Research Questions and Methods
Interviews with staff and church members to informally discuss the communication practices of GVLC and what we could do to strengthen how we communicate. A survey was sent to all full-time church staff, Board of Deacons, and a select group of members. Focusing on how staff, lay leaders, and members evaluated overall effectiveness of GVLC’s communication practices, preferred methods of receiving communications, feedback on the effectiveness of current strategies being used, and recommendations for improvement. Observation of organizational activities and physical space and evaluation and review of print materials, website and social media sites, and current communication practices where used to determine areas
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Involving members of all ages in the ministry of GVLC is something they believe is important and there is an openness to having new people get involved in the various ministries. But this appears to happen a bit haphazardly and they lack an intentional process to facilitate the integration of new members. “Research tells us that of all the people who drop out of church due to inactivity, 82 percent leave in the first year! The first 12 months are critical in the life of both the new member and the congregation” (Arn, 2011). Arn (2011), goes on to say that new members are asking questions like: Can I make friends at this church? Is there a place for me to fit in? Do they really want me? Is my contribution important? If they can answer yes to these important questions, chances are they will become active members of your congregation. GVLC needs to not only develop an intentional process for new members to be integrated into the life of their congregation and ministry, but they also need to communicate that process to their …show more content…
Ten surveys were returned. Overall, GVLC appears to be doing a good job at communicating with their members and the perception is that they are being effective in their communications with the community. Six of the ten indicated a four or five on how well informed they are in terms of the ministry of GVLC. When asked about what their main sources for obtaining information and their preferred method of receiving information, the weekly bulletin insert and email communications were ranked the highest. Interestingly, the website and other social media sites are used less often, but most participants indicated that if the website were updated and posts to social media were done on a more consistent basis, there preferred methods for receiving information may
Wilson, Barbara S., Arlene Flancher, and Susan T. Erdey. The Episcopal Handbook. New York, NY: Morehouse Pub., 2008. Print.
I agree with Kitchens, Mead, and Roxburgh who all basically say in their own way that one change in ministry that we need to focus on more is the congregational life of the church. However, I think Mead explains it best when he says that the future church must be more intentional in the spiritual formation of its laity (Mead, location 919). According to Mead, the church is moving towards becoming a more missional institution that cares for the needs of the community. Therefore, oftentimes laity will be the ones on the front lines and will need the capacity to minister to people on their own without the help of clergy. In order to do this they will need more directed and intensive training to deal with...
This part is adapted from “Developing Programs for Senior Citizens—A Handbook for churches,” produced by the Delaware County of (PA) Services for the Aging, and is included here with their permission. We gratefully acknowledge the editors: Judy Oerkvitz, Louis Colbert, Norma Thomas and Verne Dalton.
In my paper I will talk about my visit to The Community Church at Murphy's Landing (CCML). I have chosen this particular Church because it is a family church type and my neighbor goes there and she encouraged me to go with her. I went there with my neighbor on April 6, 2014.This church is an appropriate for this assignment because the people there are welcoming me with an open heart and they are willing to help and provide me with information. When I visit the Church’s site I read these words “We know visiting a new church can be intimidating. But, we want to help you to be as comfortable as possible when and if you join us”. The people gather in the church weekly to glorify God in joyful worship. The expressions of worship on CCML take many forms a prayer, a hymn of reverent awe, a guitar ringing with a chorus of praise, or a warm handshake and a welcoming smile. Their weekly services begin at 9:30 each Sunday at church. Also, they have weekly podcast if anyone wants to listen online. They have many types of services for parents, kids and students. People at CCML were so friendly; they gather around me and start welcoming me, one by one. People there introducing themselves to me, one after another and provide me with their contact information and help. Then we start talking about the church services and Christianity in particular. The mission of CCML was knowing, growing and loving. They seek to live out our mission by worshipping together as a local community of believers, growing in spiritual maturity through discipleship, education, and small groups, caring for one another within the context of the larger church body and small groups, and Communicating the love of Christ to our world, both through local outreach and global mis...
