Church Communicators Are Ministers, Not Secretaries
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I’ve heard it more times than I can count. A church communicator is hired, given a modest budget, a desk near the copy machine, and handed a list of announcements to turn into graphics. And then their voice is never heard in the room where the actual decisions happen.
That’s a massive mistake — for the church.
You Are the Audience’s Voice
The church communicator holds a unique position on any staff. You know better than almost anyone what message is landing, what’s confusing people, what the community actually needs to hear. You are the bridge between the leadership’s vision and the people they’re trying to reach.
That’s not a support role. That’s a ministry role.
You are the guardian of your congregation’s attention span. Every message that competes for Sunday morning — every insert, every email, every social post — passes through you. Wield that responsibility carefully, and own it fully.
The Two Kinds of Authority
You may not have positional authority — a title that commands a seat at the executive table. But you always have relational authority, and that is often more powerful.
Relational authority is earned by asking good questions, serving your colleagues well, understanding what each ministry actually needs, and delivering consistently excellent work. When you have that, people listen to you — not because of your title, but because they trust your judgment.
Build relational authority first. Fight for positional authority over time.
Get Buy-In from Your Senior Pastor
Everything in church communications ultimately flows from the senior pastor’s vision. Your job is to understand that vision more clearly than almost anyone on staff — and then translate it, amplify it, and protect it across every channel.
That means you need regular access to your pastor. Not just to receive announcements, but to understand the heart behind the vision. Ask for it. Make the case that a communications director who understands the vision is worth far more than one who just executes orders.
Build Your Team Wisely
Even if you’re a team of one right now, think about what you’d build if you could. A strong communications team might include:
- A graphic designer (or a subscription to a church graphics service)
- A social media manager
- A video producer
- A writer/editor
- A web manager
Start by knowing which of these you do well and which you should outsource. Then build up from there, even if “building” means training a volunteer right now.
Spend More Time Educating Than Executing
Most of your colleagues don’t understand what you do. And because they don’t understand it, they undervalue it. One of the most strategic things you can do is spend time helping them understand — what communications does, why consistency matters, how much lead time you actually need to do good work.
When the people you serve understand your work, they partner with you instead of dumping work on you at the last minute.
You are doing ministry. Don’t let anyone — or the chaos of the job — convince you otherwise.
📖 This post was inspired by my book Church Communications Methods and Marketing (B&H Academic, 2022). If you found this helpful, the book goes much deeper — grab a copy on Amazon and keep building your communications ministry.