How Leaders Create Culture Every Day
Leaders are culture creators, writes Ryan Stigile. Their words, actions, and decisions reinforce community values. When the culture of an organization conforms to its values,…
Browsing: Communication
Articles
The Power of Stories
Jill Fox, an expert on church volunteer systems, reminds us how powerful stories can be in teaching and motivating people and keeping them aligned with…
Speak More Effectively by Asking Three Questions
Perhaps the most important component to giving an effective speech is asking the right questions. There are three very simple questions your talk, speech, or…
Reclaiming Conversation
One of the most profound and disturbing books I’ve read recently is Sherry Turkle’s Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age (Penguin…
The Over-Stuffed Bulletin
Do you remember those prank peanut cans? You would buy one at a novelty store, and then give it to one of your friends. When…
How to Communicate Change
Three years ago I was hired for my dream job: communications director for a large church. I came with more than 20 years of experience…
Check Your Website Immediately
Many people can remember when the telephone Yellow Pages or the sign outside your church were likely to be the first places people looked to…
When Silence Isn’t Golden
I was once pastor of a church where the Sunday morning worship service was broadcast live on radio. I never dreamed what a difference that…
Eight Reasons People Aren’t Listening to Announcements
This weekend, all across the country, leaders are going to get up in front of their churches and talk about upcoming events and opportunities to…
Telling an Alternative Story
People have been discussing the decline of the church for quite a few years now. We’ve gotten used to the dire warnings and predictions of…
Why I Don’t Engage Unhappy Church Members by Email
One thing I do not do anymore is engage unhappy parishioners by email or respond to them if they write to me. You know what…
Leaders Listen
National news recently quoted a speech by a Microsoft executive who said women should trust the “system” to take care of their pay raises. Previously,…
Social Media and Pastoral Moves
What should pastors do about their social media relationships when they move from one pastoral assignment to another? Do you “unfriend” all former members on…
Identify Community Ministry Needs by Listening
In order for churches to stay relevant to a changing world, we need to be very tuned in to what is happening “out there.” Sending…
Developing a Thank You System for Your Church
Saying thank you promptly and regularly is one of the simplest and most effective things a congregation can do to reinforce good stewardship and enhance…
Always Say Thank You
Paul, my dear church friend whom I have known since third grade, sent me an email. And he was mad. At the end of July,…
Asking Instead of Telling
You pick up some books because of the author and some because of the title. This one called to me for both reasons. Through Edgar…
An Annual Report to Support Your Stewardship Campaign
The number one reason people give to their congregation, or any other charity, is because they believe that organization makes a difference. A colorful annual…
Keeping it Real When Launching an E-Newsletter
When Chancellor Baptist Church in Virginia decided to launch an e-newsletter, the staff’s excitement was palpable. Everyone would want this, they reasoned, so it would…
Picture Your Community Impact
I am averse to numbers. I switched from being an elementary education major during my junior year in college when I discovered that I had…
Separating the Mission from the Medium
A year ago, Encyclopaedia Britannica announced they would cease producing bound volumes. It was a watershed moment when you consider this standard reference was the…
Listening: A Key Team Building Skill
It just may be that the best way to make people feel truly honored is to listen to them with rapt and sincere attentiveness. Few…
The Theology of Social Media
Social media outlets have become indispensable resources to church leaders seeking to be faithful to the Gospel in the modern world. While there are practical…
Developing Your Own “Undo Send” Button
Have you ever sent an email and immediately regretted it? Most of us have. Google added a feature to its Gmail system called “Undo Send”…
Reclaiming the Lost Art of Story Telling
How can we gather and tell the stories of our congregation? Born in an oral culture when stories and traditions were as important as written…
Meeting Your New First-Time Guest
Fifty years ago a person moved to town, looked in the newspaper or phone book for a church of their denomination, visited a couple of…
Your Website is Your Church’s Welcome Mat
Increasingly, those looking for a church begin their search online. Therefore, a congregation’s website must function as a satellite of their church. Consider every part…
The Appropriate Use of Email in Church Leadership
In this era of electronic media, clergy are faced with particular challenges in pastoral conversations — particularly those conducted by email. This wonderfully efficient means…
Expanding Your Prayer Ministry through Twitter
People in your community — many unknown to you — have prayer needs each day. Many of them share their prayer concerns using Twitter, the…
Using Facebook Appropriately as a Ministry Tool
Facebook has become a part of everyday life for many across the world. In 2010 it was the most visited site on the internet. There…