Making the Case for Social Media: Part One
I personally resigned from all social media usage. I think it’s one of the main causes for our fractured society. This is a common refrain I hear in conversation with ministers and church leaders. And to be honest, I’ve been a little surprised. I’ve been surprised that I have had to make the case for […]
Digital Congregations Supports the Seminario
When I launched Digital Congregations earlier this summer, it was important to me to approach this new business as a ministry—as not just a service, but my service to churches and church organizations. I decided quickly that one way I would do this is to offer my time and talents to the Seminario Intercultural Mayense […]
20 Better Calls to Action than “Learn More” for Churches
Calls to action (CTAs) are very important— especially on homepages. They encourage people to move past the initial virtual introduction and get to know your church in greater depth. But steer clear of the much beloved “learn more.” It’s what we call in my industry a conversion killer, which in the church context could accidentally […]
Digital Congregations Featured on Baptist News Global
Last week, Baptist News Global featured my work through Digital Congregations in the form of a Q&A: In the interview, journalist Jeff Brumley and I chat about everything from how my parents (who are field personnel with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship) have influenced my work to how a church can know if it has developed […]
On Website Psychology
I’ve talked a whole lot about websites lately. They were the topic of the last session in the course I wrapped up in late August and I’ve been working on website audits for a handful of churches and organizations. When I start to have the same conversation with different people, I begin to think it […]
This is my new class and I think you’re going to be as excited about it as I am!
I—along with sixteen churches—wrapped up this month’s “Church Communications During COVID” course earlier this morning. It was bittersweet as I had grown fond of the workshop’s participants over the past four weeks. I told them this earlier but it bears repeating: familiarizing myself with their work brought me so much hope. I am so grateful […]
Storytelling vs. Sharing Information
A whole host of you are going to roll your eyes when you see the title of this blog post. Previous clients. Current workshop participants. Anyone who has spoken with me seriously about communications, oh, in the past decade. They’re rolling their eyes because I talk about the importance of storytelling over sharing information in […]
A Communications Checklist (and a few extra thoughts)
This afternoon, I was preparing my notes for the church communications workshop I teach on Wednesday. I caught myself deleting a suggestion I had previously included. I thought: “They’re going to resist this because it’ll add more to their plate and they’re already overloaded.” Even as I had the thought, however, I took a step […]
How to Increase Online Giving
Over the past few weeks, I have spent many hours on the phone in conversation with churches and church-based organizations. My goal is to gain a greater understanding of what churches have experienced since March, how they have pivoted, what they have learned, and what their needs are. I’m so grateful to the many pastors […]
Graphic Design: Nevertheless She Preached
A few days ago, Nevertheless She Preached (NSP)—the conference that celebrates the voices of women in the pulpit—announced that its event would be held virtually this year. My heart sank. This event has become a “Jerusalem” of sorts, a pilgrimage that fills me up and carries me through the rest of the year. Of course, […]