John Voelz, Experiences Pastor (kind of)
Jackson, Michigan is home to more than 30,000 residents, something called the Hot Air Jubilee, and Westwinds Community Church. Though Westwinds is far from being a megachurch, the church’s use of media and technology is prolific. A visit to westwinds.org reveals a site that is more than aesthetically pleasing; the site provides access to a robust media library, the personal blogs of the church’s leadership, the church’s web-facilitated spiritual development program (Causemology), and more. We talked with John Voelz about Westwinds’ passion for connecting its community with Christ through creativity.
COLLIDE: Tell us a little bit about Westwinds Community Church.
John Voelz: Westwinds is a boutique. It is that place you go in Jackson to get that “special something.” There are other great churches in town but Westwinds has that certain je ne sais quoi. The building is full of vibe, energetic, and full of eye candy.
Fusion (our weekend program) is loud, colorful, tech savvy, fun, and smart. It’s the kind of place people come to for the first time and walk away asking, “What the heck did I just experience?”
We are very committed to creating an engaging atmosphere. Yes, there is a certain amount of familiarity each week but there is also a “What are we going to get this week?” expectation. We seldom do things the same way twice because we value creativity. Plus, we get bored easy (laughs).
I think people like Westwinds for a variety of reasons. We are not afraid to laugh at ourselves. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. We are not afraid of change. We are not afraid to fail by trying something new. Our staff is approachable. People definitely know it is a place where they are welcome to “belong” before they “believe.”
Those who grew up hating church love Westwinds. Those who are intellectuals love Westwinds. Those who have been cast out by the Church and society love Westwinds. Artists and creatives love Westwinds.
All in all, Westwinds is the place I would be a part of even if I weren’t on staff. There is nothing like it I have seen or experienced. I am very proud of our people.
COLLIDE: What is your role on staff?
Voelz: I am the Coriolis: Experience (bet you want that one explained). There are three of us who share the “senior leadership” role of the church. We do not have one single senior pastor. Our team, Coriolis, is named for the Coriolis effect, which serves as a great metaphor for us.
The Coriolis effect is what causes wind along with the uneven heating of the earth. The Coriolis effect is what happens when an ice skater pulls his or her arms inwards and spins faster. The Coriolis effect is what allows you to pour coffee on a plane that is going 600 miles an hour and the coffee pours straight.
Coriolis is divided into three areas of expertise: Narrative, Journey, and Experience. As the Coriolis: Experience, I am responsible for everything you see, touch, taste, smell, and hear at Westwinds. I help protect our brand. I program all weekend Fusions. I lead all the teams that work together to pull off a weekend Fusion. However, if you asked someone at Westwinds what I do and they don’t know me, they would say, “John is the guy who leads worship and speaks every once in awhile.”
COLLIDE: In what ways does Westwinds incorporate media and technology into its worship services?
Voelz: Wow. Several ways: live streaming/chatting, podcasting, vodcasting, in-house video productions, web, YouTube, Motion Dive, IMAG, multiple cameras, etc.
In this upcoming series, we will be inviting everyone to bring their laptops and mobile phones to Fusion because we will be running live Twitter feeds (www.twitter.com) on the screen, so we can all interact during Fusion. I am hosting a class before the series to help everyone who is interested set up a Twitter profile and join the conversation.
COLLIDE: Why does Westwinds go to the trouble of offering blogs, podcasts, vodcasts, and text message updates?
Voelz: Because they are the language of our culture. Blogs help us cast vision, diffuse bombs, clarify, set up, evaluate, etc. If you are in leadership of anything significant, you’d better be blogging because I guarantee someone is blogging about you.
Podcasts and vodcasts help us reach a variety of people we would not normally reach. We have these things being downloaded by the thousands in multiple countries. Technology has allowed us to expand our influence for the sake of the Kingdom.
I think Jesus would have a blog. Jesus would Twitter. Jesus would podcast/vodcast. Jesus would use Ustream and/or Mogulus. I really believe that. I think Jesus would be doing all he could to make himself available and to love on people.
COLLIDE: What is Causemology all about?
Voelz: Causemology is the portal to the “Monday through Saturday” Westwinds. When you come to a church, you are asking a few basic questions:
- What do these people believe?
- What does this church do?
- How do I fit?
- Where do I get started?
Causemology is our answer to those things.
Every few weeks, as a church body we participate in “waves” of spiritual practices, disciplines, and missional activities together. We are trying to lead the horse to the water rather than making him drink. We are providing options to grow rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to spiritual discipline and growth.
Some churches are “churches of small groups,” but that didn’t work for us as a sufficient model. We still have small groups but they fall under the banner of Causemology.
We are trying new things together in order to grow up together and seek God. The four areas we focus on are Something for Your Church, Something For Your World, Something for Your Relationships, and Something for Your Soul. So far so good, with little tweaks here and there.
To find out more about Westwinds Community Church, visit www.westwinds.org.