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.

Sample of an EFFECTIVE church calendar postcard

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church postcard sample
You don't have to be fancy to inform people about important events at church. Postcards are a great way to do it!

This isn't a fancy publication, but I think if more churches would send out something like this, the impact for the Kingdom of God would be tremendous!

I'm saying that because we know many people today for good and bad reasons (have to work or choose sports) don't always attend church on Sundays. But that doesn't mean they may not want to attend other events at the church at other times. However, in most churches, if you aren't there on Sunday, you miss out knowing what else is going on because you didn't get the bulletin. Some churches may post it online, but if you don't have access to a computer or don't bother to check out the church website regularly, you won't see it.

The wonderful effectiveness of POSTCARDS

Postcards get taken from the mailbox, read quickly and often are then posted on the refrigerator serving as a continual POSTER of what is going on at the church.

A postcard like the one below, created by Ebenezer United Church,  is incredibly effective in how it reminds people of what is going on at the church. Below is a picture, at the end of this article a download for members of Effective Church Communications. Click on the image to see the printed side more clearly and then ECC Members can download the PDF file below.

Like the example above showed, you don't have to be fancy

[Read more...]

Four guidelines for the challenge of ever-changing communication channels

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Digital composite of web pagesAt one time I thought technology would never get any better than the self-correcting typewriter and press-on letters. Now I'm learning to create HD videos and podcasts.  As I've researched video and podcast hosting and distribution systems, at times my brain felt like a jumble of data that would never sort its way into a linear path of what to do next. I'm getting it figured out, but as I'm working out the next steps, I reminded myself of four guidelines I've used in the past to encourage people to try computers and websites without losing the focus on the importance of fully fulfilling the Great Commission. These helped me and may be useful if you are facing new challenges in communication technology:

#1—Don't confuse the media with the message

The media, the tool you use to craft and share your message is and will be constantly changing. Media changes always seem overwhelming and they are often difficult to get through. The change from typewriters to computers for church office communications, from cut and paste layout to MS Publisher to create the church bulletin, from print only to the expectations of a website and social media communication assortment for every church, from flowers to adorn the pulpit to multi-media projection systems—all of these have taken place in the recent experience of the church. The challenge is not only in learning how to use them, but to not allow the demands of the technology to overwhelm the priority of your message. Technology can be extraordinary demanding, but it must never be your North Star. Every person, every church has a North Star which guides all your communications whether you are conscious of it or not. The only appropriate North Star for the church communicator is to fully fulfill the Great Commission—to help people come to know Jesus as Savior and to grow to maturity in Him. The media is not our message—our message is our message. If our eye is on the goal of sharing Jesus truly and completely and growing followers into disciples , if that is the core of our message, though there are many parts of it and many steps in sharing it, we won't be thrown off course when new tools appear. [Read more...]

Great Sample of Prayer Ministry Brochure and Prayer Calendar

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2016-prayer-brochure-
This brochure is a great example of how we can be inspired to more than design in what we share in the Great Idea Swap.

This sample illustrates one of the main reasons we do the Great Idea Swap and that is to not only share great layout and design ideas, but to inspire us with what other members of the Body of Christ are doing in ministry. This brochure is an inspiring example of what Bonnie Kyle created for New Life Church for their month of prayer.

There are so many good things about the brochure including:

  • Clear explanation on the one side of what it's about and the guest speakers
  • When opened, a well-written history of the prayer month, plus a calendar that would be perfect to post on the refrigerator.

Below is a picture of the brochure. You can see it more clearly if you click on the image. At the end of this article, Effective Church Communication Members can download a PDF of the brochure.

We only have until Sept. 30 for collecting samples for our Great Idea Swap and WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please take 5 minutes right now and send us in a copy of bulletin you are did this week and perhaps one other sample (or more if you have time). Bulletins, flyers, newsletters, holiday PR, special ministry brochures, we'd appreciate any and all of them! [Read more...]

Effective Volunteer Recruitment Communications Samples: advice and PDF examples

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Ideas for volunteer ministry
Some churches do an incredible job of recruiting, encouraging and training volunteers and here is an opportunity to learn from them.

Every church needs a committed and enthusiastic team of volunteers if all the ministries and needs of the church are to work as a healthy representative of the Body of Christ.Recruiting that team, training, and keeping them functioning well are some of the major responsibilities of church communicators. Following is some overall advice and then some excellent PDF samples (click on the image for the full PDF download) of volunteer communications. The samples include a fantastic overall volunteer handbook, two volunteer recruitment and job listing booklets and one of the most complete ministry description brochures I've ever seen for church ushers. This is an extremely useful collection of volunteer equipping sample materials.

Advice for creating effective volunteer communication materials

Unfortunately, creating the communications support to keep these ministries functioning well is usually not at the top of any church communicator's list. It isn't nearly as much fun as doing a flyer for the summer picnic or any other primarily design-oriented piece because for volunteer communications to be truly effective requires: [Read more...]