19 DEC 2023 · Unlock the secrets of successful church marketing with Jodie and special guest Paul Whiting, pastor at New Vine Beaches Church in Jewels, near Newcastle. In this episode, Paul reflects on his journey, having co-founded New Vine Church 28 years ago and later launching New Vine Beaches in 2018. Key Insights - Prioritizing a healthy church over numbers. - Launching a website that serves not just the existing Christian community but also acts as a welcoming resource for those exploring faith. - Strategic wisdom on empowering church members to authentically connect with their communities, utilizing various online platforms like Facebook, Google Business, and their newly unveiled website. Join Jodie and Paul in this engaging discussion that unravels the strategies, obstacles, and triumphs of marketing and cultivating a thriving church community. Whether you're a seasoned pastor, a church leader, or someone intrigued by effective community outreach, this episode promises valuable insights into the dynamic world of church marketing. Resource If you would like to reach out to this weeks guest https://newvinebeaches.org Here's some other episode resources we've made: https://rhemafm.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Style-Guide.pdf https://rhemafm.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IT-Audit-Checklist.pdf https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Na0D5XSyOnfhcMwGPB9fZja2ulqNEaTa/view?usp=sharing

2 NOV 2023 · Get practical insights into spanning the cultural divide, the potential pitfalls of not addressing past issues, and the importance of transparency. Join us and discover how to manage a crisis well as your church navigates the challenging waters of modern communication. In this episode, John Watson from Good Mahi in Auckland delves into the intricate world of church communications. John is a communications specialist and crisis comms guru, and has been helping churches, organizations, businesses and not-for-profits tackle pressing PR issues across Australia and New Zealand for more than 5 years. John explains the significance of assessing reputation risks, the necessity for issues and crisis comms plans, and the essence of bridging the perception-reality gap to safeguard a church’s reputation. Drawing from his real-world experiences, John discusses the potential consequences of mission drift, emphasizing the need for Christian organizations to stay true to their core beliefs even amidst external pressures. The essential elements of faith-based crisis response: - Control - Compassion - Credibility - Christ-like approach The right communication strategy can transform a crisis into a mission opportunity. With practical insights on managing diverging cultural beliefs, the potential pitfalls of not addressing past issues, and the importance of authenticity, this episode is a treasure trove for churches as they navigate the challenging waters of modern communication. Join us and discover the balance of managing crises, promoting good works, and always being prepared. Contact John at https://www.goodmahi.co.nz/ Connect with John on https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-watson-860a057a/ https://www.peterkgreer.com/mission-drift/ book

5 OCT 2023 · The IT challenges are real for churches: with a remote workforce, shared folders, cybersecurity threats, financial data and sensitive pastoral records, it’s critical that you’ve done everything you can do to build a robust IT system. Without internal IT knowledge or a healthy budget for quality hardware/software, too often churches make do with a patchwork of free online solutions. Churches need virtual space for podcasts and online services, websites, sharing key information for upcoming events and storing financial records and Working with Children Check (WWCC) details. Then there are the inevitable iPads for sound, media or sign in, staff phones, laptops, printers, wi-fi and more. The risks are ever-increasing. We need to be good stewards of the data we hold and protect it wisely. Download the https://rhemafm.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IT-Audit-Checklist.pdf to see how your church stacks up when it comes to IT and where you need to prioritise attention next. Topics covered in this episode include: - Domain- Your domain- yourchurchname.com.au- needs to be registered and maintained, annually or every two years. If this lapses, your email and website can stop working because they aren’t directed to the right place. - Emails- Avoid POP and iMAP emails, like Gmail, Hotmail and the ones that come with your internet provider. - Shared file storage- Gather all your files in ONE place so there’s a single source of truth. - Data recovery & backups - Hoaxes/phishing/spam/scams- How to spot dodgy emails. - Cybersecurity - Microsoft 365 Not-for-profit Solutions- FREE options - Setting up for success Be prepared to pay for expert help to get your IT system set up right, so you have the best possible chance of maintaining IT in-house. That way you have a trusted IT specialist you can call on if things go pear-shaped. Think of reliable IT support an insurance policy for the future, protecting your church from reputation cost, damaged relationships and even legal action. Where should churches start? Start talking about IT in your regular meetings. Bring your IT person into the discussion. Create an action plan: data, security, backups and start at the most crucial point. Resources https://www.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/2021-08/carc-final-report-volume-8-recordkeeping-and-information-sharing_0.pdf https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/microsoft-365/nonprofit/plans-and-pricing?activetab=tab%3Aprimaryr1 https://rhemafm.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IT-Audit-Checklist.pdf https://gravityit.com.au/ https://www.cyber.gov.au/resources-business-and-government/essential-cyber-security/essential-eight

