Ed. note: In updating this important blog for Easter preparation, I wanted to do more than send out a blog, so I made a podcast related to it. The two have similar ideas, but expressed in somewhat different ways. Below is the Podcast Intro, the Podcast and then the blog.
The Podcast:
What if your church did NO advertising for Easter? No sending out of postcards purchased from some national company that end up looking like the several other churches produce.
Hi I'm Yvon Prehn and welcome to the Effective Church Communications Podcast!
Today we'll talk about alternatives that you can do in-house--by your people that can accomplish much more.
As I mentioned in the intro—Far too often, when a church is planning a major holiday outreach, a catalog of professionally produced postcards are selected, purchased and mailed out by the church. This can cost a lot of money, but sometimes a smaller church desperately wants to try something that might result in growth, so they spend money, that perhaps could have been used for other things and try it. Statistically, as the companies will tell you a certain number ought to respond and though we rejoice if even one new person comes and ultimately comes to know Jesus as Savior because of that process, let me suggest another strategy that is more biblical, more successful, and that will probably save your church some money also.
A new strategy—Involve the whole church in seasonal communication
Everyone in the church needs to be involved for holiday and special events to be successful. Everyone needs to be part of and feel responsible for the outreach and growth of your church. When Jesus said:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18-20)
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
He did not qualify these commands by saying:
"The command to be my witness and to reach your world is only for pastors and for the communication director of the church.”
No—outreach, witnessing, sharing your faith is every believer's task and seasonal celebrations and special events are a great way to be obedient to Jesus' command to be his witness and reach our world. The tools of technology available to us in ministry today make it possible for everyone in the church to have a significant part in the outreach of the entire church.Continue Reading
