Church Marketing Sucks

Right now church communicators are gathering in Vermont to help local churches communicate better. It’s all part of Creative Missions, our annual missions trip for church communications professionals. Instead of graphic designers painting walls or introvert writers leading VBS, we’re putting communication skills to work to help churches share the gospel with their communities. Over the next week, 25 missionaries will spread among four teams to serve a dozen churches in Vermont.

We’re big fans of Creative Missions. More than blog posts and best practices, it’s actually helping churches. These are churches that can’t afford to hire professionals and don’t know how to do it themselves.

As one local pastor says:

“I feel like I’ve neglected my people while worrying about tech and communication. You’re just in time.”

Vermont is infamously known as a “church planter’s graveyard,” but there’s been an awakening here recently. We’re eager to be a part of where God is moving.

Here’s how you can help Creative Missions, even if you’re not going:

Donate

• Financial donations cover printing and production for the churches (including new church URL registrations and WordPress templates), evening meals and ground transportation.
• Two ProPresenter licenses ($399 each) – Two churches we’re serving currently use PowerPoint and want to step up their game.
• Offer discounted or donated printing for invite cards, visitor cards, business cards, signage, vinyl banners, floor stands, etc.
• Best Buy e-gift cards for cables, sound, recording and video components for churches. Send to sponsorship@creativemissions.to.
• One church needs a new portable sound system and lighting.
• Sponsor Taco Tuesday for the Creative Missionaries ($200) Send to sponsorship@creativemissions.to.
• Sponsor a specific Creative Missionary. The trip fee is $495 this year.

Pray

• Pray that the Creative Missions team will encourage the pastors and church leaders they meet with.
• Pray that the missionaries will humbly partner with the pastors and churches they’re serving in the vision God has given them to reach their city.
• Pray that our missionaries will listen more than they speak.
• Pray that the Spirit would help create clear pathways for the gospel and not obstacles.
• Pray that the resources needed to accomplish tasks will come through.
• Pray that this will be a time when “iron sharpens iron”—not only in skill and knowledge but in individual walks with the one true God.
• Pray for the churches themselves by name. Pray that their needs are met and that they’re able to communicate the gospel as effectively as possible:
  • Burlington City Church
  • Capital Community Church
  • Church On the Rock
  • Concord Community Church
  • Enough Ministries
  • Faith for Life
  • Grace Baptist Church (Whitehall, N.Y.)
  • Hope Fellowship
  • Hubbardton Liberty Church
  • Rutland City Church
  • South Burlington Life
  • Summit Church

Follow Along

Follow the #CreativeMissions hashtag on Twitter or check out our Creative Missions 2016 list. Also watch for updates on Facebook, see our soon-coming updates on Storify and check out @cmsucks. We’ll also be posting a recap after the trip.

2016 Team

Here’s the roster of this year’s Creative Missions Team. Follow along and give him a digital high-five for the work they’re doing:

Katie Allred, Molly Ballard, Laura Bennett, John David Boreing, Andy Burns, Catherine Burt, Evan Courtney, Nathan Dewberry, Erin Feldman, Tim Gaskins, Steven Grant, Danielle Hartland, Dave Hartland, Brad Huss, Cass Jewell, Eric Murrell, Kyler Nixon, Cleve Persinger, Katie Persinger, Joe Porter, Jon Rogers, Chuck Scoggins, Hailey Vik, Cory Webb and Leslie Zander. (Follow them all on Twitter)

We love Creative Missions and the ongoing impact it has on communicators and churches. Please support the team and all their hard work.

More

• Learn more about why we do Creative Missions and how you can support the effort.
• Learn more about why this year’s trip is going to Vermont.
• We wrote the book on Creative Missions—Dangerous: A Go-to Guide for Church Communication. The book supports Creative Missions, so by picking up the book you’re helping the cause. Plus, the book is like your own Creative Missions experience. Share the book with pastors and churches that need communication help and you’re becoming a creative missionary.