Effective Church Communications

Effective Church Communications provides Timeless Strategy and Biblical Inspiration to help churches create communications that fully fulfill the Great Commission

Effective Church Communications provides Timeless Strategy and a Biblical Perspective to help churches create communications that fully fulfill the Great Commission. Our tools constantly change; our task doesn’t; we can help.

Three reasons why your technology can limit your ministry

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Technology in the church
Though technology can be a tremendous help in the church, it won't help our people if they don't know how to use it.

We engage with technology in our churches to improve ministry—to enable online donations, to handle scheduling and volunteer activities. We do this to make work in the church office easier and more efficient and it usually does that. However, a problem arises when the congregation needs to be actively involved for the system to work. When this happens, instead of helping, your technology can actually limit your ministry.

Below are three reasons why the congregation does not embrace and may even resist the technology you want them to use. After the reasons are suggestions to increase acceptance of the technology and keep peace in the Body of Christ.

Reasons #1: The congregation doesn't have the same problems you do.

The congregation most likely is not searching for a system to improve the efficiency of how they volunteer or give. The system they have used for years to sign up for volunteer work, turn in their weekly tithe, stay updated on the news of the church is working just fine for them. They don't have to manually do the schedule, send out emails and track responses—they don't spend the hours in church office doing that.

When you introduce a new technology that will change their routine, and make life so much easier for you, they are not happy with it. "Why should the congregation do the work the church secretary was hired to do?" was the response one frustrated church secretary shared with me.

Solution suggestions: We can't assume anyone in the congregation understands how time-consuming and difficult various church tasks are. Before you launch a new system, spend some time communicating to the congregation why it is needed. Prior to informing the church "here is the new system—now use it," conduct a campaign to help them get ready for it. Help everyone to see the needs for all the church that the software will solve.

For example:

  • Let the congregation know how many hours recording and tracking donations, volunteer positions or any other process you want to automate in the church. Most members of the congregation honestly have no idea.
  • Share what happens when these tasks don't get done in a timely manner—how it hurts the financial integrity of the church or how people's needs may be unmet.
  • Help them see how technology can make the pastoral staff more effective shepherds by making up-to-date information always available. Show how technology can prevent financial mistakes and provide current and correct accounting.
  • Calculate how the technology will save time that more staff will not have to be hired and the cost-savings to the church because of it.

To make this campaign to help your congregation accept new technology effective requires more than one or two announcements from the platform. Explanations on your website, emails, social media, PowerPoint—repeated messages through all channels of communications are essential. Start several months ahead to be sure to your reach all the people, some of whom may not attend every week. It won't seem like you have time to this, but if you don't take the time ahead of launching a new system, you'll be forced to take the time afterwards when people have questions, objections, and outright anger at unexplained changes.

Reason #2: The congregation may not have the required technology.

"Everybody is mobile" is the current headline of an advertisement for church management software. That sounds good if you are selling a product that can be managed with a smart phone, but the problem is that when software developers think "mobile" in reality, they usually mean smart phone which greatly narrows the available audience. It is instructive that even though the age group they show with the largest usage (25-34) has a 62% usage, it means 38% of that same age group don't use a smart phone. The same chart shows that one of the most available groups for volunteers, 65+ is exactly reversed, 38% have one, and 62% do not. To adopt a system that will automatically leave out 38% to 62% of your congregation may not be a wise choice.

Suggested solutions: Before you adopt any new system, do a survey of your church to see how many have the required technology to take advantage of your proposed system. It may still make sense to adopt something that only part of your church can use, but do so with a plan to communicate the same information or services of the church to the people who don't have the required technology.

For example if you find that 50% of your church has a smart phone, but almost 90% access email regularly, you may want to get the technology that allows you to communicate to smart phone users, but also be sure you send out an email on the same topic. Or you can send out an email message and let people who have smart phones know they need to check their email through their phone.

Reason #3: Even if they have the needed technology, they may not know how to use it.

