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; Effective Church Communications can help.

A Christmas brochure that explains the gospel–Hark the Herald Angels Sing, but why?

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Picture of Color artwork, side one
This brochure can be used as a give-away to share the good news about Jesus at any Christmas event.

Christmas events should always have a clear presentation of the good news of salvation in Jesus. Jesus is the "reason for the Season," but also your Christmas events are a time when people will be visiting your church who often don't come.

No matter how fantastic your music or program, no matter how delicious the food, you don't want anyone leaving without knowing about Jesus.

This piece, "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, but why?" has been one of our most popular and frequently printed Christmas communications. In the past we've given you this piece either in MS Word format or in PDFs on one page.

Below is the MS Word text and to see this communication in various formats on one page, you can CLICK HERE.

For this year, a NEW tri-fold brochure in MS Word

This piece can be used not only to give out at church events, but it also works to give to your people to put into Christmas letters, to share in their neighborhoods, to give out at work, to friends or however you can think of to use it. The text below is for everyone to copy and use. On the brochures in addition to this basic text is also a back panel with additional websites for people to check out the Christian faith in more detail and a place for you to personalize the brochure for your church. Below it is a ZIP file that contains: an MS Word Editable files of all the versions below, ready-to-print PDFs of each version and images of each one.

MS Word File of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing, but why?"

 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing! but why? At Christmas—did you ever wonder what that joyous singing was about? It certainly couldn't have been for Jesus. Leaving the glory of heaven to inhabit a body that would get tired and hurt from a hard day working in the carpenter shop wasn't reason for joy. Then to preach the message he'd been sent to communicate not only to have the majority of folks not believe him, but to crucify him for it—no, the singing wasn't for Jesus.

It probably wasn't for the angels themselves. It would give them no joy to watch for the next 33 years the incredible wonder of the Creator of the universe playing with little kids, speaking to the storm and quieting it like a child, watching him restore sight and wholeness to the hurting and life itself to a friend who had died, and to have all that love rejected. No, the angels weren't singing for themselves.

I think the angels were singing for us. The celebration was because they knew Jesus was the true connection between people and God. They knew Jesus could quiet that empty place in each heart that God created and only He can fill. They knew Jesus came to earth to bridge the gap between God and man by his death on the cross. That's why we have Christmas and the angels sang.

Their song is for you if you know Jesus. If not, if the place is your heart is still empty and without Jesus, this year consider filling it with him. But think carefully first. Though salvation in Jesus is a free gift, it isn't one without cost. You get it free, but Jesus died to give it to you. Also, if you accept Jesus' gift of salvation, know He takes it very seriously and you won't ever be the same. A new life will start in you, the very life of God. If you want God's gift in all His fullness, chances are that He might ask for some changes your life to make room for new things He'll want to bring in. Don't be afraid; you won't be losing out. You'll be gaining a whole way of life that will be more satisfying than you can imagine. You'll want to read the Bible; you'll want to talk to God in prayer; you'll want to go to a church and meet other members of your new family of God. You'll want to grow spiritually and become all your Creator meant for you to be. It can be scary. You'll be under new management, but whatever you might be tightly clutching now will seem no more important to you than it does to a child who gladly sets aside a toy tricycle when he realizes his parents have a real bicycle for him.

The first Christmas began with a glorious song from angels, but the song isn't over. Did you know the angels want to sing for you?The Bible tells us that the angels today sing for joy whenever someone accepts the greatest gift of all—Jesus. If you want that gift, wherever you are, out-loud or in your heart, say something like this to him:

Dear Jesus,

I want the gift you want to give me. I want to be connected with my God this Christmas. I know that I'm not. I know there are things in my life, my sin, my pride, even some of my good deeds that I thought could take me to God, but I know on my own I won't make it. I realize Jesus came to earth that first Christmas to do what I could not do—to die for me, so I can live with you. I don't understand it all, but I want to ask you anyway to come into my life, to be my Savior, to be with me now and forever. Help me to learn what I need to learn and to grow and live a life that will be pleasing to you. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, listen quietly. The angels are singing—you may not hear them with your ears, but a song of joy that will never end has begun in your heart.  

