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8 ways to build a stronger church team
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityThey’re committed, dedicated, hard-working, loyal and steadfast in their determination to serve the church. They come in early, stay late, and pour their energy into their work. They can also get exhausted and discouraged to the point of giving up. Prevent burnout and improve team morale by implementing these tips for a stronger church team.
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3 things to consider before Easter
Mark MacDonald Religious CommunityI realize that Christmas is still in the rearview mirror. The chaos of special holiday and new year’s services are still fresh on your mind, and now there’s a peace that happens as January unfolds. It’s called the winter months. Or… the lull before the storm. Of Easter. Easter is typically a highly attended service because it’s an easy time to invite people to a service and it’s also the one week in the year that everyone (sort of) decides to attend "the" Easter Sunday service (since many alternate weeks in attendance rather than attending every week, it boosts attendance on that one week).
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How to get off to a great start with volunteers in the new year
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityThere’s something about the start of a new year that invites us to refresh areas of our lives. That could mean initiating a new Bible reading plan, launching a healthier lifestyle, or other improved habits. If you have a role in coordinating and leading volunteers, here are a few habits you can cultivate to help your team become healthier and add to its ranks.
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3 ways to pray for your 2019 church communications
Mark MacDonald Religious CommunityPrayer allows us to open our minds to God’s plan since He uses prayer to align us with His will. How do we know His will? It’s fairly easy to know: nothing will happen in 2019 that’s out of it since nothing surprises Him or is out of His control. That should bring peace and hope to your perspective of 2019. Your community (the area that’s within your church’s influence) needs that reassurance, hope, and peace. They need Jesus. Let’s pray that God truly uses us to communicate to a world that doesn’t seem to be reaching out to Houses of Worship, the Bible, or the Truth.
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Project transforms the perception of religion in classrooms around the…
Sheilamary Koch EducationFrom reading Martin Luther King’s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" to analyzing artwork at the Art Institute of Chicago, students around the nation are embarking on educational activities from a new religious studies-informed angle. Thanks to the Religious Literacy Project (RLP) at Harvard Divinity School, which guides teachers in incorporating a constitutionally sound approach to presenting the interplay between culture and religion, students are developing better understanding of how the multiple facets of religion influence human experience.
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7 tips to help your ministry team prevent burnout
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityAs leaders, sometimes we need to protect our team members from themselves. The individuals who regularly stay late to wrap up a few tasks, who take on the toughest assignments, and practically live at the church need your help. While their dedication and work ethic is admirable, ministry is a marathon…not a sprint. Running at a sprinter’s pace will keep team members from being able to stay healthy and strong over the long haul. Here are seven tips to help your staff avoid burnout.
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A look inside 2 distinct high school religion classes
Sheilamary Koch EducationThe two teachers interviewed for this article both mentioned wisdom as a quality they envisioned or witnessed their high school students moving towards as they engage in the study of religion. Interestingly, their teaching approaches and subject matter are strikingly different. One teaches at a public high school and the other at a private institution that encompasses primary through high school. Nonetheless, both use the study of religion in ways that have the potential to impact how these young people interact in the world.
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Want to love as a church? Start with a persona.
Mark MacDonald Religious CommunityWe’re called to love. In fact, Jesus told His disciples that we’d be known for love if we’re properly following Him. So, who are we called to love? Everyone (especially our enemies). It’s a crazy goal. Can a local church love everyone? Yes. But maybe it’s more reasonable to say that we should love anyone we come (or could come) into contact with. That way we can get really practical with our love. In church communication, our words, actions, ministries must be felt as love.
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4 tips for a more peaceful Christmas
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityWith Christmas right around the corner, this is a busy time for church staff members. Candlelight services, stage décor, volunteers, special programs, and more are all part of the hustle and bustle of the season. So, how do you manage all this activity and still feel some peace on earth and goodwill towards men? Here are a few tips to help.
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4 ways to save money on bulletins today
Mark MacDonald Religious CommunityChurches thrive on information. Each ministry has lots of information to provide and, we hope, our members actually want to discover ministry information to use. The problem? People today are very fragmented in the ways they want to receive information. Some want it by text, some by email, others who want to go to the website themselves, scan social media, or those who still trust the bulletin or newsletter. People seek information from a trusted source so, because our churches have honed our bulletin process to a science, the bulletin tends to be the go-to place for "everything."
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