In the scenario above, even if people have smart phones, they may not know how to use all the features available to them. My nephew had to show me how to listen to sermons on the iPhone I got as a 99 cent upgrade with my phone plan. It was a very simple task, but I had no idea where to start. I know there are many other tasks I haven't taken time to learn how to do on the phone, including how to check email. I'm in my office far more than out and about with the phone and it's simply much easier for me to check email there.

Or imagine this scenario: a church does all the scheduling of mission trips for the church the church through an online scheduling system. Potential volunteers are told they must use this system—no exceptions. Potential volunteers for the trips will be informed of the schedule and all trip details through the online scheduling system—again, no exceptions. The church does not provide training on how to use the system, volunteers are told to look at the company website (that is complex and confusing) to learn how to use the software. The church is constantly frustrated because though people express interest in the trips, few follow through.

Suggested solution: the most important solution here is for the church staff to realize that not everyone today is comfortable with the computer, even if they have a computer. Not everyone accesses information in the same way even if they have the tools to do so.

These situations may be hard for young, tech-savvy natives in the church office to understand, but that's reality. Many of the Baby Boomer generation may have a computer in the house, but in many instances they will use it for one or two reasons, such as checking out pictures of the grandkids on Facebook or looking at sports scores, but they aren't comfortable with using it to accomplish tasks. They also don't use it every day and though they may have an email account, they may not look at it regularly.

At the same time, many Baby Boomers take early retirement and have the health and finances to do mission trips and other kinds of ministry in the church. If the church does not take the time to find out what technology tools people in this group uses and is comfortable working with, and perhaps training them to use new tools, they may lose invaluable resources in people and in giving.

Yes, it requires more work to do this, but in today's world of ever-changing technology training and accommodation is part of "equipping the saints to do the work of the ministry."

In addition, we do well to remember our Lord's commands to be a servant to all, to be all things to all people, to care for the "least of these" in the area of technology. It will take extra time and effort to teach people how to use the new technology you have, but much more than church efficiency is at stake here—it is a very practical way to show the world we care for each other and are more obedient to our Lord than the demands of efficiency.

On a practical note, one way that may help tremendously is for the church to demonstrate how to use the system by using Camtasia, a software that allows you to demonstrate how to use software by enabling you to create a video of you using it. If you create a video in your voice, using your church as the real example, you can then load it up to YouTube and make it available to your congregation. CLICK HERE to go to a short video that shows how this works.

In conclusion, technology can give our churches and ministries with great options for outreach and efficiency, but at the same time, we need to keep in mind the needs and responses of our people. As long as we make loving people our primary motivation, we'll figure out ways to make our technology a servant for all of us.

Why include non-holiday, “silly” celebrations to a church communication calendar?

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Silly celebrations can serve serious teaching purposes
Silly celebrations can serve serious teaching purposes--we'll show you how.

As you look over our church communication calendar, you may be thinking that you have enough trouble remembering and celebrating the major holidays—so why include events such as:

September 13: International Chocolate Day

September 28: National Good Neighbor Day

August 4: International Friendship Day

Not only are these events an excuse for fun and celebration, but I've included these to help us all be obedient to our Lord. We know the Old Testament commands God's people to make their faith part of their life. . . . .

 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.  (Deut. 6:4-9 NLT).

It's a very clear command and we know we should follow it, but the question is, how can we carry it out in a natural way? How do we communicate Biblical truth to those around us in our daily lives.

For example, perhaps you've selected the command: "Love your neighbor as yourself," which Jesus says is the second great commandment. How do you make teaching that command part of your life? How do you start a discussion about it, make it a topic for learning or provide a way for either your family or congregation to put it into practice?

Some "silly" celebrations might help

There are many sites on the web that list non-traditional and what are termed "silly" celebrations (why or how the term "silly" was chosen, I have no idea, as many of these are quite serious, but that's what they are often labeled). These celebrations can be days, weeks, or months and cover topics such as: National Smile Week, Hug Holiday Day, and Make a Difference Day.