21 SEP 2023 · The entry level doesn’t need to be high 97% of churches in Australia are less than 400 people, which means they probably don’t have a large creative, media or communications team at hand. Getting started in the digital space is achievable for any church that has access to a smartphone. Increasing the production value of your content is as easy as buying a better microphone. People will put up with bad visuals, but they won’t put up with bad audio. If we’re not interacting with people in digital places, we’re not going into all the world. How to get started CONTEXT is king online, not content. Churches need to create content that speaks to the context of the people you’re trying to reach. What will it take to reach the people who live in driving distance of your building? - Would your local community notice if your church closed down? - Make sure they are HAPPY that your church is there. - Let them know that the community is DIFFERENT, because your church is there. Be for the community, before being focused on your church - Why not shout out a local business or even another local church? - Celebrate the people in your community who are doing great things We need to let people know that there’s a God who loves them, and we do that by the way we interact with them, welcome them, accept them and love on them. Church leaders in Australia have a unique opportunity to have a personal touch We need to find out what the need is and then meet the needs of the people within our local community (schools, business, emergency services). We have the opportunity to be a place that people look to the church for advice on: - Parenting - Budgeting & financial stress - Leveraging technology Get the MOST frequently asked questions, customised to your local areas for FREE - Get on Google and type in “What does the Bible say about” and wait. - Google will auto-fill the most asked questions, geotagged to YOUR local area- and see the highly searched questions people are asking. - Come up with 15 most frequently asked questions about: Faith, Jesus, God, the Bible, Christmas, and Easter. and you will have a whole year of content to preach on Sundays. - Provide resources that meet the physical needs of the people in your community. - Find out the questions people are asking and create content that answers those questions. Can people find faith-based answers to the big questions of life? If we can do that as church leaders, we become RELEVANT. Name your videos titles that people will actually watch Title of the video needs to be the question you type in. To Google or YouTube. - How do I save my marriage? - How do I become a better dad? - How do I stop looking at porn? We need to be able to provide answers. It can be a short 4-minute YouTube video, a Reel, a Tik Tok. Current data shows us that the average video on YouTube is an 11-minute video, and yet most messages at church are 37 minutes. It doesn’t need to be super polished, but it needs to be super genuine. Just do it! Resources https://metachurchbook.com/ https://www.daveadamson.tv/ https://www.amazon.com.au/R%C3%98DE-Microphones-Ultra-compact-Dual-channel-WIGOIIS/dp/B09PXCZ247/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3V0VGU7BMQGUE&keywords=rode%2Bwireless%2Bgo%2Bii&qid=1695167005&sprefix=rode%2Bwir%2Caps%2C283&sr=8-6&th=1 http://www.instagram.com/aussiedave/

