Effective Church Communications

The Effective Church Communication ministry from Yvon Prehn provides inspiration, training, and resources to help your church create communications that fully fulfill the Great Commission. It focuses on Bible-based and timeless principles and strategies that work no matter what digital or print channel you use to create your communications. The site has links to many free TEMPLATES and other resources, plus links to free TRAINING VIDEOS, and a RESOURCE LIBRARY for church communicators. 

The Effective Church Communication ministry from Yvon Prehn provides inspiration, training, and resources to help your church create communications that fully fulfill the Great Commission. It focuses on Bible-based and timeless principles and strategies that work no matter what digital or print channel you use to create your communications. The site has links to many free TEMPLATES and other resources, plus links to free TRAINING VIDEOS, and a RESOURCE LIBRARY for church communicators.

Real 24/7 support

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"Call to me and I will answer you." (Jer. 33:3)

Many computer and software companies promise support 24/7. It sounds good, but in reality that "support" is often an endless series of automatic messages, referrals to canned answers, or a suggestion to go to the web site and there for you to try to figure out the answer. In response you can either keep pushing buttons in frustration, or give up knowing it is almost impossible to talk to a real human being.

In contrast, God's promise of support is personal, immediate, and unconditional. If we call, he answers.

We can call out to him for wisdom. When our work in church communications seems overwhelming and we don't know what to do next, we need wisdom. James 1:5 promises when we ask for wisdom, he will give it to us. Often, we have the skills to do the tasks we need to do, we just can't figure out the order or the process. God can give us that wisdom to put the process in order to successfully complete our projects.

We can call out to him for encouragement. We need it when working with computers. Computers never tire; a computer can work around the clock. People aren't like that, but an odd thing has happened in offices since the advent of the computer. In subtle ways we tend to compare ourselves to the computer. We think we need to be a machine who never wears down or quits or gets discouraged. Sometimes the Lord is the only one who can lift your spirit in an office that, perhaps unconsciously, views people as machines.

We can call out to him for perseverance. Sometimes we think we simply can't learn a new program or figure out one more project. Yet, if we just stay with it an hour or a day longer (praying at the same time for insight and strength) suddenly things become clear.

Train yourself to always call out to God first. So often we ask him for help as a last resort. He is merciful and kind and answers no matter when we remember to ask him, but we could save ourselves a lot of frustration by asking for his help first.

We can call out to him-sometimes not for anything specific at all. Some days it seems like nobody on earth pays attention or cares. That may or may not be true, but no matter. Call out to your God. He cares about you and is ready to listen and help with every concern you have, 24/7.

This devotion is from the heart of church communications, by Yvon Prehn, to download or purchase a copy, go to: www.lulu.com/yvonprehn

Returning to the moon, going to Mars, and the timing of dreams

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The moon landing memories that were a frequent theme in media stream surrounding the 40th anniversary of the moon landing revived interest and discussion about returning to space. The discussion appears grand and glorious. Frequent references are made to the human quest for adventure and exploration of the heavens.

The quest for adventure and exploration of the heavens does seem to be an innate part of human nature, but  as I listened to the arguments for the return to space, it seems though the desire might be valid, the timing is off. The inappropriate timing of our expectations, demands, and dreams can cause us no end of frustration and mistakes. I thought about this when these stories about returning to the moon brought to mind a little poem I've kept for over forty years. It is a poem that has often reminded me of our glorious future when death will be no more and the planets our playground. Let me share it and then what that has to do with the timing of dreams.... [Read more...]

What is honestly unfortunate—communication channel pride

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7-29-09 the quote below appeared in USA TODAY in the article: “Governments tap into the power of  Twitter.” Tom Watson, a Labor Party, blogger said:

There are some very bright, digitally enabled civil servants who unfortunately have to write these documents for their bosses. . . who still get their secretaries to print off their e-mails so they can read them.

This situation is can be repeated in every office, governmental, educational, religious, in probably every nation in the world. No disagreement there. But here is what does bother me, not only in this instance, but also how this applies to our technology interactions  in church communications. [Read more...]

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 in similar form a work upon Commenting. . . . . 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 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. 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. [Read more...]

Bible teachers should teach, not conduct public therapy sessions

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Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. . . . . . if it is teaching, let him teach (Romans 12:3-7, italics mine).

Teaching is an exacting form of communication. Based on a biblical foundation, teaching in the church is an essential element in enabling people outside the church to understand the truth of the Christian faith and inside the church to aid believers to grow in Christian maturity.

There is much lamenting about the lack of basic biblical knowledge among Christians today and it is instructive for leaders in the church to examine what their people are actually being taught. If our people don't know the Word and don't live according to it, if we are their teachers, what have we taught them? We have at most, a couple of hours each week to teach, and it might serve us well to look at how we use those precious minutes. Some considerations:

[Read more...]