"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men."

--Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

Many years ago in my church, we fell into a common trap. Our community experienced an ice storm on a Saturday evening, and the pastor had decided to call off services. We went through our due diligence and checked off the number of things we decided to do in case of a storm. We placed a notice on our Web site, notified the local television station, and placed a message on our incoming telephone line announcing the closing. The problem is that we were using "pull" technology rather than "push" technology. That is, we were requiring our members to think ahead enough to check the Web site, look on the news, or call us.

What about those who didn't know we placed information in those places? Do we have an obligation to them? According to Christ, absolutely. If we have other tools at our disposal provided by Him, we should be good stewards and put them to use correctly.

More recently, we used our automated messaging system to call all the families on a Saturday night about a Sunday closing. We used "push" technology. That is, we recorded a message and "pushed" the information out to our members, letting them know that they were important and we wanted them safe. On Monday, the church opened, and the phone lines came alive with people calling to say "thank you" for letting us know about the closing. This turned an administrative task into another way to say "we care."

Why was this so different than other methods? Why did the people respond this way? There are a number of reasons that are important in the life and health of your congregation.

1. Match of Technology to the Task at Hand
With today's technology choices, it's easy to mismatch the right tool for the right job. In my church, for example, we had been choosing communication methods that would only reach that portion of the congregation who actually thought about looking for the answers, thus choosing to leave out those who did not. That makes the end result about as effective as trying to drive a nail with a wrench instead of a hammer. Here are today's communication technologies and some suggested uses.

Telephone
The telephone is the oldest of the current communication technologies as well as the most reliable. Have you ever thought about the alarm in almost everyone's house-or now, in their pocket (cell phone)-that goes off when you want to deliver a message? That is the telephone. This technology is best used for routine announcements, last-minute changes, emergencies, and messages that need to be delivered personally. Statistics show that more than 95% of the population have a telephone in their home or on their person and use it daily. There are also machines and services on the market that automate the phone call process, allowing you to record a message once and then have it delivered to everyone on your list.

Email
E-mail has grown in popularity, especially in church administration. The ability to mass communicate with little or no cost is very attractive. However, caution should be exercised before using this tool exclusively. Remember, not everyone has or uses e-mail, and unless your congregation has everyone's current e-mail address, you are effectively are choosing to eliminate as many as 50% of the people.

E-mail is best used for routine correspondence that is not time sensitive, such as directions, illustrations, photos, and newsletters. Any e-mail that is deemed important should be coupled with a phone call unless you have an agreement with the recipient that their e-mail will be checked regularly.

Text Messages
This form of communication, once thought to be limited to teenagers, has caught on. Some studies indicate now that average age of a text-messager is as high as 38. What does this mean?

Text messaging is an easy form of non-verbal communication that's typically sent from cell phone to cell phone but can be sent from computer to cell phone. Because it is non-verbal, it allows for easy communication in noisy or low-signal environments and places where voice communication is not appropriate.

The best applications of text messaging within a church are permission-based short announcements. Because of their short message length, newsletters are not appropriate, but this technology can provide for effective, brief forms of communication.

2. Communicate With the Right Spirit
Many people see communication as a task that must be completed to get other things accomplished. Handled correctly, you can transform the message-delivery task into a ministry. Identify those people who are gifted in this area, train them, and turn them loose. You will be surprised at the great results. Here are some tips on making that ministry more effective.

Help these "ministers" understand the basic needs of all people, such as affection, belonging, and recognition. Everyone needs love, a sense that they belong or are needed, and to be recognized for the gifts they possess. Remind them to bring this out in every communication. God modeled that for us at Jesus' baptism.

Also, help them understand when to use the appropriate technology. Today's technology saves us time but may send the wrong message. When a message is important, consider using multiple tools instead of just one. For example, when announcing a children's event, make the initial contact by phone and then send the details by e-mail, allowing for an opt-in for a reminder by telephone or text message.

Finally, remember the power of the human voice. Exercise judgment when sending out lengthy e-mails with a message that would better be communicated by phone. Author Maya Angelou put it best when she said, "When words are infused by the human voice, they come alive." Today's technology allows us to automatically deliver a recorded human voice to many people just letting them know you care. Think about the power of a pastor calling all the children just to let them know that he loves them and God does, too!

