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3 simple New Year’s resolutions for church staff
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityWe're near the finish line of 2020, with everyone ready to bid this chaotic year adieu. As we try to shake off a rough year, it's time to look ahead and consider how to start 2021. While COVID-19 isn't fully behind us, we can still take a few actions to make this new year better than the last.
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5 communication knowns about 2021, the year of unknowns
Mark MacDonald Religious Community2020 has proven that the only consistency in life is that we should expect change. And our definition of "change" certainly broadened in the last 12 months! Looking to 2021, we know that we don’t know. It’ll be a year of unknowns. After working 30-plus years in communication, here are five things that we do know, though. And if these are understood intrinsically, as God unfurls 2021, we’ll be more prepared than we were during 2020.
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7 church administration areas to refresh with a new year
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityAs we begin to wrap up 2020 (and there was much rejoicing), it’s time to consider how we can start the new year off right. For church administrators, there are a handful of areas to review and address to set our churches up for a great year of ministry. Here are several ideas for making the administrative aspect of your church run even more effectively in the upcoming year.
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10 fun turkey facts for Thanksgiving table (or Zoom) talk
Dave G. Houser Food & BeverageOfficially, it’s Thanksgiving Day — but we’ve all come to know it as “Turkey Day” in recognition of the most popular guest of honor at the holiday table. Honestly, however, what do we really know about the big tasty bird that has become so much a part of America’s Thanksgiving tradition? Truth is, there’s much more to our favorite holiday bird than white or dark meat. Researchers have long studied the bird, technically known as Meleagris gallopavo, the wild turkey from which the domesticated version that we serve up with mashed potatoes and gravy was derived. Here are 10 of the most fun and fascinating things they’ve learned.
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3 reasons to unplug during a vacation
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityWith all the chaos and uncertainty we've faced this year, we could all use a few days to relax and recharge. Hopefully, you'll be able to take some time off once Christmas services are over (whatever those end up looking like). While it's tempting to stay plugged in to what's going on at the office, there are a few reasons why you should avoid work email while on vacation.
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The beginner’s guide to church websites: 4 steps
Mark MacDonald Religious CommunityThere are many communication channels for your church. You can talk from the stage, in your bulletin, through text or email messaging, on one or all social media channels, and your website. What matters most? That you communicate where most in your congregation have access to — and where your community can discover you. Print can’t do that economically. Your church needs a digital communication hub that’s trusted and known. Everything points there. If your congregation or community wants info, they know they can find it at your web URL address. Here are the initial four steps to creating a successful website.
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3 areas where small improvements can make a significant difference
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityAs we start to wrap up a challenging year, making any significant changes or improvements may be a bit too much to ask. However, there are several ways to make incremental improvements that lead to lasting impacts. We all want to see significant results from ministry efforts. We want to see more people coming to Christ, increased attendance at worship services (online and/or in-person), more volunteers serving consistently, etc. Those are worthwhile goals that would be wonderful to see happen. However, getting to that fruit typically doesn’t happen overnight. So, what can you do now to see that fruit later?
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The beginner’s guide to church SEO
Mark MacDonaldEveryone can benefit from a third-party endorsement where someone recommends what you’re offering. Wouldn’t it be great for a trusted friend to recommend your church? The next best solution is when Google (or another search engine) gives results that recommend you! Winner! We tend to trust one of their first results like we heard it from a trusted friend. The ability to be found on that first page requires a lot of work, though. Here’s how you can ensure your church is the "best" Google solution.
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How clarity builds a stronger team
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityWith more to do than time in the week, it’s imperative to build strong teams that can serve the congregation and community more effectively. Whether a team consists of staff, volunteers, or a combination, each individual needs to know what you expect. A fundamental way to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of any team is by clarifying expectations. A lack of clarity can cause misunderstandings and frustration between team members and between you and your team. Here are three key reasons to clarify roles and responsibilities for your team.
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Warning: 3 things you need to know before a church rebrand
Mark MacDonald Religious CommunityIt’s all the rage, and it’s a great trend. In fact, if you haven’t branded or rebranded your church in the last five years, you should budget for it in the next year. Why? Because an effective rebrand will help you evangelize better, increase membership, and strengthen participation. But before you jump into the rebrand process, understand these three things.
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