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 Biblical Inspiration to help churches create communications that fully fulfill the Great Commission.

FREE Text for Halloween Outreach for invitations, postcards, congregational motivation

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Halloween Cards to Consider Jesus
This article contains the text-only files for all these communications, free for anyone to copy and use.

Following are the text only files from the Halloween materials. These text files are for anyone who wants to use them to create Halloween outreach materials

If you are an ECC Member you have access to them in finished files, click here to go to the overview page that shows how they are used in church communications and for the download. If you'd like more information on how to become a Member of Effective Church Communications and save yourself the time and work of creating these communications yourself, CLICK HERE.

For everyone, for all the materials that follow, PLEASE simply copy, download and use in any way you want to help your congregation reach people for Jesus this Halloween season.

Motivational text to get your congregation to invite  [Read more...]

Staying afloat in a sea of requests

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Gayle Hilligoss PictureEditor's note: Sometimes I think that even though she lives half a country away, Gayle Hilligoss is looking over my shoulder—her wonderfully helpful articles always seem to speak directly to something I am either struggling with or working on—I imagine quite a few of you will share that feeling when you are finished reading this.....

Many words could be used to describe the workday of ministry assistants. Simple is not one of them.

The dilemma is you truly like to help others, to share your gifts and skills, to be involved in getting things done. And the church office, as well as your out-of-the-office life, provides many—maybe too many—opportunities. You can easily find yourself drowning in a sea of requests.

Usually it is not the valid responsibilities of the job that create waves, not your supervisor’s  assignments or requests, but optional projects—nonessentials that compete with your mandatory tasks. The lifesaver for staying afloat can be found in one tiny word. That little, but powerful, word is no.

If you are one who still finds no hard to say, it is simply time to accept the truth that no one can do everything; choices must be made. For each elective demand on your time ask, “Is this the best use of my time right now?” Honest answers allow you to throw nonessentials overboard without hesitation or guilt. More than saying no to the request, you are saying yes to a higher priority.

Not all opportunities represent necessary, appropriate, or even worthwhile endeavors. Some create conflicts with previous plans or reflect others’ priorities, not yours. Some just don’t feel right for you; it is good to acknowledge when your plate is full enough.

All these, and more, are sound reasons to say no. Exercise your right to decide, “I have all I can handle now,” or “This isn’t something I choose to do.”

Calendar cramming can get to be a habit. Being asked to do lots of things often leads us to believe we are indispensable; we are not. Sometimes ego prevents our stepping back. Other times, being immersed in small busywork provides a good excuse for not giving attention to more meaningful things.

The freedom to say no doesn’t belong only to the super busy, of course. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.

When you do decide to turn down a request, do it gracefully. Briefly explain your reasons; express thanks for being asked. Don’t be ambivalent; say no, not maybe. Stringing people along is not fair to them and is a drain on your own time and energy.

In some cases, you may be able to suggest an alternative. People may ask you to perform tasks someone else could, and possibly should, do. Knowing you are not obligated to comply with every request gives you confidence to pursue the course clear to you.

The guideline that helped me most in overcoming my personal tendency to overcommit is, “Have a bigger yes burning inside.” That principle not only puts things in perspective, it is realistic.

If we are to achieve the best we can’t allow ourselves to be diverted—even by good things.

Having fun and not sinning is not the point of the Christian life or of Christian communications

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Is having fun what defines a Christian? Is FUN what makes a church even worthwhile? Is fun why we do what we do (whatever it is) in the Christian life?

When you look at many current church communications, you'd assume the answer was "yes." A recent scanning of material on the web as I was researching alternative Halloween events overwhelmingly advertised events or promoted activities where the FUN promised is promoted as the primary reason people should attend. Though the focus of this blog is on the combination of Halloween communications and the emphasis of FUN (intentional shouting with the all capital letters), the same concerns and cautions apply to our communication of many church outreach events.

How fun becomes the primary motivation for Halloween alternative events

Much of the thinking process behind many of these "Christian" alternatives to Halloween on the web seems to go something like this:

  1. Halloween is evil.
  2. To take part in a traditional secular celebration of Halloween is evil and sinful.
  3. Christians shouldn't do evil and sin.
  4. Instead Christians should have good, clean fun.
  5. Therefore our church will do a fun event for Halloween.
  6. People will see we are Christians by our fun.