I began this article with a quote from the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Colossians. He is reminding this early church that as Christians, we are expected to act in certain ways, often opposing what is exemplified by the world. He reminds us that whatever the task, we should do it as if God Himself assigned it to us.

In church communication, that means understanding that there are people in your congregation who may not be engaged by your current practices; you need to find ways of meeting them where they are, not the other way around.

Remember the messenger sent to notify the shepherds at Christ's birth? What if he returned to God and said, "No, I really didn't deliver the message, but I did put it on their bulletin board." Jesus went to people and met them where they were: in the marketplace, at the well, and while fishing, to mention a few. He went to great lengths to make sure as many people as possible heard and were engaged by His message. If we are giving our all, we should as well.

Remember that with technology, as in life, it is all about the relationship. We may try to show how savvy we are by trying out new technologies on our congregations, which may inadvertently leave people out. Please choose carefully. They won't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Michael Euliss is a Certified Congregational Health Specialist and a noted authority in church communications. He is the director of marketing and customer training with PhoneTree, www.phonetree.com.

Sidebar
Revolutionizing Church Communication with Web 2.0 Technologies
By Tony Ferraro

The lifeblood of relationships within any church is the strength of its communication channels, which can affect both church administration and care provision. Breakdowns in communication can lead to disgruntled members, confusion, and, possibly, church splits. This can happen whether your church has 500 members or 5,000 members. Implementing Web 2.0 technologies, however, can directly impact these issues and help to effectively and affordably build community within your church.

Popular websites such as MySpace and YouTube clearly demonstrate how Web 2.0 technologies have been used to revolutionize the way people express themselves and communicate with community members, while driving content creation that has created a catalyst for relationship building. This same successful communication concept can be used by today's churches.

The Problem
Most churches today have 10 times more volunteers than they do staff members. While these volunteers are not paid, their responsibilities, management, and impact are typically very much like those of regular employees. Because they are not "staff members," however, managing church-business processes that involve these teams can be quite cumbersome. These members are located in disparate locations, working other jobs, and, thus, have limited time.

The Web 2.0 Solution
Web 2.0-based technology tools, such as online workgroups, can help effectively and affordably manage projects and volunteers. Because the workgroup is online, group members can access their information and contribute their ideas from any computer in the world that is connected to the Internet. User security rules can be applied for each individual so that only the right person has access to critical information. Meanwhile, members that are assigned to a particular group can share calendar items, exchange documents, and collaborate on upcoming project milestones.

These Web 2.0-based technology tools can also empower members to disseminate information throughout the church and the community. Members can create event Web sites on the fly with no technical training. For example, marketing an upcoming retreat or baptism online can save thousands of dollars by removing the need to send printed materials out to church members.

In the "old days," for a church pastor to broadcast his message, he needed radio time and sponsorship. "Podcasting" has removed the broadcast barrier, allowing a church to offer its recorded services online to a broader audience. Using any computer or MP3 player, church members can easily download and share the Sunday service. This tool has also become a preferred means by which people invite new friends to church.

Gone are the days of "prayer chains." Today's church uses online forums, blogs, and RSS feeds to share information among members and initiate care. Using these technologies, prayer teams can easily track prayer requests and results.

"How do I get involved?" This question has been asked by churchgoers for generations, and every church struggles to provide an answer. As a church continues to grow, cliques initiate. The people that "know" tend to hang out with other people in the "know." Every pastor wants to lead a church where new members are welcome and assimilated; however, actually accomplishing that objective can be frustrating and seem impossible.

Today's Web 2.0 technologies, however, empower church members in a protected online environment to create personal and family profiles. New members can easily find other members with common interests and identify ministry opportunities. Building meaningful relationships is the key to encouraging people to come back and get involved. Ultimately, this means better discipleship and spiritual growth.

These are just a few of the ways that churches can use today's Web 2.0 technologies to improve overall church effectiveness, build relationships, and empower communication. All of this and more is available online and is very affordable for even the smallest church environment.

Tony Ferraro is president and chief executive officer of 360Hubs, developer of 360Connected Church, www.360hubs.com.