Effective Church Communications

Mother’s Day Resources — Don’t miss out on the fantastic outreach and evangelism opportunities at this time!

13 April, 2023 By Yvon Prehn Leave a Comment

Mothers day image — This is part of a set of images that can be used to celebrate the women in your church on Mother's Day or anytime. CLICK on the image to go to the set.

Mother's Day has the third-highest church attendance of the year, right after Easter and Christmas and the reason for that isn't because of the Mothers that are there—

It's because of the unchurched spouses and children who showed up on that day to make Mom happy!

Because of that, Mother's Day is THE most important evangelism and outreach opportunity you have all year. But sadly, few churches take advantage of this reality.

This video will not only give you ideas on how to make the most of Mother's Day, but previews the FREE resources you can go to implement it at: https://www.effectivechurchcom.com/templates/mothers-day-templates/.

All the publications in the video are at the link above including the sheet for One Mother's Prayer.

For this eBook on Mother's Day Strategy, go to this link: https://payhip.com/b/ryS73

For the Printables shown below that celebrates godly women and says, "Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised," plus many others appropriate to celebrate moms, go to this link: https://payhip.com/b/ryS73

At the link above you can download files that can be used in everything from social media sizes to large posters. You can also print out 5x7 or 8.5x11 sizes and put them in Dollar Store frames to share with the women of your church.

Here are the varieties of images available:

Why the emphasis on evangelism and discipleship for Mother’s Day

11 April, 2023 By Yvon Prehn Leave a Comment

Mothers Day Resources — Celebrating Mothers is important on Mother's Day, but we can do more to reach out to unchurched families at this time.

The reasons for doing more on Mother's Day that focusing solely on celebrating Moms has to do with the overall approach of the Effective Church Communications ministry.

Bear with me for a few minutes while I explain (and if you are super busy, just go HERE for free Mother's Day Templates).

Brief background of the philosophy underlying Effective Church Communications

I never imagined when I was astounded with the technical ability of the IBM Self-Correcting typewriter that I'd be communicating today creating images in Canva, doing podcasts, and training videos for church communicators on the web that reach the world.I imagine those starting out with the technology we have today will look back, should they and this world last, and be amazed at what they will use in church communications five decades from now.

Tools are essential, but often a distraction

Though technology and the tools we use to communicate have continuously changed from the use of clay tablets to the Internet (though the pace has accelerated greatly), a human tendency continues to focus on the tools as THE most important ingredient to communication success. At one time it was radio that would reach the world, then television, then the Internet came along and gave birth to the myriad of technologies today.

A bulletin with color added was a big deal at one time; now churches worry that they aren't posting enough on all the latest social media channels.

Each time a new tool appears we loudly proclaim THIS IS IT! Conquer this or that tool and the world will be reached for Jesus. Or at least we'll have a new tool to try. [Read more...]

FREE Valentines Day Backgrounds and How to Create them Using the Canva A.I. feature

31 January, 2023 By Yvon Prehn 2 Comments

Free Valentines Background and how to create them — This is just one of over 3 dozen free background images you can use for Valentines Day. Download as either a ZIP file or link to Canva, use and modify.

The following backgrounds were all created in Canva, using their A.I. image-generating feature and they were then modified in Canva with some of their filters and image editing tools.

I have three sets of images for you with both links to the Canva files and also to download a ZIP file of 1080 x1080 px, jpg images. You can modify and use them however you want.

Before the images is a short video on how I created them using the Canva "text to image" or their A.I. image generation program. I'll be doing some additional videos about it, but I wanted to share these with you for Valentine's Day.

Following the video are the three sets, first with the images, then the Canva Link and the jpg file link for each set below the images.

AI Valentines Day Backgrounds, set #1

1080x1080 px

Here is the link to the Canva File: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFXher_1o8/USvnVN3RGXGzQoBI6lxuBg/edit?utm_content=DAFXher_1o8&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

Here is the link to the ZIP File of the jpg images: https://www.effectivechurchcom.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/AI-Valentines-Day-Background-set-1.zip

AI Valentines Day Backgrounds, set #2

1080x1080 px

Here is the link to the Canva File: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFX43UGuNo/on8fUbCli-6Ve7q4ujWkSg/edit?utm_content=DAFX43UGuNo&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

Here is the link to the ZIP File of the jpg images: https://www.effectivechurchcom.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/AI-Valentines-Day-Background-set-1.zip

Valentines Day Backgrounds, set #3

1080x1080 px

Here is the link to the Canva File: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFZRrgtXbQ/ELmgA-ZQZ3joY1PMQftCfg/edit?utm_content=DAFZRrgtXbQ&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

Here is the link to the ZIP File of the jpg images: https://www.effectivechurchcom.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/AI-Valentines-Day-Background-set-1.zip

After GIVING TUESDAY—my gift to YOU—dozens of FREE CHRISTMAS Templates!!!!! No strings attached…..really FREE

30 November, 2022 By Yvon Prehn Leave a Comment

Effective Church Communications has gifts for you! — Effective Church Communications has gifts for you--totally free templates for all occassions.

I do love the idea of Giving Tuesday but I must admit many of the ministry requests for giving in the midst of the crush of buying demands for Black Friday often felt like one more case of financial badgering.

I understand the need to raise funds whenever possible. When I was senior editor at both Compassion International and Young Life, I wrote many of those fund-raising appeals myself.

I thought about doing a plea for support for the Effective Church Communications Ministry. But I just couldn't add one more to an already lengthy list of the appeals you received from ministries doing truly important kingdom work. Then I realized......