8 SEP 2023 · Christian radio stations are an incredible resource for churches. Getting the word out is hard when you have no budget and limited resources, so find out how you can leverage one of Australia’s 38 Christian radio stations to help with the heavy lifting. In this episode, Ben Kiujian, CEO of http://www.rhemafm.com.au/ explains the options and the heart behind Christian radio stations. 1 - Community Noticeboards Jump online, submit your event and let more people know about upcoming courses, training or events. Your event is searchable and on a community calendar, and may get announced on-air. 2 - Job listings List the staff position via the website to get it visible online and also on-air. At Rhema, Job Line is broadcast multiple times a day so it’s an effective way to create multiple touchpoints. 3 - Find a church New people are moving to your area or exploring faith all the time. Create a presence for your church highlighting the features that make your church different. 4 - Church Spotlight Contact your radio station and see if there’s a chance to get your pastor on-air for a short spot to talk about the heart and soul of your church. 5 - Mates rates ads Talk to your local station and work together to create an ad campaign to get the word out about the major events you are organising. (A Christmas extravaganza, Carols event, Easter services, holiday camp, marriage course) 6 - Podcasting/studio hire Lots of churches pivoted and moved online due to the pandemic. Leverage the professional equipment, studio space and expertise of your local radio station to increase the audio quality of your sermons, messages, music recordings etc. Ideal if you’re delivering a message in another language and broadcasting it online. 7 - Outdoor Broadcasts There’s an incredible energy that comes from having a live broadcast at your event. Christian radio stations exist to support their community so celebrating milestones, conferences and events aligns with that mission. There may be a charge to cover staff or equipment costs, but invite them and see if an outdoor broadcast (OB) makes sense for your church and the station. Not already working with your local radio station? Grab this https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Na0D5XSyOnfhcMwGPB9fZja2ulqNEaTa/view?usp=sharing of every Christian radio station in Australia so you can get in touch and start working together.

24 AUG 2023 · Does a church need a brand? What should be included as part of a church brand? How can you develop a visual identity that makes your church recognizable if you aren’t a graphic designer? It’s hard to build a cohesive brand if you don’t have an eye for design, the budget is tight, and everyone has an opinion. Without the right software, knowledge and ingredients, pulling together a consistent brand and style is an uphill battle. There’s lots going on when you’re promoting services and causes and events week in, week out and it’s hard not to get caught amongst the weeds. Emily Bell, Graphic Designer and Founder at Bell Design Co knows what it’s like to create a strong visual identity to increase the impact that an organization has. The look of an invitation, a sermon slide, a banner, your website, a social media post or a sign is a huge factor that influences how people feel about your church. - What happens if your church doesn’t have a brand? - Where can you start building a brand for your church? (And how to get started if you don’t have much budget). - How can you create and use a Brand Guide to create a consistent look and feel in your marketing and communications? Logos, colours, fonts - Which tools and resources can help keep things on-brand? Resources: https://www.canva.com/ https://www.canva.com/canva-for-nonprofits/ https://fonts.google.com/ https://prochurchtools.com/ https://thefutur.com/ Grab the https://rhemafm.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Style-Guide.pdf template to create a one-stop brand guide for your church

10 AUG 2023 · Easter and Christmas are crucial times for church services or events aimed at first-time visitors who might be exploring faith. Creative pastors work hard to create moments that are worthy of an invitation, so how can communication pastors and church marketers promote events in a way that deserves a second look? Luke Reed, Creative Pastor at New Vine Church in Maryland, NSW says ‘One of the main entry points into faith is by invitation. If we have an invitation that looks good and is professional, it gives people confidence to invite others. This can mean invitations, banners, newsletters, social media campaigns, videos, staging & more. In this episode, Luke unpacks what he’s learned over 19 years of designing Easter and Christmas services and the best ways to promote events so people can feel comfortable inviting their friends. Creative pastors are asking the question: How can we create moments where people can truly connect with God? Give it the time and space it needs to create something special with the goal of: - Celebrating Christ together - Presenting inspiring information - Designing empowering encounters Prayer-paration. Underpinning every meaningful church service is the whole-hearted desire to be inspired by God and the best way to do tis is by seeking His leading through prayer. We have to keep creating a culture of invitation so people can start investigating a life of faith. As creative people, we have to create a gathering that’s worthy of an invitation. As communicator/marketers, that can mean designing aesthetically-pleasing invitations, banners, newsletters, social media campaigns, videos and more. When we put effort into creating a professional invitation that looks like care has gone into it, we give church members the confidence to invite friends, family or colleagues who may never step inside a church at any other time in the year. This means mindfully asking: Who is God calling us to reach? What is the demographic of people and what matters to them? Does my invitation resonate or does it come across as cheesy, out of touch, irrelevant or half baked? Does it have the information people need to take action? - Time and date - Address - Website URL - Phone number Some details of what to expect and a warm invitation Check out what other churches are doing to stay inspired in this space. We compiled a list of resources to save you time and help you connect with people in your area next Easter or Christmas. For more inspiration about creating moments worthy of an invitation, check out: https://prochurchtools.com/ https://open.life.church/ https://churchfront.com/ https://www.worshiphousemedia.com/ https://www.thecreativepastor.com/ https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/census-data-topic/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4XS7ZLfzRA/

