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.

The most important thing about church newsletters, whether they are in print or online

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The most important thing about newsletters, whether you ultimately mail them out, post them as a PDF on your website, or use an online newsletter to create them, is the CONTENT in the newsletter. People do not read church newsletters to check out the great graphic design skills of the church—they read them to find out connecting facts and inspirational updates, such as:

  • when and where the youth group is meeting
  • if the church event has a cost and/or childcare
  • how to become part of a small group
  • they read the pastor's column to learn more about him or her as a person
  • they scan the updates that head of the ministry in which they serve to see has to share this month that affects them

Bottom line: if your newsletter provides relevant, timely, useful content for the people of your church it is effective and successful. [Read more...]

Brochure Redesign: from ignored to effective

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PDF of how to create an effective brochure
PDF of how to create an effective brochure

This PDF illustrates the process of how to take a brochure that merely describes a ministry to one that is redesigned to meet needs. The result of the redesign was a huge response to the ministry.

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Click here or on the image to download the PDF.

note: this PDF is from Yvon Prehn's archives and is the only format of this article available presently. Not the greatest quality to be sure, but shared with the belief that the content is useful.

We are unlimited in our potential to share the gospel message; what are we doing with it?

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Charles Spurgeon, in his introduction to Lectures To My Students, wrote:

Should this publication succeed, I hope very soon to issue similar work. . . . . I shall be obliged by any assistance rendered to the sale, for the price is unremunerative, and persons interested in our subjects are not numerous enough to secure a very large circulation; hence it is only by the kind aid of all appreciating friends that I shall be able to publish the rest of the contemplated series.

I often talk about the incredible opportunities available to us in communications today, but the reality of that statement struck me as never before when I read Spurgeon's words.

If I want to communicate something today, I do. I can blog. I can write for my websites. I can write, design, typeset, create a book and publish it with lulu.com, createspace.com, smashwords.com and many other sources. I can record a podcast and create a video at my computer. In minutes I can make these communications available to the world.

Spurgeon did not have that luxury.

The Prince of Preachers had to wait for his words to be published until enough money could be raised for the printing. We don't have to wait for anything beyond the moments it takes to upload our latest creation.

Enough has been said about how this instantaneous access to communication has cheapened public discourse; how any idiot with an opinion can become an instant authority or celebrity. The truth of those observations is obvious. Those who use technology need to handle the responsibility with care, but not with fear assuming that because a publication goes through the hands of a professional editor that  it will come out a better publication.

Professional editors can be extremely helpful and in my early years as a  writer I had the joy of working with tough newspaper and book editors who sharpened my skills. I'm not sure why, but it seems the precision and professional care of some so-called professional editors has deteriorated. In one of my more recent adventures with a national publishing company, (and I've had books published by a number of the major ones) I was given a very nice, but seriously grammatically challenged junior editor to work with on a book. He apparently thought my writing quite exciting—every few paragraphs he inserted exclamation points in addition to extensive and needless rewriting of much of my manuscript.

His flourishes did not make it into the final book. I'm trying to figure out a way to talk about this nicely, but the bottom line is that having to deal with the mess he made, being required going over his head to someone with authority to get permission to clean up the mess, all the time trying to be kind to him as a Christian sister, was a monumental and unnecessary waste of time. I can get a dozen articles written, five training videos, a couple of e-books created, and all of it posted on the web  in a portion of the time wasted on that adventure. When the book was published it came out with a typo on the cover.

Writers do not have to deal with editorial and book publishing company obstacles anymore to get their words into the public arena

We should not use this responsibility to create irresponsible communications. As much care and craftsmanship as is possible should go into our work. We should always be working to improve our writing, design skills, technology expertise, and growth in godliness as we do our work. Our opportunities are not an excuse for sloppy, unthinking work.

But work we must. Publish we must. If we feel we have been given a message from the Lord to share with a lost and dying world, if we feel we have words that can encourage the saints and build up others in the faith, we have absolutely no excuse to not get our message out there.

We have the words of eternal life. We have technology that gives us an ability to communicate far beyond our wildest dreams. What am I, what are you, doing with this opportunity?

To whom much is given, much is required.

As you write for different communication channels, don’t change the content or look of your message

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Multi-channel communication creation
When you have to create communications for a variety of channels, you don't have to change content or design!

Writing multi-channel communications,creating content for both print and digitally forms is easier than many people who create it in church offices realize. That is because a common misconception in the church office is that if you create communications for various channels, e.g. brochure, web, email, brochure, you need to redo the content, restructure, rewrite, and reformat it for each channel. The truth is that you don't only not need to, but if you do change things in each channel, you will confuse people.

This article will explain:

  • what content details you need to include in every channel
  • the important visual elements that need to stay consistent
  • suggestions of what channels to use
  • how often you need to repeat your message

The essential content details that connect people with the ministry or event of your church

These details need to stay the same no matter what channel you use:

  • Name of event (clarify acronyms and church jargon)
  • Who the event is for
  • Time, including duration
  • Date
  • Location & how to get there
  • Contact information of person putting on the event
  • If childcare is provided
  • If there is a cost
  • Why people should want to attend, the text that explains and invites.

Getting these basic details together is often the hardest part of any communication process. Always remember that though these details seem small, they are the vital links that actually get people connected to an event. Once you have them, you simply need to repeat them.