To help you make the most of these, I'll select some, put them on our calendar, and then give links to articles both on this site and outside this site that will give you ideas on how to make the most of these events to teach and train both children and churches in Christian actions.

For example: September 28: National Good Neighbor Day–a challenge to churches to be a good neighbor. Click on the link to go to an article that will give you suggestions for how your church can use this day as both a spiritual challenge and an outreach to your neighbors.

For September 13, International Chocolate Day, you can use it as a time to share love and reach out to others, click on the link for more ideas.

Additional dates will be continuously added to our calendar along with ministry ideas on how to make the most of them as opportunities to celebrate and to communicate spiritual truth. C.S. Lewis said that, "Joy is the serious business of heaven." By making the most of celebrations now, it reminds us of our eternally joyful God, even in the midst of our current heavy work loads and challenging lives.

September 13: International Chocolate Day–an excuse to celebrate!

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Celebrate Chocolate Day
Chocolate can communicate love, fun, appreciation--celebrate it at your church.

How can you not be happy when sharing chocolate? From little kids to adults of any age, it brings a smile to your face and delight to your tummy. And it can be a wonderful time to celebrate in your ministry.

For many years my husband and I were involved in Single Adults Ministry and periodically we would have chocolate celebrations. Many singles don't have a special someone to give them chocolate, so we'd host an event where we'd have a chocolate pot-luck and let them know that God and our group loved them. Sometimes we'd have a dinner first, sometimes we'd do something like show the movie "Chocolat", but the star of the event was always chocolate. It was tremendous fun and singles and their kids always enjoyed it and went home feeling quite loved and celebrated.

September 13, International Chocolate Day gives you an opportunity to celebrate in your church

There are many things that are serious in our faith and rightfully so, but we also need to intentionally remember that our God "richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment" (1 Timothy 6:17). He created chocolate, what a delight it is, and it is OK to enjoy it!

You can use this day to communicate His love and joy by:

  • Creating a special chocolate goodie for break time at church and reminding the staff how much they are loved by God and what a joy it is to work with them in sharing His gospel.
  • Taking home made chocolate treats to a homeless center or pass them out on the street and reminding people how much God loves them.
  • Make up little chocolate goodie packets for home-bound or those in nursing homes and letting them know they are not forgotten.
  • Have a chocolate pot-luck of desserts after a seeker study at your church or any small group gathering to celebrate knowing each other.

Resources for celebration

For an abundance of incredible, wonderful, wish-I-wasn't-at-the-computer-so-I-could-make-some recipes, CLICK HERE for a Pinterest chocolate recipe page.

If you need some reassurance that chocolate also has health benefits—it lowers blood pressure and provides antioxidants—CLICK HERE for a WebMD article.

If the Pinterest recipes are not in your diet plan, CLICK HERE for 5 moderate ways to enjoy chocolate from SHAPE magazine.

If you'd like more about the history and use of chocolate around the world, CLICK HERE for the Wikipedia article on it.

If you have a favorite recipe, way to use chocolate, or how you celebrate with it, please share it in the comment section below—have some chocolate and thank our Lord for the joys, big and little he gives us on our journey.

 

September 28: National Good Neighbor Day–a challenge to churches to be a good neighbor

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Be a better neighbor than a fence
They say "good fences make good neighbors" --here is how our churches can do better!

They say, "good fences make good neighbors" and we certainly hope that doesn't mean our churches. This celebration gives us an opportunity to look at how neighborly we are as a church and as followers of Jesus.

First a little bit about the holiday itself: Becky Mattson from Montana initiated the idea, three presidents (Nixon, Ford, and Carter) issued proclamations, and finally in 2003, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution making Sept. 28 National Good Neighbor Day.