28 JUL 2023 · Before they ever set foot in your church building, people in your area are checking you out online. What information are they going to learn from your digital presence? And is that information going to make them want to visit? Today’s guest Steve Fogg- former graphic designer, advertising agency Creative Director, Communications Director and now Online Campus Pastor at Crossway, Melbourne VIC- helps churches, charities and businesses reach the right audience online. In this episode, Steve recommends the best digital tools for facilitating ministry and helping people get connected to your church. The truth is that 60-70% of church website traffic is first-time visitors. Behind every click, email or page view a real person who is known, pursued and loved by God. We need to match the person’s search intent with a ministry opportunity. Mindset shift Where we invest our budget is where we’ll be successful in our mission. We’ve got to foster a culture of going after the one, of being absolutely sold out for the lost. Until we do that, we won’t have an externally focused budget that reaches our community. Review your church website People are checking us out all the time online. 60-70% of church website visitors are first-time visitors. What does your website tell a first-time visitor? Do you have your Christmas services up? Is your website relatable and relevant to your community? Is it all about internal-focused information or does it say ‘You’re welcome here!’ Remember it’s only part of their journey, but it’s often the first part. Think of your website as a vital part of your welcome team. Consider a Plan Your Visit page to help people feel connected. Google Business This is a free way to get your church found online. Include your logo, contact details, phone number, website, service times, address and photos. Give people an insight into what it’s like to be part of your church. Upload photos that show people what you want them to know: what people are wearing, what the inside of the building looks like, what the car park situation is. Utilise Google Maps & get found Too many churches are invisible, but if people are searching ‘church near me’ or for a specific suburb, Google Maps can help your church get seen. Create blogs that keep your church visible Create a blog or page for each of these topics: Christmas services, Easter services, name of your town/suburb church. Consider repurposing Easter or Christmas sermons into text and creating website content that is SEO-optimised to get your church visibility. If your church does lots of weddings, has a playgroup or runs a marriage course, create content so people can find out what you do. Don’t be the best-kept secret online. Give the right person the right opportunity at the right time 300-400,000 people every month search specific topics about Jesus, actively looking for answers about Jesus. Why did Jesus die? Who is Jesus? Create videos or blogs that answer these questions, and plant a seed for someone in their faith journey. Google Ad: How Can we Pray for you? Google Ads can provide a starting place for a conversation, facilitate genuine ministry and allows you to engage with people in their time of need. Resources: https://www.google.com/intl/en_au/business/ https://www.stevefogg.com/ https://www.rev.com/

27 JUL 2023 · What happens when a Christian radio station teams up with a digital marketer and former Communications Pastor to create a podcast? A practical download of knowledge and resources you can implement TODAY to help your church impact your local community effectively. How to Market your Church host Jodie McEwen talks to Rhema CEO Ben Kiujian about the heart behind this Australian podcast. Each fortnight digital marketing expert and former Communications Pastor Jodie McEwen will deliver practical marketing and communications tips so your church can effectively impact in your local community. At How to Market your Church, we believe church marketing should reflect the heart and mission of your church, and extend a warm invitation so people in your community can engage.

26 JUL 2023