Communication

Despite the wide reports of 40% of people going to church, the actual percentage of regular church attendance is a little less than 18%. Yet, it's very common for pastors to see unfamiliar faces on Sunday morning. New people do come to churches, but they don't seem to come back. While some of them were never going to become regular attendees, some might have returned if they had a good first experience. One way to help stem the tide of lost opportunities is with church connection cards.

Searching online for information about people, places, products, and organizations is commonplace in our digital age. Most of us are doing multiple searches daily or even hourly. Tools like Google Places and Yelp provide valuable information about the establishments we want to visit, like restaurants, stores, schools, and even churches.

Leadership development is vital for leaders of every kind. Often, church leaders are often so busy, on the go, and at the forefront of so many activities that they may not realize or feel able to attend to their own personal development and enrichment needs.

Many church leaders and members feel nostalgia for traditional methods of worship. This is understandable, except that it often leads them to reject new technology which could possibly encourage young members to embrace the church in greater numbers.

Social media’s influence continues to grow and church communicators should stay sharp about the latest trends and tools. Instagram is at the top of the list of current influencers. Its unprecedented growth of over 800 million active monthly users continues to make it a dominant force and an app that church communicators and pastors should consider using. Need more reasons?

With the New Year just around the bend, it's time to reevaluate your productivity and see how you can retool to refine and improve. Excellent church time management is possible, even for the busiest pastors, staff, or church communicators. How can you successfully manage your time? The infographic below has these 25 wise tips:

Churches often welcome visitors to these services and see an increase in attendance. Guests may be friends and family of current members, and often these 'extras' only attend church a few times a year on these special occasions. These guests might also be looking for a new church home. 'Tis the season to make a good first impression.

It’s easy to be thankful when you've got a stomach full of turkey and pumpkin pie while watching football surrounded by family. But expressing gratitude shouldn’t be limited to Turkey Day. Especially in the church, we should have a Thanksgiving mindset all year round. And that attitude of gratitude should be incorporated into your communication strategy.