Stay Grounded in the Basics to Avoid Boredom in Your Work

A challenge for communicators is to continually tackle the work we do, regardless of how fun and exciting it is. Sometimes, it’s downright boring. This is the final part of a five-part series tackling boring vs. fun in church communication. 

Kelvin Co to write this series because his editor was struggling with this very issue. He volunteered to help his church do communication, excited by the prospects. But the reality became drudgery and progressed slowed to a halt. He was faced with the boring vs. the fun.

Kelvin has shared four strategies for tackling this: Embrace them, build your credibility, prevent the boring and empower volunteers. A final strategy is to stay grounded as communicators and as Christians.

Read how Kelvin encourages communicators to stay grounded here.

Begin the series here.

Read more from Kelvin here.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelvin Co

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Recent Comments
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you for this information. I'm going to use this article to improve my work with the Lord.
 
— Abel Singbeh
 
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you Ed for sharing your insights into the Church Growth Movement. I have my reservations with Church Growth models because it has done more damage than good in the Body of Christ. Over the years, western churches are more focused on results, formulas and processes with little or no emphasis on membership and church discipline. Pastors and vocational leaders are burnt out because they're overworked. I do believe that the Church Growth model is a catalyst to two destructive groups: The New Apostolic Reformation and the Emerging Church. Both groups overlap and have a very loose definition. They're both focus on contemporary worship, expansion of church brand (franchising), and mobilizing volunteering members as 'leaders' to grow their ministry. Little focus on biblical study, apologetics and genuine missional work with no agenda besides preaching of the gospel.
 
— Dave
 
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you for sharing such a good article. It is a great lesson I learned from this article. I am one of the leaders in Emmanuel united church of Ethiopia (A denomination with more-than 780 local churches through out the country). I am preparing a presentation on succession planning for local church leaders. It will help me for preparation If you send me more resources and recommend me books to read on the topic. I hope we may collaborate in advancing leadership capacity of our church. God Bless You and Your Ministry.
 
— Argaw Alemu
 

Clarity Process

Three effective ways to start moving toward clarity right now.

You Have to Earn the Privilege to Keep From Being Boring

A challenge for communicators is to continually tackle the work we do, regardless of how fun and exciting it is. Sometimes, it’s downright boring. This is part four of a five-part series tackling boring vs. fun in church communication.

One of the most fun and fulfilling things we get to do in church communication is to come up with and roll out cool, creative new ways for promoting our ministries. There is never a shortage of great new ideas and opportunities that would bring us much joy and satisfaction to work on and implement. What a gift and privilege.

We should never take for granted that we must earn the privilege to keep doing what we do. Our credibility or track record is what affords us this privilege.

Read how Kelvin suggests we build our credibility over time here.

Read Part 3 of the series here.

Read more from Kelvin here.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelvin Co

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COMMENTS

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Rod Thorpe — 10/11/16 12:56 pm

I feel "unqualified" as a lay minister, no seminary, but 50 years teaching Sunday School, and now at 84, I teach in 3 nursing homes each week. Thank you, thank you for your VERY helpful articles. You give me lots of help I need, but don't know where to find it. I "translate" church to mean our fellowship, or "circle of friends"...we have about 60 each week. They cannot go to church...so we take church to them. God bless you, friend.

Recent Comments
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you for this information. I'm going to use this article to improve my work with the Lord.
 
— Abel Singbeh
 
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you Ed for sharing your insights into the Church Growth Movement. I have my reservations with Church Growth models because it has done more damage than good in the Body of Christ. Over the years, western churches are more focused on results, formulas and processes with little or no emphasis on membership and church discipline. Pastors and vocational leaders are burnt out because they're overworked. I do believe that the Church Growth model is a catalyst to two destructive groups: The New Apostolic Reformation and the Emerging Church. Both groups overlap and have a very loose definition. They're both focus on contemporary worship, expansion of church brand (franchising), and mobilizing volunteering members as 'leaders' to grow their ministry. Little focus on biblical study, apologetics and genuine missional work with no agenda besides preaching of the gospel.
 
— Dave
 
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you for sharing such a good article. It is a great lesson I learned from this article. I am one of the leaders in Emmanuel united church of Ethiopia (A denomination with more-than 780 local churches through out the country). I am preparing a presentation on succession planning for local church leaders. It will help me for preparation If you send me more resources and recommend me books to read on the topic. I hope we may collaborate in advancing leadership capacity of our church. God Bless You and Your Ministry.
 
— Argaw Alemu
 

Clarity Process

Three effective ways to start moving toward clarity right now.

Even Fun Will Become Boring

A challenge for communicators is to continually tackle the work we do, regardless of how fun and exciting it is. Sometimes, it’s downright boring. This is part three of a five-part series tackling boring vs. fun in church communication. 

Cool new ideas or projects have a powerful pull on creative people. We are naturally drawn to work on them and give them our energy and attention. And there’s never a shortage of projects and opportunities that entice us.

How do we choose? How do we determine what is worth our time?

First, we must remember that the fun will become boring. The things we consider boring today were once new and exciting projects. Guess what will eventually happen to that new social media channel, smartphone app, document, form or communication project? It will have to be managed, maintained and sustained. It will become boring, a pain and then neglected.

Read how Kelvin uses a series of questions to prevent the fun from becoming boring here.

Read Part 2 in this series here.

Read more from Kelvin here.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelvin Co

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COMMENTS

What say you? Leave a comment!

Recent Comments
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you for this information. I'm going to use this article to improve my work with the Lord.
 
