Communication

I have a love-hate relationship with systems. I love when systems are in place to save time and help things run efficiently. I hate when systems get in the way and cause unnecessary complexity. When I began my role as communications director at West Ridge Church, one of the biggest mistakes I made during the first year was not investing the necessary time to bring clarity to essential systems that would help me, my team, and my church communicate effectively. It took months of living in survival mode for me to finally hit a breaking point and put systems in place. What I discovered is that creating margin for myself to create and implement sustainable systems was never going to be the most urgent thing on my to-do list; but it was the most important.

Social Media continues to hold the attention of today's youth and provide unique challenges for parents and as well as youth leaders. In this article, taken from a YS Idea Lab Video, I'd like to outline some of the key things that influence how tweens and teens use social media and a few practical tips that you can share with parents. First I'll go into three things that influence how kids use social media today then I'll follow up with three things that parents can do to help.

If you’ve been on the internet at all over the past few years, then you know that there are a ton of new products and services popping up to help you’re church thrive. Many of these are truly great resources that can make your days more productive and give you more time for what you truly love. However, finding the right product or service can be an overwhelming task.

Have you ever had a conversation where you thought you were being totally clear? Only to realize later, that the person you were talking to understood the conversation differently. You both were talking about the same thing, but what was communicated was very different. Unfortunately, church communications can be this way too.

It’s tempting to waive the white flag, to throw your hands up in surrender, to the summer slump. Many churches simply resign their efforts and re-appropriate them in the fall. First on the chopping block of suspended ministries are groups. It’s almost expected that groups will take a break during the summer months. But, doing so can have costly consequences if you aren’t prepared. Much of the work that was put into groups, building relationships, and developing community is lost during the break.

So you want to connect with your church online. It seems so easy, just about everyone is already there, and you’d really love to feel engaged with your congregation. There’s just one problem… creating and maintaining an online community can be very tricky, not to mention overwhelming. Here are a few rules for you to follow to create a thriving community that wants to engage with you:

The church bulletin is far from dead, in fact, it's alive and well at most churches. It holds treasured information including weekly announcements, budget details and attendance records, in addition to upcoming events, contact details for church staff, and maybe even a handy "new guest" tear off form or half a dozen inserts. While some churches have moved away from print-centric communication, others rely on it greatly. If you’re still creating a weekly bulletin, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Here are some ways to be strategic and ensure you have a successful church bulletin.

Leadership styles can vary greatly from person to person, depending on the organization and its structure. Churches are not exempt from the leadership styles of the senior pastor and leadership team. The best organizations smoothly guide their church staff and volunteers; the worst organizations have disgruntled pastors and leaders who aren't so happy about the leadership under which they work. Here are five leadership styles along with an insightful infographic to help educate you about leadership styles that exist: