This post is sponsored by Vision2 Systems. Vision2 Systems is an online giving platform helping churches grow their discipleship.
As a leader in a faith-based organization, your purpose is to guide congregants as they walk in faith, moving toward a life beyond humanity’s stumbling blocks. You inspire them to strive for more, whether through Sunday services, regular devotional groups, or even community giving.
However, even if you offer the most comprehensive programming and events, congregants won’t be able to make use of these opportunities if they’re unaware of them.
At Vision2 Systems, we work with churches to help congregants grow in their faith using faith-based giving platforms. Getting the word out about those opportunities is a practice of strong church communication, and we’ve found a few best practices over the years.
Here are five strategies we’ve found helpful to strengthen church communication:
- Maintain an updated web presence.
- Use multiple channels for communication.
- Balance comprehensiveness and scannability.
- Make communication a two-way street.
- Understand it’s not just about communication.
Continue reading to learn how to strengthen communication within your church.
1. Maintain an updated web presence.
Church members, long-attending and newly introduced alike, will turn to your website first when looking for information regarding your offerings. You want to make this site a helpful resource for your congregants so they will continue to do so.
There are a few strategies that can help you strengthen your site:
- Include all necessary, basic information such as Sunday service times, community group sign-ups, a link to your church giving software solution, and maybe even a transcript or video of your latest service.
- Brand your website to your church, instilling trust in members new and old so they feel safe interacting with it.
- Make it welcoming! This is especially helpful for potential new congregants who may feel nervous about entering a new church atmosphere.
Create a website that members view as authoritative and trustworthy and you’ll gain a reliable method for communicating with your congregants.
2. Use multiple channels for communication.
Gone are the days of a single church bulletin hosting all of the information your church needs to share with its members. Now, the best method of ensuring communication across the board is using multiple channels.
By using a variety of communication channels, members can check-in on the latest news regarding your church’s offerings in the method they prefer. Consider implementing the following:
- A regular newsletter, both emailed and direct mailed.
- Email updates for any breaking news or event reminders.
- Church text-messaging services, allowing you to broadcast information directly into members’ cell phones.
- Social networks, allowing you to connect with members and them to connect back.
- Physical bulletin boards, both for a quick reminder on Sunday mornings and to inform less tech-savvy congregants.
You want to communicate with each and every member, empowering them with the needed information to walk alongside you in faith.Â
3. Balance comprehensiveness and scannability.
While you want to make use of all of the opportunities available to you in using a variety of communication channels, avoid taking excessive amounts of a congregant’s time when doing so.
For example, check out Morweb’s listing of the best nonprofit websites. Each site communicates the needed information in a brief yet attractive manner, inspiring visitors to take part in advancing the nonprofit’s mission. Approach all of your church’s communications with congregants in a similar manner— conveying all of the needed information without overdoing it, and inspiring congregants to take part.
Check each message you’re sending out to ensure it’s scannable, as in easy to gather the needed information without actually reading each word. Further, ensure you’re not rambling, so members that do read every word don’t spend an entire afternoon doing so.
4. Make communication a two-way street.
To engage your members in communicating with your church, simply make the practice a two-way street.
Create opportunities for members to respond to your communication efforts, whether with their own updates, questions, or even just encouraging comments.Â
Consider the following methods for creating a two-way conversation between your congregants and your church:
- Post question and response prompts on social media channels, encouraging members to respond to your social network posts.
- Encourage members to send in photos and stories of their engagement with your church and its events.
- Send out surveys inviting feedback regarding your efforts.
Further, provide opportunities for members to be ambassadors for Christ themselves through sharing your church’s communications. Create easily sharable social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram so members can easily send them out to their greater networks.
5. Understand it’s not just about communication.
Ultimately, any of the previous strategies would be helpful for almost any organization type looking to increase their communications with members. However, what makes these efforts well-suited for your church, in particular, is the realization that it’s not just about communication.Â
It’s about helping members grow in their faith.
You know that a life in service of God is one overflowing with blessings. Efficient communication not only empowers your church community to grow, but it provides your congregants with the information they need to live this life of service.
This could mean sharing online tithing best practices (learn more about this here) or information regarding upcoming small groups. Regardless, you want to keep the reason for your communications in mind.
Not only does strong church communication build community among your members, but it also informs congregants of your church’s upcoming programming. With this, you can empower members to continue living a life in service of God.
Needless to say, nailing this process is invaluable when it comes to your church’s success. Luckily, with the help of a few digital tools and feedback from your members, you’ll have a successful church communication strategy in no time.
Kingsley Allen has been involved in designing, developing, and operating software for over 25 years. Much of his recent career has been invested in helping churches leverage technology to grow and reach people. Kingsley worked with the Fellowship One church management system for 10 years, leading the product and development teams from startup mode through the acquisition by ACTIVE Network. Post-acquisition, he served as general manager of the Faith business unit and strategy and partnerships for ACTIVE’s Communities division. As VP of Product Development at Vision2, he helps guide the continued development of Vision2 into a world-class giving engagement platform.
