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Administrative basics: Leading a meeting
Micah James Religious CommunityThere is an art to leading a meeting. We all know when we have experienced a good, bad, great or just downright-awful meeting. It takes intentionality and preparation on behalf of the leaders and participants for a meeting to fulfill its intended purpose.
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Are church emails worth the effort?
Mark MacDonald Religious CommunityA church recently lamented that they only have a 14 percent open rate for their emails. Plus their click-through rate was extremely low. Their church communicator wondered, "Is it worth the effort?"
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How to engage volunteers who can serve during the workday
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityWhen we think of volunteers, we mostly consider what roles we need them to serve over the weekend. While that's certainly the time we need them the most, there are ways volunteers can help out during the week.
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‘Leave me alone!’ 3 essentials a church must do to communicate
Mark MacDonald Religious CommunityI fly a lot, and I pray before each flight that God would allow me to have an effective conversation with the person next to me. Effective? That means I'll represent the church in a good light and talk about Jesus or faith somehow.
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Budgeting toward the sweet spot
James Clyburn Religious CommunityIt's about that time again. Time to enter your ministry budget, get everything just right and hold your breath during the approval process.
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3 administrative activities to prepare for fall
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityFall is an exciting time for churches. People come back from summer vacation, kids get ready for school, and everyone starts returning to a normal schedule. Like most churches, you're probably planning a back-to-school event or some other fall kickoff program to welcome everyone back to church. From there, Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner.
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3 tips to picking your church communication thread
Mark MacDonald Religious CommunityI've committed my life to helping local churches become known for something so communities will understand that ministries should be included in their busy lives. It's difficult for most of us since we've been active in the church world for years or associated with church culture.
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How to support a visionary leader
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityHave you ever felt the tension of appreciating your pastor's vision while being frustrated by rapid-fire requests and changes in direction? You value his desire to reach people with the Gospel, make disciples and lead a thriving church. You want to support him in those efforts, but you're exhausted trying to keep the day-to-day stuff running smoothly and making his latest idea happen.
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3 horrible reasons to get a church app
Mark MacDonald Religious CommunityIt doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize many in our congregations have a mobile device with hundreds of apps. In fact, if you dim the lights during your service, you can see the glow of screens across the room. This past week, our large screens showed an establishment video shot looking on the main floor crowd from the balcony. It was during the offering, and you could see dozens of people on their smartphones — if only they were all using their devices to give money.
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5 key questions for potential volunteers
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityEvery church, regardless of size, needs volunteers. The challenge is in getting more people to serve on a regular basis. You may have tried several approaches to bridge that gap, including announcements from the stage, videos, emails, asking people individually and volunteer "job fairs." Those methods can work. However, it’s best to first consider how the approach you decide to use will come across to potential volunteers.
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