Work

What You Get: Proven, downloadable guides for guest services, volunteer onboarding, follow-up practices, and so much more.

Fresh Monthly Content

What You Get: Stay ahead with current insights and proven methods used by leading churches. These monthly updates mean you’re never alone in facing new challenges, and you’ll be equipped to handle them effectively.

Insights from Proven Leaders

What You Get: Learn directly from leaders who’ve faced and overcome the same challenges you’re dealing with, and apply their proven methods to increase guest engagement and retention in your church.

First Impressions Events

Connect, Learn,
and Grow with the Best

As an Academy member, you get access to our members-only events designed to sharpen your team and elevate your guest experience.

The Guest Experience Summit

(Online — November 19, 2025)

“Elevating Hospitality. Empowering Teams. Engaging Every Guest.” Included with your Academy membership.

Main Takeaways + Sessions

  • Volunteer Empowerment — Recruit, train, and retain volunteers who own the mission of guest care.
  • Hospitality That Lasts — Simple upgrades that make greeting, parking, signage, and follow-up unforgettable.
  • Assimilation Pathways — Move guests from first visit to full integration with streamlined follow-up.
  • Practical Playbooks (Included) — Downloadable handouts, sample huddles, scripts, and onboarding plans you can use right away.
first impressions

Exclusive Bonuses for Members

On top of your core training and community, you’ll unlock these member-only extras to help you implement faster and lead with confidence.

1
The Guest Experience Summit (Online — November 19, 2025)
“Elevating Hospitality. Empowering Teams. Engaging Every Guest.”
A focused, members-only online event featuring practical sessions on Volunteer Empowerment, Hospitality That Lasts, and Assimilation Pathways—plus downloadable Practical Playbooks you can use with your team right away.
2
Team Pass — Bring 2 Team Members Free
Equip key leaders to learn with you so you can align vision, share the load, and roll out changes faster across guest services, kids check-in, parking, and greeting.
3
Volunteer Resource Vault
A full year of Pre-Service Huddle Scripts, role-based micro-trainings, and printable checklists to keep your team motivated, consistent, and mission-focused week after week.
4
Plug-and-Play Templates & Swipe Files
Connection card examples, first-time guest email sequences, text follow-ups, and welcome scripts—ready to customize so nobody slips through the cracks.
5
Quick-Start Onboarding Kit
A 30-/60-/90-day rollout plan, meeting agendas, and talking points to get staff and volunteers aligned quickly—without guesswork.
6
Coaching Replays Library
Access recordings of member Q&A and coaching highlights so your team can learn on their schedule and revisit key topics anytime.

Includes all member bonuses, including access to the Members-Only Guest Experience Summit (online • Nov 19, 2025)

First Impressions Academy

A Journey of Impact and Transformation

This isn’t just about signing up for training; it’s about stepping into a partnership with leaders like you who believe in playing all out, who are committed to equipping their teams, and who know that first impressions aren’t just a one-time moment—they’re the start of a lasting journey that can connect people to Christ. Join us as a Member, and let’s build this together.

First Impressions Academy

100% Money-Back Guarantee

We believe so deeply in the power of First Impressions Academy that we’re making this completely risk-free. Join as a Founding Member with the assurance that if, for any reason—or even no reason at all—you’re not completely satisfied within the first 30 days, you can get a full refund, no questions asked.This Iron-Clad 30-Day Guarantee is our commitment to you. Take the first step, dive into the Academy, and experience the transformation. If it’s not everything you hoped, we’ve got you covered.

Act Now: Join First Impressions Academy, completely risk-free, to strengthen your church's hospitality all year long.