Warnings:

You will always be tempted to leave some of them out thinking that people have already seen them, but remember that just because you have seen something 5-10 times as you put it into different communication channels--every piece you put out will always be the first piece some people see.

YOU MUST include all the important details in every piece you send out or with an easy link to them. NEVER (the shouting is intended here) tell people to "contact the church office for more information." Nobody has time to do that and even if they do, chances are that since you did not have the information when you first put out the communication, you don't have it now.

Getting the little details from people holding events and putting them into every channel of communication is some of the terribly hard servant work of church communications--but these details are essential to link people to life-changing events. For example, a newly-single mom at your church may want to come to an event, but if you are unclear about child care or child care costs she may not have the emotional courage to contact the church and ask about it.

In addition to consistency in your words, you also need visual consistency

What would you think of a team that changed its team colors to make the team "more interesting?" Doesn't make sense does it? It doesn't make any more sense for your church communications to change the items below to "make things more interesting."

Remember, people do not read church communications because they are "interesting" or not. They read them to find information, to meet needs to grow spiritually. It might not be as interesting for you to create consistent, but what might seem like boring designs, but consistency will serve your people well.

The visual content that needs to stay consistent includes:

  • Logo, if one has been created for the event or ministry
  • Key images or pictures.
  • Colors used in advertising, or tied to an event
  • Layout if unique

Once this core content is created: DO NOT CHANGE IT!

The content of your message needs to be consistent and don't change identifying colors or images.

The most successful advertising campaigns are ones where a company finds a slogan, image or person that works and they repeat it again and again. Some phrases have even become part of our vocabulary:

  • Can you hear me now?
  • Just do it!
  • Where's the beef?

Though we aren't attempting to become part of the national jargon, the same secret for success applies in church communications. For example, if your church has decided to use the slogan, "Everyone in One!" for a small group campaign, don't use that slogan in your printed material and "Never study alone!" as your theme on the website. People will be confused and think you are promoting two different programs.

Decide on your content and design and then take that content and design and put out the message using the various channels. For example, perhaps your content is a campaign to get the congregation involved in small groups. The communication team members, using the same content and perhaps similar colors and images, can create a variety of communications to carry out your ministry goals including:

  • a print brochure
  • a bulletin announcement and insert
  • a PowerPoint presentation
  • a website directory of small group times and locations
  • a print directory with the same information for the welcome center
  • cards for the various groups that people can take home
  • an email newsletter designed to inform and encourage people to sign up
  • social media that links to information and encourages sign-up

You may use more or less of it of the basic core of information (but always with the same look, color, slogan) in the various channels. For example on the web you might list every small group with detailed information about what is being studied and detailed directions on how to get to each small group, whereas in the church bulletin, you might simply give a list of topics, times, and a link to the website.

Finally, each channel should repeat the same message several times

Remember nobody sees all the channels and no one in your congregation will see each communication each time it is presented. Though the number changes with the authorities cited, most marketing experts agree that people need to see a message at least 5-7 times for it to register at all. We may be sick of repeating it, but you can be sure that after you send out the same message 10 times in at least 5 different channels, there will still be someone who says, "Thank you so much for that one (text, postcard, email, bulletin announcement)--I didn't know that was happening, but when I saw it, I went and it changed my life."

Communication strategy frees captives

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A daring rescue of captives in the jungles of Columbia took place this week and as the details have been revealed, one comment I heard on NPR provides a useful challenge for church communications.

NPR commented on the critical part communication made in the rescue when it was revealed that the government was able to disrupt and confuse the communication of the rebel group so that the rescue could be made.

What a great analogy and challenge for us as church communicators—to disrupt the communications of the enemy so captives can be freed.

In our world today, the enemy of our souls holds the hearts and minds of people captive to all sorts of useless and soul-killing bondage and most of it promoted through the communications people daily receive. We have the message of freedom in Jesus, but are we getting it out there so that souls can be freed?

To do that won’t happen by accident. The government forces carefully studied the communication of their enemy and then strategically replaced them with their messages that resulted in freedom.

Here are some  practical suggestions for church communicators:

1.  In a world filled with websites for every imaginable media outlet, feedback and comments are solicited. Take the opportunity to comment from a Christian viewpoint.

2.  Whenever you attempt to speak for the kingdom of God, be certain you have your facts straight. One essential component of quoting correctly is that if you are going to use the Bible as a proof text, be sure you quote it in context. Don’t pull verses out of context and throw them out as a proof to support your viewpoint. Study the verse, in context, in history, in interpretation. Read the entire chapter and book it is in and commentaries on it to be sure you are quoting and using the verse with integrity. People to whom you speak may not be familiar with the passage, but most people have an innate sense of when someone is distorting a quote for private purposes.

3.  When quoting the Bible, I have often found that it helps to acknowledge that the people reading or listening to you probably do not view it as the Word of God. In a secular context, I will acknowledge that upfront by saying something like, “I’m not asking you to take this statement as words from God. For the basis of our discussion, think of the Bible as the historical text that reveals what Christians believe about this topic.” God’s word is true and powerful, whether your audience believes that or not.

4.  Always present your comments with “gentleness and respect.” Remember you are to be a witness, not the prosecuting attorney.

If you are a consistent, gentle, clear communicator of the truth of the Christian message, in time the Lord may use your words, spoken and written, in print and on the web, to free captives held by false messages of a world passing away.