Just got back from MinistryCOM 2005. I have to admit, I was somewhat of a skeptic going into it. As a matter of fact, if I wasn’t presenting two workshops, I would have been pretty outspoken about the fact that a “church communications” conference was the last place I’d choose to spend my training budget on continuing education. Why would I go hang out with a bunch of church people to learn about the best practices or innovative tactics for marketing and communications?
And, yet, over 130 people registered for this event with less than 4 months notice and no advertising. What in the world?! Why were these people coming? How did they hear about it? The suspense and curiosity was killing me.
The first national conference specific to ministry communication professionals exceeded expectations on every level. Professionals from 24 states with church sizes ranging from 50 to 24,000 participated in the two-day event. I was completely blown-away. A serious shout out to Terrell Sanders at Main Street Enterprises. He saw the need and made a personal investment to make it happen. Oh, yeah, he brought it.
A mixture of ministry and marketplace thought-leaders, this crowd was hungry, edgy, unafraid, discerning and passionate. I left with new ideas and a new network of resources. As a matter of fact, I got an e-mail today from someone who expressed it best for all of us “I walked away… refreshed? challenged? educated? with a new vision? All of the above.”
Who was there?
To start, speakers from Willow Creek Association, AspireOne, Fish Hook, Stonebriar Community Church, Northwoods Community Church, Granger Community Church (yeah, that’s me), Ministry Marketing Coach and more. The buzz is that MinistryCOM 2006 will be in Chicago next May. Mark your calendar now.
Want more?
- My boss Tony went with me, he’s talking about it.
- I’m talking about it.
- Download speaker slides and handouts.
- Purchase audio.
More Leadership, Less Money
The most disturbing thing I observed is how many people carried the Communications Director title without the empowerment and influence to go along with it. It’s not that they didn’t have the capacity or passion, it’s that their organization kept the role in a box of glorified production manager. That’s a frustrating thing to see. The opportunity? More education about “leading up”.
Equally disturbing was how many people felt their impact was limited by budget. That’s a myth. The opportunity? Educate communications and marketing professionals that it has more to do with leadership and alignment than it does with how much money you have to spend.
So, I’m going next year. And, I’m looking forward to it.
