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; we can help.

Simple, easy, useful Christmas Invitation Templates

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Red & black Christmas Invitation
Click on the image to download and print the PDF; it comes 4-per page. This is free for everyone, additional ECC Members downloads are below.

For links to many more NEW Christmas communications and FREE samples in each group, CLICK HERE.

The holidays are filled with so much extravagance in everything from gifts to communications, but sometimes we just need a simple invitation. I was in that situation late Saturday night when I realized after doing all the work on the handouts and PowerPoint presentation for the Sunday morning Bible class lesson that I forgot to do up an invitation for the class Christmas Potluck.

Fortunately, I was working on this article and had one of the invitations done--quick, I opened it, added my information, printed them 4-up (I use the MS Publisher 4-on-a-page postcard template) on some pretty parchment paper, cut them apart and they were ready to go. [Read more...]

Video: How to create resizable maps for Church Invitation Cards and other communications

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Church Business and Invitation Cards can be powerful outreach tools, but to accomplish all they can and should for your church you need to pack as much useful information in them as possible. One key piece of information is a map to your event.

Even in these days of Google Maps, Mapquest and GPS, a simple, paper-based map is invaluable to give people an immediate and practical way to get to your church or event. It is a challenge to provide one because if you try to use one of the maps from the Internet they have too much information to shrink down in size.

You need to create your own simplified version. This is very easy to do with MS Publisher and the short video below will show you how.

IMPORTANT NOTE before you watch the video:

This video shows you how to take a screen capture of a map and then use it to easily create your own map in MS Publisher. I used Snagit, my favorite screen capture program and one I highly recommend to do the screen capture. If you do not have Snagit or any screen capture software, here are two options:

  1. Get a free trial of Snagit at www.snagit.com
  2. Go to this excellent article about free screen capture software and download one of the products. I have not used these (keep wanting to try one, but love Snagit so much....), but this is a trustworthy site just click the URL and it will take you to the site: http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-screen-capture-utility.htm

The biggest mistakes made by Christian Communicators, part two

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Part one started this listing of mistakes is both a report and my commentary on a presentation at the Outreach Convention in San Diego, November 2010 by Phil Cooke, a writer and commentator on media, faith, and culture.

The first three mistakes (available by clicking here ) were:

Mistake #1:  Thinking that that value of your message means people will pay attention to it

Mistake #2: Bad writing

Mistake #3: Lose the Lingo

These aren’t the only mistakes we make in communication, so let’s continue. . . .

Mistake #4: No recognizing that media has become a 2-way conversation

Phil Cooke talked about the significant difference social media has made especially for the younger generation whose parent’s raised them to believe everything they did was wonderful. They were raised wanting to be heard and believing they were special. They want to have a voice; they love discussion and feedback.

In addition they are the first generation to grow up with computers. Combine those two ideas and it is no surprise that 96% are connected to social networks. An obvious application for church communication is to have places on your website for comments and interaction; to have Facebook, Twitter and other social media interaction opportunities for your church members.

My comments: church leaders of my baby boomer generation are used to making decisions and statements and then expecting people to listen and obey based on their position. Often a question is heard as a challenge to spiritual authority and the person asking is the subject of subtle or severe discipline. This attitude is death to interaction and communication with today’s audience.

All of us in the church who lead and teach, no matter what our age or position, need to provide opportunities for feedback and interaction. We need to look at questions, not as sinful rebellion, but as an opportunity to engage with people who may see things in a different way than we do. This is not easy, but it can provide exciting opportunities to learn from others and help them perhaps grow in coming to know Jesus.

People will react and talk to each other—why not work to make that part of your church?

Mistake #5: Forgetting that Everything communicates

Everything that we do and say, how our building looks and smells, (don’t think about that very often do you?), the state of repair or cleanliness, if we have adequate handicapped parking or access—everything communicates.

Phil Cook reminded us that if your usher is a jerk—he represents your brand. No secular company would intentionally allow rude and cranky people to stand at the front door--a bit of training in hospitality and kindness may be in order.

