With more and more churches becoming savvy in all areas of digital, mobile and print communication, if not carefully orchestrated, it can be easy to overcommunicate with the members you care most about. The last thing you want to do is allow technology to get in the way of ministry.
If you’re sending too many texts, emails and voice messages, along with occasional snail mail, all that communication can sometimes have the opposite effect—it turns people off to your church.
Below are three dangers of overcommunication the church should avoid if at all possible:
1. You say too much.
As Proverbs 14:23 says, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” Communicating just for the sake of always being in front of your members is, by itself, not a great reason to communicate. Choose to communicate carefully, all the while respecting the valuable time and attention of the people you are here to serve.
a. Within a voice message sent to people’s homes or mobiles, don’t talk too long; keep it short and sweet.
b. In your email, keep it to the point; use short paragraphs and bullet points when you can. If you have a long story to tell, include a paragraph with a link to the rest of the article online.
c. In your text message, keep it very terse and use simple language that can’t be taken out of context.
2. You communicate via too many methods.
Honestly, nothing is more annoying to most people than sending a barrage of messages throughout the week. Try not to text people one day, send a long email newsletter another day, then hit them up with a long-winded voicemail message later in the week. Streamline all the important touchpoints of communication and be strategic about how and when you reach out.