— Abel Singbeh
 
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you Ed for sharing your insights into the Church Growth Movement. I have my reservations with Church Growth models because it has done more damage than good in the Body of Christ. Over the years, western churches are more focused on results, formulas and processes with little or no emphasis on membership and church discipline. Pastors and vocational leaders are burnt out because they're overworked. I do believe that the Church Growth model is a catalyst to two destructive groups: The New Apostolic Reformation and the Emerging Church. Both groups overlap and have a very loose definition. They're both focus on contemporary worship, expansion of church brand (franchising), and mobilizing volunteering members as 'leaders' to grow their ministry. Little focus on biblical study, apologetics and genuine missional work with no agenda besides preaching of the gospel.
 
— Dave
 
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you for sharing such a good article. It is a great lesson I learned from this article. I am one of the leaders in Emmanuel united church of Ethiopia (A denomination with more-than 780 local churches through out the country). I am preparing a presentation on succession planning for local church leaders. It will help me for preparation If you send me more resources and recommend me books to read on the topic. I hope we may collaborate in advancing leadership capacity of our church. God Bless You and Your Ministry.
 
— Argaw Alemu
 

Clarity Process

Three effective ways to start moving toward clarity right now.

What’s Boring for You May Be a Home Run for Someone Else

A challenge for communicators is to continually tackle the work we do, regardless of how fun and exciting it is. Sometimes, it’s downright boring. This is part two of a five-part series tackling boring vs. fun in church communication. 

There are times when we simply have to suck it up and deal with the “boring” to be able to do the “fun” parts of church communication. But grunting through what we don’t like or are not wired to do is not smart for the organization, sustainable for our team or healthy for us personally… even if we have positive attitudes about it.

Read the rest of Kelvin’s post here.

Read Part 1 here.

Read more from Kelvin here.

Download PDF

Tags: , , ,

| What is MyVisionRoom? > | Back to Communication >

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelvin Co

See more articles by >

COMMENTS

What say you? Leave a comment!

Recent Comments
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you for this information. I'm going to use this article to improve my work with the Lord.
 
— Abel Singbeh
 
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you Ed for sharing your insights into the Church Growth Movement. I have my reservations with Church Growth models because it has done more damage than good in the Body of Christ. Over the years, western churches are more focused on results, formulas and processes with little or no emphasis on membership and church discipline. Pastors and vocational leaders are burnt out because they're overworked. I do believe that the Church Growth model is a catalyst to two destructive groups: The New Apostolic Reformation and the Emerging Church. Both groups overlap and have a very loose definition. They're both focus on contemporary worship, expansion of church brand (franchising), and mobilizing volunteering members as 'leaders' to grow their ministry. Little focus on biblical study, apologetics and genuine missional work with no agenda besides preaching of the gospel.
 
— Dave
 
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you for sharing such a good article. It is a great lesson I learned from this article. I am one of the leaders in Emmanuel united church of Ethiopia (A denomination with more-than 780 local churches through out the country). I am preparing a presentation on succession planning for local church leaders. It will help me for preparation If you send me more resources and recommend me books to read on the topic. I hope we may collaborate in advancing leadership capacity of our church. God Bless You and Your Ministry.
 
— Argaw Alemu
 

Clarity Process

Three effective ways to start moving toward clarity right now.

Mile 2 Means Absolutely Nothing Without Mile 1

A challenge for communicators is to continually tackle the work we do, regardless of how fun and exciting it is. Sometimes, it’s downright boring. This five-part series tackles boring vs. fun in church communication.

As creatives in ministry, we have fun jobs. We get to come up with and work on the new and next cool thing at our church. But unfortunately, with all the fun comes a lot of boring. I love this quote about photography: “It is 10% creativity and 90% moving furniture.” I think that principle applies to all types of creative endeavors.

We all deal with the tension between the fun and the boring. We all want to work on the fun stuff—developing a new campaign, researching the latest technology, planning the latest strategy, being part of the team working on the new Easter special, etc. But all that comes with the equivalent portion of the boring (paperwork, budget, procedures, follow-ups, etc.) in communication (proofing, updating, maintaining, archiving, documentation, etc.).

Here’s the most important thing I’ve learned in my 25+ years of work life regarding this constant tension: Mile two means absolutely nothing without mile one.

Read the rest of Kelvin’s post here.

Read Part 2 here.

Read more from Kelvin here.

Download PDF

Tags: , ,

| What is MyVisionRoom? > | Back to Communication >

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelvin Co

See more articles by >

COMMENTS

What say you? Leave a comment!

Recent Comments
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you for this information. I'm going to use this article to improve my work with the Lord.
 
— Abel Singbeh
 
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you Ed for sharing your insights into the Church Growth Movement. I have my reservations with Church Growth models because it has done more damage than good in the Body of Christ. Over the years, western churches are more focused on results, formulas and processes with little or no emphasis on membership and church discipline. Pastors and vocational leaders are burnt out because they're overworked. I do believe that the Church Growth model is a catalyst to two destructive groups: The New Apostolic Reformation and the Emerging Church. Both groups overlap and have a very loose definition. They're both focus on contemporary worship, expansion of church brand (franchising), and mobilizing volunteering members as 'leaders' to grow their ministry. Little focus on biblical study, apologetics and genuine missional work with no agenda besides preaching of the gospel.
 
— Dave
 
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you for sharing such a good article. It is a great lesson I learned from this article. I am one of the leaders in Emmanuel united church of Ethiopia (A denomination with more-than 780 local churches through out the country). I am preparing a presentation on succession planning for local church leaders. It will help me for preparation If you send me more resources and recommend me books to read on the topic. I hope we may collaborate in advancing leadership capacity of our church. God Bless You and Your Ministry.
 
— Argaw Alemu
 

Clarity Process

Three effective ways to start moving toward clarity right now.