This is the foundation on which a successful communication strategy in our church is built. Each block builds on top of the other. 1) Assign Level 1, 2, 3, or 4 to Every Ministry What this step is:
Formally classify every ministry, department, and event into a communication level so not everything is treated as equally urgent or equally visible. This is the foundational act that makes every other step possible. Why it matters:
Without levels, churches default to promotional chaos: too many announcements, too much competition for attention, and growing tension between ministries. Levels protect attention and clarify expectations. How to do it (actions): Use the four communication levels:
- Level 1: Impacts 80% of the church + bridge events
- Level 2: Core next steps (baptism, groups, giving, serving, etc.)
- Level 3: Next Gen (kids, youth, young adults)
- Level 4: Individual ministries, departments, and groups Inventory everything your church does (calendar + ministries) and assign a level to each Share the completed levels document internally so ministries understand where they fit. Done when: Every ministry and recurring event has a level assigned, and no promotion is planned without first identifying its level. 2) Publish Policy What this step is: Install shared language that governs how communication decisions are made, so informal, personality-driven policy doesn’t take over. Why it matters: Policy eliminates personal tension by replacing opinions with principles. It also ensures consistency across announcements, social media, and promotions. The policy to publish: Communications Policy (6 rules): Awareness is not interest Sunday is not your Savior The more you announce, the less they listen Inspiration over information One destination for every promo Values dictate voice Social Media Policy (7 rules): All efforts are informed by Christ Stop the scroll Identify intersections of faith & culture No weeks off Principle of congruency Social is a springboard Repeat the best, forget the rest, continue to test How to do it (actions): Circulate both policies to staff and key volunteers. Reference policy language when approving, denying, or reshaping promos. Use policy as the justification, not personal preference. Done when: Policy language is referenced naturally in meetings (“this is Level 4,” “Sunday isn’t our Savior,” “what’s the one next step?”). 3) Give Each Ministry a Home What this step is: Create clear, appropriate digital real estate for every ministry so visibility doesn’t depend on stage time or churchwide channels Why it matters: Most ministry frustration comes from having nowhere to send people. Giving ministries a home reduces pressure on announcements while increasing autonomy. How to do it (actions): Level 1–3: May have dedicated pages on the Central Hub website. Level 4 ministries: May have dedicated Post Collections on the Central Hub website. Done when: Every ministry has a clear destination you can confidently point people to without adding pages everywhere. 4) Supply Promotions Playbooks What this step is: Replace improvisation with repeatable promotion blueprints based on communication level. Why it matters: Playbooks prevent promotional bloat, protect attention, and ensure fairness across ministries.. Done when: Every promo request is answered with a playbook, not a debate. 5) Create the Weekly Bulletin What this step is: Establish a single, exhaustive, churchwide record of what’s happening each week Why it matters: This is how Level 4 ministries get churchwide visibility without bloating announcements. How to do it (actions): Publish the Weekly Bulletin as a Post Collection Promote it weekly via:
- Pre-service slide (QR code)
- Launcher action
- Email delivery Structure each bulletin:
- Day-by-day events
- Brief descriptions where needed
- Featured sections for emphasis
- Upcoming section for future events Done when: Anyone can answer “what’s happening at church this week?” without asking staff. 6. Commit to the Church Announcements Formula What this step is: Standardize every announcement around one story + one next step. Why it matters: Information doesn’t move people; inspiration does. Multiple next steps kill response. How to do it (actions): Limit stage announcements to three or fewer. Every announcement:
- Leads with a story
- Ends with the same next-step script
- Never list logistics from stage; always send people to the destination Done when: People stop asking, “Where do I go for more info?” 7) Launch Your Central Hub What this step is: Make your website the one destination for every promo, available 24/7, on every device Why it matters: Fewer options lead to more action. The Central Hub turns inspiration into measurable next steps. How to do it (actions): Use a website (not an app) as the hub. Install:
- Launcher
- Posts & Posts Collections
- Weekly Bulletin Use the same next-step language everywhere until it becomes culture Done when: Your congregation instinctively knows where to go next - without being told differently each week.