Phil Bowdle

EFFECTIVE CHURCH COMMUNICATION

Phil Bowdle talks about how what used to work a decade or two ago in church communication no longer works. So how do you adjust your church communication in 2017 to reach your community in areas like: Social Media, Engagement, Storytelling, Worship and Announcements?

You’re not going to change your pastor, but you can add value to them. @philbowdle Share on X

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Show Notes

What's in this episode?

  • How things have changed and continue to change in church communications (6:17)
  • How worship services are changing (7:54)
  • Nobody goes to your church for the announcements (10:32)
  • Advocate for the people in your audience, limit your worship playlist (12:25)
  • Worship planning & communication in a healthy way & setting expectations (15:03)
  • Telling stories (19:04)
  • The four components of every church story (22:35)
  • The average church is still using social media as a bullhorn instead of a relational tool. The three aspects we’re trying to do on social media (25:08)

Nobody goes to your church for the announcements. @philbowdle Share on X

3 Quick Highlights

  • The average gold fish has an attention span of 9 seconds, and we have an attention span of 8 seconds. The attention of the people we have is a valuable commodity we get to steward.
  • The four components of every church story: the problem they were trying to solve, solution they found, their overall story in a sentence, what’s the call to action.
  • The three aspects we’re trying to do on social media: inspire, engage and encourage.

Amplified Impact Round (30:12)

Q: What's the first thing any new church communication director needs to know?
A: Instead of advocating for your staff, advocate for your audience first. Then translate through the staff.

Q: What's the best thing you’ve done to attract new visitors to church?
A: Lights at West Ridge. Free light experience on the front of our building and syncing it up to a 15-minute light house. Helped people living near us actually know about us.

Q: Any tips for promoting sermons/series?
A: Every series should speak to a felt need or a problem that is going to be solved. Figure out the problem you’re trying to solve and then build awareness around that.

Q: What's your favorite tool for ministry?
A: Things app by Cultured Code.

Reach Out

You can reach out and thank Phil via his website philbowdle.com or email on Twitter or on Facebook.

Suggested Guest

Phil suggested that I interview David Adamson at NorthPoint on social media and Mark MacDonald, author of Be Known for Something.

Links