This next section can be on the back or a third panel of the brochure If you are considering becoming a Christian, please consider. . . . . This is not a decision to be taken lightly. It is not a quick fix, fire-insurance, one more thing to try to make you feel better. It is an eternal commitment to Jesus Christ as Forgiver and Leader of your life. Please take time to explore these sites:

Who is Jesus? http://www.whoisjesus-really.com/english/menu.htm Lots of questions answered here about Jesus.

Christian Research Institute: http://www.equip.org/ This is the website of the Christian Research Institute and Hank Hanegraff, the Bible AnswA Christmas brochure that explains the gospel--Hark the Herald Angels Sing, but why?

Ten Reasons to Believe: http://www.rbc.org/rtb/ An excellent site to explore the Christian faith in detail. Contains a number of lists including: Ten reasons to believe in life after death; Ten reasons to believe in Christ rather than religion; Ten reasons to believe in the Bible; and other lists.

One of the best ways to find out more about the Christian life is to become part of a church. Please find one you are comfortable in, that preaches the Bible and that will answer your questions.

(Here is where you can put in specific information about your church).

Pictures of the various formats of the 3-column format of the brochure, below the images is the link to the ZIP File.

Picture of Color artwork, side one
Side One of the Brochure, color images
Picture of Color artwork, side two
Side Two of the Brochure, color images
If you have a digital duplicator where you can print in an accent color, you can use this file for your master for one color.

 

 

Picture of Blue artwork
This file for the brochure can be used either in color for the blue images or it is also a good one to print in black and white.

 

Picture of Text Only
If you have a digital duplicator where you can print in an accent color, you can use this file for your master for your second color or black.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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ZIP FILE containing all formats in MS WORD, PDF, and images.

 

 

CLICK HERE to download the ZIP File

 

Our most important time, our quiet time with God

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Gayle Hilligoss Picture
Article by Gayle Hilligoss

Ed. note: We are all familiar with the story of Mary and Martha, but it is so easy to forget when we are working so hard for Jesus, to spend time with Him—Gayle's article is a wonderful reminder of how important that time is.

Even in churches it is easy to neglect to leave “God room” in our plans—room for God to reveal His will regarding our goals. While all time is essentially God time, setting aside a quiet period with God each day is surely our most important time.

The Scriptures provide a fine textbook on time management. Jesus gives the ultimate example of the value of planning. He spent thirty years planning for his three years of ministry. Spending time in God’s Word keeps us on track and helps us put our priorities in order. It inspires us to aim for excellence.

In aspiring to excellence, avoid becoming perfectionistic. Jesus was perfect, not a perfectionist. He worked with imperfect people in an imperfect system. He entrusted his work to us! Would a perfectionist do that? Do your best; then turn it loose. God will bless your honest efforts.

Everyone who has ever read a book on time management or who has attended a seminar on the subject has been reminded we all have the same amount of time. We all, regardless of status in life, have only 24 hours a day.

Time is a resource—our most precious because, unlike money or energy, it cannot be saved up to be used later. The minutes go by; we cannot truly manage them. What we can manage is the way we use our time.

Be aware of time as you go through your day. Scrutinize the jobs you do and look for creative ways to cut minutes off each task.

Even so, don’t fall into the stressful game of “Beat the Clock.” Find a comfortable pace and whatever transpires, don’t neglect your quiet time.

Be sure to schedule and to take a couple of breaks during the day. Leave the office for a lunch hour. Studies indicate that people who take short breaks mid-morning and mid-afternoon and who take a full lunch hour are more productive than those who work straight through. Tired minds and tired bodies simply do not produce good results.

A good rule is to ask yourself several times during the day, “Is what I’m doing the best use of my time now?” Your schedule must be rigid enough to be effective yet flexible enough to allow for priority shifts beyond your control.

Amid all your busy-ness, your quiet time is essential. This is when you gain a clear picture of the results you want to accomplish—not simply the tasks at hand. God time allows you to know your true goals and to focus on them. No priority is higher.

 

Christmas Holiday visitors—how to turn them into regular attenders

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Christmas invitations and how to keep them
Here are ideas to keep your Christmas visitors coming back.

As we go into the holiday season, your church will be holding many events that will attract visitors. You want these visitors to become regular attenders and you can help make this possible not only by the quality of your holiday event, but by the follow-up publications you send out.