My comments: I often remind pastors that they may be the greatest communicator in their city and if they preach the gospel clearly, they are sharing the most important message ever. But in most churches people have to walk through an almost literal mine field before they even get to the listening to the sermon. The parking situation, finding child care and bathrooms, where to sit and when to stand, making sense of a bulletin without an order of service (a current trend in some churches and a huge mistake if you want to reach visitors), all of these things must be conquered before the sermon begins.

No matter what your position on staff, pray that the Lord will enable you to walk through the path, meet the people and look at the communications people encounter when they come to your church with eyes that are open to see if all these things represent the gospel message in a way that is honoring to your church and our Lord.

Mistake #6: Forget the power of a niche

Phil Cooke reminded us of how many options people have in how they will choose to spend their time and attention. If we want to capture them, he reminded the audience for their church to focus on what they are really passionate about. He challenged church leaders to ask themselves, “What is the ONE thing you would preach about if you could only preach about ONE thing?”

Once you decide on that one passion, you have an idea what your niche might be.

My comments: others might refer to this as vision, but no matter what label we use, it is incredibly important. I constantly encourage church communicators to be who YOU are, and communicate the particular way of sharing the gospel that the Lord called you to share to the group He called you to share it with.

On a practical note, that is why I think it is so important for churches to create their own communications. I can give you ideas and samples, but always take whatever advice is shared and tailor it for your people. If God expresses his creative joy in making every snowflake, every fingerprint, every person different, do you really think He wants you to preach sermons downloaded from the internet or to buy tacky bulletin covers, when you can create your own of both and be YOU, not a carbon copy of someone else?

Finding your niche isn’t just good marketing, it is about being true to your individual calling.

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IF you’d like to listen to Phil Cooke’s complete presentation (which was fantastic) with so much more content and without my comments, click here to go to the Outreach Download site.  http://www.outreach.com/print/List.asp?rpp=43&N=41+292+4294966036

Measure success correctly—or why a big turnout doesn’t necessarily mean a successful event

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How do you measure success in a church outreach event? Immediately after any event is a great time to evaluate past actions and plan future successes.

A great turnout doesn't equal great results

I recently looked at a church website that celebrated the great success of their fall outreach by listing the number of hot dogs served and bags of candy given away. Though I understand they were celebrating that they got a great turnout for their event, a great turnout alone does not make for a successful church event, especially for this kind of event. If you do even the most minimal advertising, it's difficult not to get a great turnout when you are giving away free food and candy. [Read more...]

YOU CAN DO IT! all the church communications you need to do, in-house, using your people, and at low cost

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You can do it! All you need to in church communications.
You can do it! All you need to in church communications.

For your church communications, we've come a long way since the start of the digital revolution.  As we've progressed, more and more of the tasks of communication that were difficult have become easier with the development of resources that enable your church to create cost-effective and professional results, in all areas of church communications.

I've launched this website to help you;  I've got lots of resources designed to help you and more will be released on a continuing basis. I trust the information here will give you  inspiration and practical training, but overall, again, and again, outside whatever I can provide, my core message  is YOU CAN DO IT!

YOU, in your church, with your people can create all the communications you need to reach the people the Lord called you to reach and to grow your congregation to Christian maturity.

The Lord calls and gifts his people to do his work-you may not feel like, you may not want to, but no matter how quickly changing the technology, no matter how old or young you are, no matter where your church is located or how small your budget, you can do all the communications you need to win your community to Jesus and to help your people grow in their faith.

Following are expanded reasons why you can and should do your communications work in-house, in your church, by your church people.

Content is primary and should be personal

In your communication ministry periodically it's important to remind ourselves why we communicate anything at all in the church. We are doing it to fully fulfill the Great Commission given to us by Jesus to go into all the world, preach the gospel, and make disciples. It isn't the technology that we use that is of primary importance, but the content of our message.

Though the core message of every church, salvation in Jesus, is the same for every church, every church will express the gospel in its own unique way and no one can express it better to the audience your church is called to reach than the people in your church. [Read more...]