9 Tips To Improve Church Announcements

Church announcements. Stage time. Ministry update. Whatever we call it, what we communicate to our attenders from stage is important. Here are our top tips to help strengthen your communication and engage attenders in meaningful action in your church.

9 Tips To Improve Church Announcements

1. Stop Giving Announcements

If you communicate from stage, you aren’t giving church announcements; you are casting vision for action. Think about it. We aren’t simply conveying information; we’re compelling people to take an action step. Next time you step on stage, remember that you’re not giving announcements. You’re casting vision and leading your congregation to take a next step in their faith journey.

Hear Pastor Tome Dawson talk more about this tip and share others he’s learned as a campus pastor.

2. Focus on Know, Feel, and Do

It’s necessary to convey information like dates and times, but remember to pair information with stories, feelings, logic, and felt-needs that will help your attenders take action.

• Know: What information do you want to impart? That they are welcome? Loved by God? Created a make a difference?
• Feel: Emotion spurs action. What do you want them to feel? Compassion? Excitement? Anticipation?
• Do: What should the attender do? What’s their next step? Sign up to volunteer? Attend an event? Read scripture as a church? Join a small group?

3. Be Authentic

As you cast vision, be true to who you are. It’s hard to lead someone to a place you haven’t gone yourself. If you struggle in an area, don’t pretend you have it all together. Be honest and transparent as you communicate. People would rather follow a leader who is real than one who is always right.

4. Know Your Giftings

Understand the unique way you communicate and play to that gifting. Are you a relational communicator? A passionate, intense speaker? Are you more conversational? Become the best in how God has gifted you and don’t copy or compare yourself to the giftings of others.

5. Know Your Growth Areas

We all have areas we need to grow in. Seek feedback to discover what your growth areas are in stage communication. Maybe you have a tendency to ramble or you rely on humor a bit too much. Ask your staff or trusted attenders to help you see areas you can improve.

6. Continue To Ask For Feedback

Feedback isn’t a one-time ask; continue to seek feedback. It’s hard to get better if you aren’t getting any feedback. It’s your job to ask for feedback. Two easy questions to ask are: 1) What can I do better? 2) What do I do well?

7. Practice

It doesn’t matter if you plan to speak for five minutes or one hour, practice is key to communicating well. In fact, nailing a two-minute talk can be harder than a 21-minute one. Practice in front of a mirror and in front of others, get feedback, and make tweaks. Hear Pastor Tim Doremus from Life.Church Wichita talk about his process for practicing.

8. Use Stories

Storytelling is one of the world’s oldest forms of communication. Everyone loves a good story. Whenever possible, tell a story that communicates the value or action you want to share with your attenders. For example, if you’re casting vision for inviting people to church, share a story of life-change that resulted because someone invited their friend to church.

9. Focus on Non-verbal Communication

Make sure your body language matches your communication. If you’re excited about something, smile! If you’re making a strong point, use a long pause to draw attention back to you.

Want to learn more about how to improve your stage communication? Watch our full interview with Pastor Tim free on the Open Network.