Have you ever fallen into a role by chance and ended up being good at it? I think we’ve all been in situations like this. A few years ago, I joined a planning group for the women’s ministry at the church we had just joined. In the meeting, I suggested that we make cookie bouquets for centerpieces at our next event. This was a unique idea at the time, so the planning committee embraced it. Being the take-charge person I am, I gathered a team, took on the job, and our team created dozens of cute and delicious cookie bouquets to adorn the tables at this event. The following month, when the planning group gathered again, I suddenly found myself nominated for not just planning the centerpieces but planning the whole event! And although my temperament, skills, and background were all well-suited for this task, there were some definite gaps in knowledge that I had to learn by trial and error as I took on this big job!

The Accidental Communicator

A really valuable conference is coming this fall called The Church Communicator’s Conference. What I like about this conference is that it’s very real because it is geared towards accidental church communicators. These are people who fell into the job of church communications, much like I fell into the job of leading a women’s ministry. Accidental church communicators are usually a team of one trying their best to increase their skillset and serve their small to mid-size churches. They’re doing all the things, and trying to do them well and effectively.

What Do Church Communications and Interior Design Have In Common?

I am one of the guest speakers at the conference, along with some of the brightest minds on the subject of church communications. These speakers are not just theorists, but they serve as communications specialists in their own churches, so they have lots of practical advice. My area of specialty is interior design, so you might be asking yourself, “Why is she speaking at a communications conference? What do church communications and interior design have in common?”

1. TELLING A STORY

Our brains are wired for stories. In fact, storytelling is one of the oldest forms of human communication. I bet you have difficulty recalling any of your college or high school lectures, right? But we remember stories we’ve been told, and retell them again and again. Stories transcend facts and details and engage us emotionally, which is essential to leaving a lasting impression. Effective church communications tell stories - stories of God moving in people’s lives, stories of change through the power of the gospel, stories of impact in the community.

In the same way, effective church environments tell a story. When done excellently, they can tell the unique story of your church as a body of believers and what role you have in the community. They can tell the story of your origin, your past, your present, and where you’re headed.

2. CONNECTION

The best church communications connect the hearer with the life of the church. The church is more than a building; it is the people within the building. So effective communications should bring people in from the outside and then connect them to one another.

In the same way, your church environments can serve to foster connection. Carefully devised floorplans can create spaces where people gather, mingle, meet, pray together, and make life-long connections as the body of Christ. It’s not just about a beautiful building; it’s about a space that invites people to find a home within the family of God.

3. INFORMATIONAL

Your team works hard to plan events, services, and moments where people connect with God. Communication about those events should be clear and provide the facts about how people can engage with them. The key to having people show up is presenting the basic information clearly. We all learned in elementary school that clear written communication answers the questions who, what, where, when, and why. The facts really matter!

Did you know that good interior design can also answer the questions who, what, where, when, and why? Thoughtfully planned church environments can highlight key phrases, mottos and mission statements that define who you are, what defines you as a church, and why you exist. In addition, they can incorporate signage that tells people where to go (or where they currently are). The best church interiors are not only decorative and aesthetically pleasing, but information as well!

Don’t Undermine the Message

Newsletters, social media, graphics, email campaigns, and announcements all play an integral part in sharing the gospel and moving the message of Jesus forward. You spend countless hours and expend much energy to get people in the church doors. Make sure the building doesn’t undermine the message when they get there.

Our environment can be another tool that invites people into the family of God. The definition of the word environment is “the setting or conditions in which a particular activity is carried on, i.e. a good learning environment.” Well-planned surroundings can create the right conditions for the seeds of the gospel to be planted and take root in people’s hearts.

I would love for you to join me at the Church Communicator’s Conference this fall where I’ll share more on this topic! The conference is held November 4-5 at First Baptist Church in Rock Hill, SC (a suburb of Charlotte, NC). this conference begins right at the tail end of the First Impressions Conference, so you can even piggyback the two conferences for a week-long church leadership intensive! You can register here at the earlybird rate. I’d love to see you!

What Are Your Church Interiors Communicating?