Warning before reading: this is one of my more cranky blogs, but for what I hope is a good reason. I know that the following challenges to youth programs based primarily on fun and positive messages do not describe all youth programs, and please forgive me if your program takes equipping youth with Biblical values and a passion to serve Jesus seriously. However, in the lives of the teens close to me I see very little of this today. It makes me especially sad because I know it doesn't have to be like that. I was a youth leader for many years and even then I often doubted if I was doing the right thing because my program was not the most fun one around. It was filled with lots of Bible lessons, challenges, active service to the poor, mission awareness, and very high expectations. It was a large group, friends were invited, the church was pleased—all the outward measures of success were there—but I still wondered if I did the right thing being so hard on my kids. The years have passed. The kids in my group have gone on to become pastors, staff in Christian organizations, community and government leaders reflecting Biblical values. I know many things made them who they are, but I pray their time in the not-always-the-most-fun youth group contributed to it. With a current prayer that this cranky blog may prove beneficial, I offer it to you. You have been warned.
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Valentines for Church Communication Creators, what church leaders need to do
(For pastors, church business administrators, church communication directors, and anyone else who oversees people who create church communications--this is addressed to you. In addition, it is useful advice for church communication directors of volunteers. For all of you in similar positions, church communicators don't need more chocolate; they need the things I'm about to talk about....well maybe them AND some chocolate.) First is the video and then the longer text version of it.
by Yvon Prehn, www.effectivechurchcom.com
Valentine’s Day is a wonderfully Christian holiday in that it is all about love and loving is what Christians are to be about. We celebrate it by giving gifts, often flowers and candy, to those we care for—but flowers fade and candy adds on pounds. For those in a leadership position, who want to show caring to the people in your communications ministry, whether paid staff or volunteers, below are Five Valentines you can give that will have lasting, positive results. Print this off and discuss it during a staff meeting for a Valentine's Day that is a real gift for growing our relationships with each other.
Gift #1—Give them authority
In church communications, the church leadership should decide on basic themes and messages and perhaps even the overall look of publications, but seldom on layout, or the final editing of articles or announcements. The people actually doing the creative work need the final authority in these areas. Have a meeting to discuss and clarify these issues and then publicly announce and print your decision. You might say something like this:
"Jenny Smith, our communications coordinator has final editing authority on the layout, deadlines and content of materials that go into the bulletin, newsletter, website and church social media (and whatever else you want to list). She has posted her guidelines and submission deadlines on our website. Please support her decisions and deadlines."
ESSENTIAL Christmas Communication advice and free tools to implement it
Suddenly, Christmas is almost here and there is much to do.
At the link HERE is a large collection of templates on every aspect of Christmas, all are free and you can either print them out as is or you can modify them in MS Publisher. CLICK HERE for a huge group of Christmas templates.
In the midst of all the practical, tangible organizing and work that needs to be done, I want to literally plead with you to do these things during your Christmas outreach, no matter what other activities you have going on.
The activities you have planned I’m sure will give your congregation and visitors a great experience and these suggestions will give your events lasting impact.
I have Three actions listed and then so as to not add more to your incredibly busy schedule, some free tools to help you implement each of them.
#1 Share a CLEAR PRESENTATION of the Gospel, of what it means, and how to become a Christian.
Jesus came to earth to save us from our sins. That is the point of his birth and we need to make it clear to the people who visit us who may not know that is truly the reason for the season.
To help you do that, I have a handout that has helped many over the years available as a free, reproducible download for you here: https://wp.me/pDky9-6En
#2 Tell people what you regularly do, when you are not holding your special Christmas events and INVITE them back.
Visitors in our post-Christian world DO NOT know what churches do on a regular basis. You must tell them and invite them with specific information and times.
The free templates and materials that will help you do this: https://wp.me/pDky9-8l1
#3 Give your congregation the best gift you can to help them grow in their faith in the coming year—schedules and encouragement to READ THROUGH THEIR BIBLES.
The link following will take you to free downloadable schedules you can give out to help your people read through the Bible in the coming year. The www.Bible805.com website also has a free eBook you can download and share for motivation, plus podcasts and videos on why and how to read through your Bible in Chronological order.
For Free through the Bible Schedules: https://wp.me/pazrJD-cZ
Other links of Christmas interest
FREE flyer of the Nicene Creed for Christmas, click on the image to go to it.
You can download and use this in any way you want from social media to bulletin inserts to posters. It uses one of the Oldest of Christian Creeds to remind us of why Jesus is the reason for the season
The Real Advent, 7 Extraordinary Preparations God made in real history
There are many positive things about traditional Advent, with candles, hot chocolate, and devotional readings that focus our hearts on the true meaning of Christmas. As beneficial as these aspects of Advent are, Advent became even more meaningful to me when until I did some in-depth historical study about all the extraordinary things God did to prepare the world for His Son, Jesus.
The results of that study are incredibly exciting and not only in preparation for Christmas, but I trust that listening or looking at this content will also give you trust and assurance in how God works through history.
This content goes over the 7 Extraordinary Preparations God made in real history that when you look at them all together are an amazing testimony to the power of God and the reality of the divine origin of Jesus.
This topic is so important, I also created a podcast, two videos, notes, a printout of maps, a free encouraging printable, and more all linked for you at: https://wp.me/pazrJD-jh
Game changer! The loss of comprehension of cursive—what it means to church communicators and what to do about it—Canva video included
This is incredibly important for you to understand before you do ANY more outreach advertising, encouragements, or communications creation of any kind, if you want the the maximum number of people in your church and community to be able to read them.
The reason for my urgent message is the realization that many people today cannot read cursive writing and that includes ALL the wonderful script fonts we like to use so much in our designs for church communications. That includes the group of templates I had ready to send out to you that I need to update. (Sigh.)
This is not a happy post for me to write. I don't like change any more than the average person and to have to change something as basic and natural to me as writing cursive and using wonderful script fonts in communication design just seems like a bit much to deal with.
When I am feeling grumpy like this I remind myself that the communication I do isn't about me, but about a world that needs Jesus and NOTHING should be too much to do, little or big if it can help us reach them. So I slap myself, ask for forgiveness and write a blog about it......
First I'll give you a little background on how I became aware of the loss of the ability to read cursive and then some very practical steps on what to do about it, plus a short Canva Tutorial on some creative ways to deal with this situation on a Fall Outreach Postcard.
It is later in the post, keep reading first for more background on this situation.
SEND OUT THOSE POSTCARDS!!! National Study on the importance of Direct Mail confirms the effectiveness of postcards
The direct mail and marketing companies, Lob and Comperemedia just sent out some highlights from their 2022 State of Direct Mail: Consumer Insights report. I think it's fair to say that where they list "direct mail" we can substitute the word, "postcard."
Here are their findings:
- 72% of respondents read direct mail immediately after or on the same day they bring it inside their residence
- Of the 62% of consumers that have taken action on a direct mail piece, 64% were inspired to take action because of an offer or promotion
- 45% of consumers say receiving direct mail from a brand feels more important than receiving an email from a brand
Though these companies of course want to sell you their direct mailing services, as church communicators we can learn a lot from them.
Based on these statistics, one of the most successful communications churches can create for outreach is a postcard
As I have reminded church communicators for many years, when a person gets a postcard out of the mail, for the brief seconds that they check it out, you have their complete attention. They cannot help but read the message you have on it.
It is one-on-one communication. [Read more...]
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