I don't have a problem with the list up to #3—much of traditional Halloween celebrations are evil. Maybe not as evil as some timid folks fear, but probably not activities that would fall into the class of edifying Christian activities. Dressing up as demons and witches and glorifying magic is not what Christians ought to be doing. Sending your kids out alone to beg for candy in most areas today isn't safe.  But the alternative to fighting evil or working to fulfill the Great Commission is not to simply have safe fun. [Read more...]

Connect with invisible visitors: an overview of Church Connection Cards Resources

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Church Connection Cards
Here links to a video, articles, books on how to make the most of Connection Cards.

The people who visit our churches are often lost souls for whom Jesus died--we cannot let them pass through our church as invisible visitors without making a connection with them, if we are to be disciples who are working to obey the Great Commission.

It doesn't take big gestures and huge budgets to make those connections. As the song says in this and every other situation of relationship building "little things mean a lot."

One of those very important little things in building a relationship with visitors  are Connection Cards. I have experienced many times in personal ministry and have seen at many churches, I've worked with how Connection Cards can grow a church, make people feel cared for, and do more for a church growth than anything else tried at the church. [Read more...]

Just how friendly is your church? great tips!

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Gayle Hilligoss Pictureed. note: We can work very hard to create communications that will link us with visitors and make ongoing connections, but if we have grumpy people and messy churches all the careful communication pieces won't mean anything. Our wonderful encourager, Gayle Hilligoss has some tips that will help any church make your actions match your message.

The church sign proudly proclaimed The End of Your Search for a Friendly Church. An hour later the visitor was certain someone had violated the truth in advertising laws.

While friendliness is not the primary element drawing people to a congregation, most won’t stay around long enough to discover the church’s other attributes unless a hospitable, welcoming environment initially puts them at ease.   If you have been ensconced as a church member for a while, you may owe it to your church to visit some other churches to sense for yourself what it is like to be a visitor again.

Most staffs and members want to be caring and friendly, but in the midst of teaching, preaching and fellowshipping, too many give way too little attention to the impressions their visitors receive.   Perhaps if we could figuratively slip into the shoes of a guest for a few Sundays we would be more sensitive to visitors and new members in our own congregations.

Consider  these observations noted after visiting scores of congregations and talking with their members and staff; see how you can use them to the advantage of your own situation.  

Churches send positive messages by:

  • choirs that smile during the songs and stay awake during the message
  • members who are friendly beyond the time designated to be friendly
  • parking near the door reserved for visitors rather than the staff
  • clean and well cared for buildings and grounds
  • walkways cleared of ice, snow, grass, mud
  • attractive, functional signs inside and out
  • members who refrain from chatting during the music or message
  • a reception area staffed with friendly people ready to give directions or help
  • words of choruses printed in the bulletin for those unfamiliar with them
  • sending the church newsletter for a few weeks after the visit
  • the pastor acknowledging the visit with a letter
  • personable music directors who look like they enjoy what they are doing
  • crisply printed bulletins with print large enough to be read easily
  • providing thoughtfully prepared New Member packets  

Things that should never happen, but often do:

  • the first communication from the church has to do with finances
  • scruffy, hand-lettered signs designate classrooms and clutter walls
  • bulletin boards contain out of date information
  • the only greeting visitors receive is an obligatory handshake during the service
  • only a few members welcome the new members following the service
  • no church directory is included in the New Member packet
  • people’s talents are ignored when they are asked to fill positions in the church  

Things that could always happen, but seldom do:

  • pretty bowls of wrapped mints are on the reception desk
  • staff members turn to give attention to the choir when it sings
  • men on the platform stand when a woman comes to the platform
  • new members receive a handwritten note from the pastor
  • beautifully landscaped grounds are planted and cared for by volunteers
  • professional or neat computer-generated signs are used
  • new members and visitors receive a call from the church office on Monday
  • churches benefit by allowing members to use their unique talents

With members and staff working together any church can become more visitor friendly. Assistants can bring about significant differences. Pastors and ministering staffs can become more sensitive to what it is like to be on the other side of the pulpit. Congregations can follow their lead.

Why? Because many people want to end their search for a friendly church.

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Ending note from Yvon:

If your church has a unique way of making guests feel welcome, please share it with us in the comments section here. Thanks so much!