You don't need to be a citizen of the U.S. to celebrate, as the concept of being a good neighbor is an integral part of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, as the following passage reminds us:

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” (Luke 10:25-28, ESV)

To celebrate National Good Neighbor Day, here are two suggestions for communications,  blogs, tweets, ministry actions that will help us grow to be like Jesus:

Be a good church neighbor

Many churches are in neighborhoods and to celebrate National Good Neighbor Day, think of what you might do for your neighbors:

  • Consider a trash pick-up, fixing up a local park or other area, starting a community garden.
  • Take time to evaluate if you have been a good neighbor as a church.
  • Look at the noise, trash, parking issues and other inconveniences the church causes your neighbors.
  • Take time to apologize and do what you can about problems and work with your neighbors and congregation to solve them.

Take a survey of how many people who are within walking distance of the church and who attend your church or any church. If a large number of them are unchurched, be intentional as the fall holiday season approaches on how you might invite them to church activities. (CLICK HERE for Fall Holiday Outreach ideas).

Help your hurting neighbors

An immediate response to this suggestion is most likely the same one that the lawyer in the story above responded to Jesus, "and who is my neighbor?"

Just as Jesus answered by telling the story we know as the Good Samaritan, it is so easy to forget how repulsive a bleeding and bloody man by the side of the road was to help. The obvious application to us is: Who in our world is the repulsive neighbor we don't want to help?

  • Is it the dirty, homeless person pushing their grocery cart of clothes and cans?
  • Is it the immigrant we wish would go away?
  • Is it the person at church whose sin is obvious and morally offensive to us?

The Samaritan stopped on his journey and got involved at significant personal cost to someone he didn't know, who religious people ignored, and whose race hated him. He had every physical, religious, economic, and racial reason to walk by—but he didn't.

And how would Jesus have us take these challenges as we celebrate Good Neighbor Day? We know his answer:

Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37, ESV)

International Friendship Day: an opportunity celebrate and teach about friendship

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Celebrate Frienship Day
Friendship Day is a great time to learn to be closer friends with Jesus

International Friendship Day is celebrated on July 30 or the first Sunday in August. Though the day of celebration has varied over the years, (CLICK HERE for one interesting history of it), no matter what the exact day or the history of it, it is a time to celebrate friendships.

At your church it is a great time to remind your people not only of the joy of human friendship, but the incredible reality that God wants to be our friend and that the death of Jesus makes that possible. You can use it as a time to teach and challenge your people. Below are some quotes, Bible verses, and suggestions for how to make the most of this day to help your people grow into maturity as Jesus' friends.

Quotes on friendship

“FRIEND is one who (F)inds you in a (R)ush of people (I)nspires you to do something in life, catches your (E)motions and (N)ever leaves you until (D)eath….”

Best friends are people you know you don’t need to talk to every single day. You don’t even need to talk to each other for weeks, but when you do, it’s like you never stopped talking.

My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.

A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.

The only way to have a friend is to be one.

Bible verses on friendship

The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray. Proverbs 12:26 (NLT)

A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. Proverbs 17:17 (NLT)
Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable? Proverbs 20:6 (NLT)

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)

“Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13-15

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15

Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. 2 Corinthians 7:1

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 2 Peter 3:14

Teaching/blogging/tweeting challenges—ways to make Friendship Day a spiritual growth opportunity

Take one of the verses above and either share in a group or journal what it would look like in practice. For example, what does it mean to "lay down your life for a friend"? We may not have a chance (though one never knows what the future will hold) to give our physical life for a friend, but what about stopping what you are doing if a friend calls and taking time to really listen?

What about when you have a challenge to volunteer, perhaps weekly at a soup kitchen or other service opportunity and you'd rather spend time on your favorite hobby?

  • What about when your spouse or friend wants you to join them for an activity, a walk, fishing, going to a movie, gardening, and it's not something you really want to do?
  • What about when you know you are right about something, (not something moral or biblical, but an opinion) and your friend does not, will not see it your way?

How would your relationship with Jesus be different if you really believed that He considered you His friend?

  • What would you share?
  • How would you spend time together?
  • How would this change the way you introduce other friends of yours to Him?

Take this day beyond platitudes and merely kind wishes (though these are not to be discounted) and use it as a time to help your people grow in discipleship as they learn and practice what it means to develop an ever-growing relationship with Jesus.