Communications is a ministry driver for the 21st century UMC. The document explores how communications can help drive ministry in the UMC and inspires the Harare West District to use available resources for effective communication. It defines key terms like communications, ministry, and driver. The UMC has a mandate to communicate both internally and externally using appropriate means to inform, inspire, and engage others. Various communication tools that the UMC can utilize are discussed from traditional tools like pen and paper to modern tools like social media and audio/visual equipment.
2. Objective
• To explore how communications is/or can
become a ministry driver in the UMC
• To inspire Harare West District to using
available resources for effective
communication
• To engage the church in identifying new
mediums of communication
5. Introduction
• The 21st century world has
become a global village
• The United Methodist Church is
part of the village
6. Communication as a Strategic
Function
“Communication is a strategic
function necessary for the
success of the mission of The
United Methodist Church.”
(Bk. Of Discipline 2012,1806)
7. Brainstorming Session
1. What are we doing in circuits?
2. What are our challenges?
3. What opportunities do we see in
improving our communication?
8. Definition of terms
• Our point of
departure is
defining;
1. “communications”,
2. “ministry”,
3. and “driver”.
9. Communication
• Two-way process of reaching mutual
understanding, in which participants not only
exchange (encode-decode) information, news,
ideas and feelings but also create and share
meaning. In general, communication is a
means of connecting people or places.
(businessdictionary.com)
10. Ministry
“Ministry is meeting people where
they are at and taking them to
where God wants them to be.”
(J.R. Briggs.com).
Ministry takes people from their
“here” to a “God-there”
11. Drivers
1. General usage of the term
2. Use of the term in sport(Golf)
3. Business usage
4. Computer/IT usage
12. General usage of the term
• The one who operates and controls
the direction and speed of a motor
vehicle.
NB – operates, controls, direction, and
speed
13. Use of the term in sport(Golf)
• Golf drivers - A golf club with a wide head and
a long shaft, used for making long shots from
the tee.
14. Business Usage
1. The business drivers are external or internal
influences that significantly impact and/or set
direction for programs.(source: Business Drivers
Strawdog for the California State, pg. 1)
2. An aspect of a business that effects a change on
another aspect of the business. A driver is most
commonly a factor that contributes to the
growth of a particular business.
(investorwords.com)
15. Computers/IT
1. Small program that enables a computer and a
device to communicate with each other.
Computer operating systems usually come
with 'pre-installed' device drivers for the
current models of the popular devices. Older
or latest device drivers (which usually come
on a disk with the device or are downloaded
from the manufacturer's website) must be
installed by the user. (businessdictionary.com)
2. A driver is software that allows your
computer to communicate with hardware or
devices. Without drivers, the hardware you
connect to your computer—for example, a
video card or a webcam—will not work
properly. (Microsoft.com).
16. Imagine A Video With no Sound – Its
like a ministry with no communication
17. Working Definition – “Ministry
Driver”
• A ministry driver may thus be said to be an
instrument that controls the direction and speed of
the denomination with a view toward the “long
short” – the mission of the church (Matt. 28:18-20)
and ensuring a communicative relationship of its
programs. That direction is achieved through
considering external and internal influences that
significantly impact the organization (UMC).
18. The Communications mandate
• “As United Methodists, our theological
understanding obligates us, as members of
the body of Christ, to communicate our faith
by speaking and listening to persons both
within and outside the Church throughout the
world, and to utilize all appropriate means of
communication.” (Bk. Of
Disc.2012,1801,p698)
19. Key components of the mandate
• Communicate
• Speaking and listening
• Internal and external
audience
• Use of appropriate
means
20. The first 6 Macro Trends of the 21st
Century by Jonathan MacDonald
– Corporate technology in the hands of citizens
– Physical is increasingly virtual
– It is about distribution not destination
– Mass Niche not Mass Groups
– Broadcast control is now self-scheduled
– C2C is more powerful than B2C Communication
• C2C – Citizen to Citizen, B2C – Business to
Consumer
21. “The responsibility to communicate is
laid upon;
•
•
•
•
•
•
Every church member
Every pastor
Every congregation
Every annual conference
Every institution
And every agency of the Church
23. Inform
• United Methodist Communications develops
and delivers news and information products
and services and various supporting media
that communicate the message of the Church
and share the Good News.
• Communications informs the church and the
world of the activities and ministries – thus
must work closely with all ministries
24. Inspire
• 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-todate infrastructure. Eg. Work with BOCLAB in
coming up with church building designs that are
multi-media-friendly
25. Engage
• 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
27. Pen and Paper
• These are primary news gathering
tools
• Anything not written did not
happen
• We no longer live in oral era
NB – NEWS is the first draft of
history
28. Audio Recorder
• Accuracy is critical in gathering news as there
are tendencies to misquote interviewees.
• Also essential for future playback – Bishop
Muzorewa’s song at the funeral “Till we meet
again...”
33. Worship Communication Tools
• Music software
• Worship software
• Public Address System – preferably with
hands-free cordless microphones
NB – Size is not determined by the amount
you have but by the church size and
design.
34. Communicating without words
Non-verbal communication constitutes 94%(Kramer)
• Structural design of churches – sends messages of how
the congregation is forward-looking. We teach that we
accept different forms of baptism yet we build
churches without baptismal fond.
• Billboards – shows a live or dying church or a stuck
church.
• Multi-purpose buildings – show how serious the
church is with specialized ministries. Example – many
churches say they support children’s ministries yet they
don’t have space for them.
35. CONCLUSION
• We must therefore know that whether we
intend to communicate or not – meanings can
still be derived from silence
• Communications is/has been and will remain a
ministry driver in The United Methodist
Church – directly or indirectly
• Let us therefore use available and appropriate
tools of communications to drive the church’s
ministry