The church is the hope of the world. As church leaders we have the responsibility of communicating the greatest message known to mankind; the only message capable of changing a person's entire eternity. The weight of that responsibility is both profound and incredible. It moves us to action, and demands that we communicate it well. Communication covers a wide swath of areas in church life, and it's needs to be focused, and effective.
In 2009, I spent 8 months at the hospital with our newborn son Josiah, who had a rare heart condition called HLHS. In our time there, here are a few things I have found to be very transferable regarding communication, after being in a very busy hospital constantly for about 250 days.
1. Have excellent signage - we could usually find our way if we followed the signs
2. Treat 1st time visitors as if they have no idea what to do (they usually don't)
3. Let the people who have been there a while know that is a good thing for them to receive LESS attention. It means they are doing well on their own.
4. People want to ask questions, but don't. Answer the questions they aren't asking. It will make them feel much better.
5. Don't apologize for rules that may be in place. Just explain their purpose.
Following that line of logic, let me share with you 5 questions our church will be asking in regards to what gets communicated on a weekly basis to our people.
1. Is this a church-wide event / announcement? Does it match up with the DNA?
2. Is this a church supported ministry / organization / missionary?
3. Is this person who had a baby, lost a loved one, or is getting married a current member / attender of our church?
4. Is this information that a first time guest needs clarification for and does this information have a direct person to contact to get involved?
5. Is this information something that calls people to ACTION and could it be shared in half as many words?
Communication = The message received, NOT the message sent.
Does your church communicate well?
Milo Wilson
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