Gary McIntosh earned a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Rockmont College. He pursued a career in the business world before being called by God to enter into ministry. He attended Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, graduating in 1982 with a D.Min. in Church Growth. McIntosh has served as Vice President of a church consulting company as well as accepting a call to teach at Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology. In 2005 he earned a Ph.D. from Fuller Theological seminary. He is the recipient of several awards, including one from American Society For Church Growth. McIntosh is a distinguished author when it comes to church growth, appearing in several journals as well as having authored over eighteen monographs regarding church growth.
We recently had a church meeting to articulate changes that will affect the church’s future. This chapter came in handy because I was able to engage the congregation by asking the necessary questions to get their buy-in before actually setting the change in stone. Although I ready to implement the change, it was not executed until the congregation saw it the benefits and rewards. This practice is not always the best way, because time may or may not allow it.
Being an effective communicator is the key to success for a leader. Communication is defined by the authors in the text Organizations: Behavior, Structure, and Processes as transmitting information and understanding, usi...
When the church first started growing the believers were few and shared everything. And there was not much need for deacons. But as time went on a need for deacons was identified. First th...
It is apparent that the issues are similar at Willow Creek and New Hope, as both have experienced great growth. They are addressing these issues by adding additional services and by assignment of small groups or small ministries to meet their congregation's needs. They have been successful in addressing the issue based on each church's individual needs. Willow Creek has added services to accommodate the service seekers or the un-churched. New Hope attempts to match congregation member's needs through joining auxiliaries or other ministries of the church.
If these primary goals are accomplished, then worship will not be empty and simple-minded. Instead, the worship atmosphere would be held to a higher standard and, she believes, both pleasing to God and attractive to those who do not know God. " Reaching Out without Dumbing Down" is a book intended for church leaders, elders, or pastors who are considering altering their current worship style to attract more unsaved people. The author provides excellent standards to help pastors and worship leaders plan, execute, and evaluate worship services. These same standards also provide a great opportunity to educate the church family on the reasons behind the use of certain worship elements.
...ughout the whole service I never felt out of place or that I was not welcome there. I felt as though I was immediately accepted as one of them and I had become friends with all of them. All different kinds of people attend these you groups and it is not just the “goodie goods” and the “church boys” like people seem to think, they are all just people looking to express their views among their peers. As I first walked through those doors into that dark room with Connor I was a little skeptical of what I was getting myself into but as I walked out I had a whole new outlook on youth groups.
Young, D. S. (1999). Servant Leadership for Church Renewal: Sheperds By the Living Springs. Scottdale: Herald Press.
In today's world, there are many different ways to get involved in religion; various methods have attracted groups of all ages and races. One popular association is FCA or Fellowship of Christian Athletes. This particular group has helped me to find Christ in my own life. There are a lot of unconventional activities to help the younger generations get involved. Some of these activities included Death Week, which focused on death and pain, meetings about family and divorce, lectures to help people reach for their goals, and encouragement speakers. There is a great deal of fun incorporated into all the seriousness, though. We went on ski trips, did missionary work, and put on skits. All of these activities involved Christ in some way, and helped the younger generation to realize that being spiritual was not 'uncool.'; When I attended the FCA meetings, it was the one time that I actually felt free from all my problems. FCA helped me to find my spiritual self and gave me a sense of completion.
Communication actions are generally view as vital for linking government with society, enable wide political system, giving voice to the poor and sideline groups, and facilitate civilian contribution and communal responsibility. According to the World Bank (2006), communication strengthen good quality governance, as the procedure of provide general public with related information. Improved communications makes policies more contestable and motivate society to grasp the government accountable. As a result, communication plays numerous significant roles in promoting good governance. A very significant feature of governance now is how people, leaders and government institution converse to each other to make societal and supporting change probable. With no effectual strategic communications mechanism, it is not easy to predict how state can be responsible to the requirements of the society. Strategic communication is a significant element in the area of governance, as it seeks to support democratic system and good governance, throughout disseminate information and increase state-society relationships and amongst democratic institutions (UNESCO,
Effective communication skills enable people at all levels of the community to work together to achieve the community’s goals and move it forward on the path of success and development.