Successful follow-up publications DO NOT mean a mass generated “so glad you were here….” letter. Instead, try these ideas:

Position your church positively

Sending out a “so glad you were here” publication is OK to do if you have the time and money, but there is nothing usual or memorable about that. People expect churches to be glad they came and of course a church wants them to return.

What might be a bit more surprising is if your church, instead of asking for something, gave something away. For example, what if you sent out a series of postcards or a series of one-page newsletters and tips that would give people ideas that would help them get through the holiday season. What if those publications didn’t ask for anything, but were genuine servant publications with the motive of honestly helping the people they were sent to.

This would put your church in an entirely different place and a very positive one that would cause people to want to return. Following are some specific publications that could do this:

Countdown to Christmas Postcards/flyers or emails

Depending upon how far back from Christmas you start this, let’s assume you have a list of families who attended your Fall Harvest Festival. You make up a series of perhaps five post-cards,  tri-fold flyers, or follow-up emails in bright colors with topics like this:

Countdown to Christmas

Week #1—some inexpensive, creative, and alternative ideas on how to plan Christmas shopping and gift exchanges, drawing of names, deciding to give to charities in the name of family members, what charity opportunities are available in your community, if any churches (your church?) sell third world gift items.

Week #2—some favorite recipes from your congregation: a favorite fudge, a hot cider mix, a special grandma cookie recipe. Many families today don’t have family members close by and many young families don’t know how to prepare holiday items. Make sure your directions are simple and easy.

Week #3—the meaning of advent and some ideas on how to help families celebrate it. Perhaps offer an advent booklet for free by simply calling your church or requesting one from your church website.

Week #4—Offer to pray for people during this busy and sometimes stressful time of year. Have a prayer line where they can leave requests or an email address. Assure them it is confidential and is a gift from your church to them.

Week #5—An invitation to take part and the times your church offers free baby-sitting so busy parents or especially single parents can shop, locations where your church is doing totally free gift-wrapping.

On all these postcards be sure to clearly give the address of your church, your service times and times for children’s church or education programs, contact phone number and web site. Be sure also to always say something like “Your Local Community Church is there for you and your family, not only at Christmas time, but any time of the year. Please contact us if we can serve you in any way.” If you say something like that, be sure there is a team in place and ready to respond.

You could also do electronic versions of the postcards by creating electronic postcards or emails with the same content. The holiday postcard templates at www.constantcontact.com include wonderful designs that can be very useful in this way.

What it’s really all about

Another option would be a series of cards explaining the meaning of different traditions at Christmas. If you do a Google search on the web you’ll find dozens of pages with explanations of various Christmas traditions.

You could choose one tradition a week and again send out a series of cards. Again, many people today don’t know why we celebrate the traditions we do and you can give them a Christian explanation. Be sure to always remind them, that in addition to the reasons we have candy canes or Christmas trees (both with very Christian historical traditions) the “reason for the season” really is that Jesus, who was fully God, became fully man to grow up and become our Savior.

What’s most important

The most important thing about either of these communication/church marketing projects is not how fancy your clip art is or how stunning the type face that you choose. What is most important is if you create these and send them out with lots of love and prayer for the visitors to your church, you have a tangible way to let them know you care.

Successful Christmas Outreach Strategy

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Christmas tree
For Christmas outreach to be successful take lots of work and prayer.

For many churches, their idea of successful Christian outreach means finding and buying the best looking, professionally done postcard and then paying lots for mailing lists and a large mailing.

It doesn’t matter how great your outreach marketing piece looks, how flawless the printing, how inspired your slogan, no one piece can carry the weight of assuring a good turnout for a Christmas event. Even if you do get a good turnout, that doesn't mean that the response of the people who attend will be anything more than appreciation for a good time.

This is not to say that these things don’t matter, because they may be steps towards a connection with your church and Jesus, but the key thing to remember if you want your Christmas outreach to be ultimately successful, is that it takes many actions by every part of your church and here are some suggestions:

1. First for leaders and decision-makers in the church, spend time in prayer asking God to impress on your heart the seriousness and the privilege of our opportunities this time of year. Remember, this might be your one opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus with visitors and relatives. The eternal destiny of people can be decided at your church this holiday season. [Read more...]