As the church and staff grow larger and larger, the difficulty of communicating effectively becomes more and more evident. Recently, I was asked this question: “What is the best way to communicate within our ministry?” It is a great question but very difficult to answer.
First, you must evaluate where the communication is going: volunteers, parents, general church leaders. Second, you must decide what you want them to do with the communication. Third, you likely need multiple forms of communication for the same message.
In church communication, there are still some huge myths. One of the greatest is that the Pastor has to say something for it to be important. That’s lazy communication. Think about all of the options available to communicate today: email, text messages, web, postcards, etc. Each of these can be used strategically to get the message to the audience – effectively.
When dealing with staff, communication becomes even more difficult – even though most people are working in the same building. Here are some thoughts from things that I have learned:
- Put significant things in writing. Everyone listens through a lens. If it matters, put it in writing.
- Have a centralized church calendar. We use a web-based service called EventU.
- Share personal calendars within ministry teams. Microsoft allows people to share calendars as well as Google Calendar – do it.
- Recognize that the higher up you are in the organization, the more you know. Don’t be blind to the fact that people further from those making the daily decisions know less about what is happening. Keep them informed (and that is easier said that done).
Communication is difficult – no matter who the audience is. Recognize the barriers associated with each group and overcome them. It’s a long, hard process, and you will have to work at it!
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