Topic: The Communications Tripod (IIE) for Effective MinistryPresenter: Pastor Taurai Emmanuel Maforo (Zimbabwe Episcopal Area Communicator)

Harare West District Leadership Retreat – Mabelreign South, Harare 10 – 12 October 2014

Harare West District Leadership Retreat – Mabelreign South, Harare 10 – 12 October 2014

αThe beginning(Alpha)

Introduction• It is indeed my humble privilege and honour to be

afforded an opportunity to present this paper at the 2014 Harare west District Leadership Retreat.

• In my last presentation to the Harare West District leadership at the 2013 Lay training entitled, “Communications as a ministry driver in the 21st Century”, the focus was that of raising awareness.

• This time I have yet again been presented with an opportunity to share some detail in the arena of Communications Ministry.

• I have therefore decided to take a more practical route, hence the topic, “The Communications Tripod (IIE) for Effective Ministry.”

Disclaimer

• This presentation does not aim to present itself as the ultimate or pinnacle in the field of communications ministry, but seeks to create conversations for further exploration for the relevant contexts.

Aim

• To engage the Harare west District leaders in conversation for the purpose of applying appropriate communication tools and methods for effective ministry.

Objectives

• Apply the communications tripod – Inform, Inspire and Engage

• Propose a 3D Approach to creating a network of communicators in the district – Discover, Develop and Deploy

Definition of

Terms

Communication

• Communication (from Latin commūnicāre, meaning "to share") is the activity of conveying information through the exchange of ideas, feelings, intentions, attitudes, expectations, perceptions or commands, as by speech, non-verbal gestures, writings, behaviour and possibly by other means such as electromagnetic, chemical or physical phenomena and smell.

• It is the meaningful exchange of information between two or more participants (machines, organisms or their parts)

Communication requires

• a sender,

• a message,

• a medium and

• a recipient

Three Steps of Communicating with others by Donald Clarke

Donald Clark. "Communication and Leadership". Retrieved 14 December 2013

Tripod• Latin tripūs, tripod-, from Greek tripous, three-footed :

tri-, tri- + pous, foot• an adjustable and usually collapsible three-

legged stand to which a camera, etc, can be attached to hold it steady (http://www.collinsdictionary.com)

• A tripod provides stability against downward forces and horizontal forces and movements about horizontal axes. The positioning of the three legs away from the vertical centre allows the tripod better leverage for resisting lateral forces.

Ministry• “Ministry is meeting people where they are at and

taking them to where God wants them to be.” (J.R. Briggs.com).

• In other words Ministry takes people from their “here” to a “God-there”

Marketing• Marketing is the messages and/or actions that cause messages

and/or actions. Jay Baer – President, Convince & Convert. Author with Amber Naslund of The Now Revolution

• Marketing is creating irresistible experiences that connect with people personally and create the desire to share with others. Saul Colt – Head of Magic, Fresh Books

• Marketing is helping your customers understand how much they need something they never knew they needed. Doreen Moran – Digital Strategist

• P.Tailor of www.learnmarketing.net suggests that 'Marketing is not about providing products or services it is essentially about providing changing benefits to the changing needs and demands of the customer (P.Tailor 7/00)'

• Marketing is the ongoing process of engagement whereby strangers are nurtured into advocates. Trey Pennington

Using Trey Pennington’s Using Trey Pennington’s marketing definition, let us try marketing definition, let us try and translate that to disciple-and translate that to disciple-

making .making .Theme: Making Strangers Theme: Making Strangers

Advocates.Advocates.

“Missional Marketing”

• “Missional Marketing” as a concept therefore may be understood as the how, when and where to propagate the discipleship agenda through connecting with the market place and finally creating a transformative turn in relationship exchanges.

In “Missional Marketing”

IMAGE IS EVERYTHING

Example:• There are churches that are in

urgent need of understanding the new paradigm in realizing discipleship goals.

• (You don't use old methods to achieve new results)

Example:• I remember seeing a charge

conference report where the church wanted to bring 50 souls to Christ –

BRILLIANT IDEA/TARGETS

Example:

• All they did was hold revivals at the church and on Sunday and praise God they won 6 new souls – SURPRISING(NOT AMAZING) RESULTS

Example:

• The members are proud to have just completed a 1974-sanctuary-design in 2014 (40-year gap).

Dedication Day!!!

Example:• The sign

board was fading.

• The gate was on the verge of falling

Example:• The plants around the

church are dying

• They hold evening Bible study programs with a few candles in the corners (when there is a blackout).

At this church good theology abounds but the packaging is

poor.

The church’s membership today is “Begging for REAL church”

Imagine If your church would look like this!

So inviting.....

Communications as a Strategic Function for the church

“Communication is a strategic function necessary for the success of the mission of

The United Methodist Church.” (Book Of Discipline 2012, 1806).

NB - Communications is not optional but a necessity.

The UMC Communications mandate

• “As United Methodists, our theological understanding;

• (What?) Obligates us, • (Who?) as members of the body of Christ, to• (What?) communicate our faith• (How?) by speaking and listening to persons both

within and outside the Church (where?) throughout the world, and to utilize (what?) all appropriate means of communication.” (Book Of Discipline 2012, 1801, p698)

The Communications Tripod

Inform Inspire

Engage

INFORM

Who?What?Why?When?Where?How?

Inform• United Methodist Communications – a.develops and b.delivers news and information products and

services and various supporting media that communicate the message of the Church and share the Good News.

c. Informs the church and the world of the activities and ministries – thus must work closely with all ministries.

Inform• Have you heard this common statement?• “This topic must be presented on a Sunday when

everyone is there!” • What causes that?• For example Health and Welfare Committee invites a

medical professional during their week. They decide to keep important information to themselves. Members just get surprised on the day.

• NB – It is the responsibility of the circuit communicator to get the circuit calendar as soon as it is out then finds means of communicating upcoming events.

Inspire– Inspire – who and how

• United Methodist Communications develops and delivers training, consulting, funding and infrastructure that empower the Church at a global, national, and local level to develop communications or communication platforms.

• Communications therefore inspires relevant boards and committees towards having up-to-date infrastructure

Engage• Engage – who, why and how• United Methodist Communications offers

media production services, guidelines, examples, and ready-to-use resources that equip others at the conference or local church levels to create or improve the communications

NOW MINISTRIES

• This acronym depicts timeous action; Nurturing, Outreaching and Witnessing. These three provide anchorage to the entire discipleship enterprise.

NURTURING

• Nurturing – communications ministry provides resources needed for equipping of disciples. Eg. Multimedia Christian Education kits – projector, screens, television screens

OUTREACHING

•Outreaching – prepares packaging for all outreach programs – branding, posters, fliers.

WITNESSING

• Witnessing – facilitates fulfilment of the Great Commission – “....to all the world” through internet-based platforms, sees the virtual communities as equally important as the physical communities in spreading the Gospel.

WAY FORWARD

RE-THINK CHURCH

•What if church does not only become the place we go to but something we do.

Set Up Effective Communications

Teams

3D APPROACH

Setting up an effective communications team.Setting up an effective communications team.

ΩThe End(Omega)