MinistryCOM 2010 Breakout Session

Presenter:

Lawrence Swicegood
President
Clarion Call Marketing & Communications
Irving, TX

Session Description:

Pastors recognize that nothing is more frustrating than having a great church, compelling worship services and innovative ministry programs but it remains the best kept secret in the community. Many churches spend hours of time and vast resources developing great sermon series and compelling outreach programs, yet comparatively, little time, effort and money are spent effectively marketing to new audiences you are trying to reach.

In this session we will explore ideas that create “Buzz”. When people hear about your church or attend your services do they think, “there is something real and exciting going on here – I want to be part of this.”  – then they tell their friends. That’s buzz !

About the Presenter:

Lawrence Swicegood is a senior communications specialist with over 20 years experience in marketing, communications, public relations, strategic planning, branding, crisis management, media relations, advertising and event management.

As president of Clarion Call Marketing & Communications, Lawrence provides innovative marketing ideas, and creative tools that assist churches in effectively reaching their communities. He was formerly Director of Communications & Media for Fellowship Church, Dallas, TX.

MinistryCOM 2009 Breakout Session

Presenter:

Terrell Sanders
Executive Director
MinistryCOM.org
Edmond, OK

Session Description:

Do you have more logos than ministries at your church? Do some ministries complain that other groups  receive more support from communications than they do? Do you struggle with balancing announcements across print, web, live, and even more brochures? Do you need some basic principles and strategies to fall back on when making communications decisions?

Sometimes it’s hard to get everyone on the same page when they come from such diverse backgrounds. Often church communications is hampered by lack of common goals and divergent basic assumptions.

In this session Terrell will present seven core communications principles he has collected from extremely effective churches around the world. When approved by your leadership, these principles give your a strategy for effective communications, and a defense from trying to be all things to all people.

About the Presenter:

Terrell Sanders is the Executive Director of MinistryCOM, and founder of MainStreetOpen, a web development firm. Between his web company and MinistryCOM, he has trained and consoled church communications staff for almost 10 years.

Terrell’s background is computer technology, both from the software and hardware sides. He has extensive experience in business process automation and software development. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Physics and a number of obsolete technical certifications.

He has worked with a number of churches and non-profits on communications projects both a volunteer and a paid consultant. Terrell lives in Edmond, OK and attends Henderson Hills Baptist Church (where the communications team does a fine job without his help).

MinistryCOM 2009 Keynote Session

Presenters:

Matt & Janie Mehaffey
Lead Pastor / Communications
The Pursuit Christian Church
Miami, FL

Session Description:

As a communications professional, you bring a complementary set of gifts and talents to the ministry table.  Your church needs your leadership … your unique perspective and attention to detail.

But nurturing relationships with your church’s pastors and other leaders is hard work. You must invest time and build trust before you can garner the respect needed to open avenues and remove barriers for effective communication.

In this session, Matt and Janie Mehaffey share their insight into the valuable role church communicators play in church leadership. They’ll help you see that, with a Christ-like attitude and proactive approach to developing relationships, you can change people’s perceptions from seeing you as a doer and gatekeeper to that of a trusted minister whose input they value and who they turn to when they want to make things happen.

About the Presenters:

Over the years, Matt and Janie have been able to glimpse into life on the other side of the ministry table. As a result, they have grown to understand and appreciate better the role pastors and administrative/support personnel play in church leadership, growth and health. They look forward to sharing with you their candid testimony and tips for how to nurture ministry partnerships that will help many people find their way back to God.

Matt and Janie Mehaffey met while serving on staff at Traders Point Christian Church in Indianapolis, IN – Matt as Student Minister and Janie as Director of Communications. Six years later, they married, and now they have planted The Pursuit Christian Church in Miami, FL, where Matt serves as lead pastor and Janie volunteers in administration and communications. Janie is also a Communications Strategist with Fishhook. In this role she works with churches, coaching staff and establishing systems for creating avenues and removing barriers for effective communication.

This summer, the Mehaffeys took on their most important ministry work to date … adopting their son, Chase, from Taiwan. Chase and his parents reside in Miami, FL.

MinistryCOM 2009 Keynote Session

Presenter:

Kerry Bural
Principal
The Resonate Group
Mt Juliet, TN

Session Description:

You’re familiar with the old adage that says, “three steps forward and two steps back,” but what would happen if you viewed “setbacks” as merely redirects of your efforts? In this address, Kerry unpacks an “Intentional Change Model” to help you overcome the inherent obstacles that ministry defiantly throws in your face. He also presents practical tools to help you influence forward movement.

About the Presenter:

Kerry Bural can often be found sketching concepts and ideas on napkins or notecards as he tries to refine his thoughts and share them. He claims that his best work happens in java-infused creative sessions or when he is divinely disturbed in the middle of the night.

He is the owner and principal of The Resonate Group, a brand consulting and development firm. He recently served as V.P. for Public Relations and Marketing with the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. He was the brand architect of the “I Vote Values” initiative, which was the genesis for the “values voter” movement. He has served as PR Director for Southeastern Seminary and PR Coordinator for Criswell College. He was also a visual coordinator for the corporate headquarters of Neiman Marcus in their Visual Planning & Presentation division.

His 25+ years in ministry and business have been devoted to brand architecture. He is passionate about helping organizations translate their vision and mission into communication that resonates with their constituents through visual presentation, public relations, marketing and branding.

He has a B.S. in Education concentrating on design and technology from Northeastern State University and a M.A. in Theology and History from Criswell College.

MinistryCOM 2009 Breakout Session

Presenter:

Kerry Bural
Principal
The Resonate Group
Mt Juliet, TN

Session Description:

After decades of buying the newest leadership books to glean the latest leadership principles, leaders are sometimes still aloof and disconnected. Yet humanity longs for meaningful connections. In this breakout session, Kerry presents a “Healthy Ministry Matrix” that helps you and your team foster genuine connectivity in your church and community. He also shows how resonance can help you communicate so others really “get it.”

About the Presenter:

Kerry Bural can often be found sketching concepts and ideas on napkins or notecards as he tries to refine his thoughts and share them. He claims that his best work happens in java-infused creative sessions or when he is divinely disturbed in the middle of the night.

He is the owner and principal of The Resonate Group, a brand consulting and development firm. He recently served as V.P. for Public Relations and Marketing with the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. He was the brand architect of the “I Vote Values” initiative, which was the genesis for the “values voter” movement. He has served as PR Director for Southeastern Seminary and PR Coordinator for Criswell College. He was also a visual coordinator for the corporate headquarters of Neiman Marcus in their Visual Planning & Presentation division.

His 25+ years in ministry and business have been devoted to brand architecture. He is passionate about helping organizations translate their vision and mission into communication that resonates with their constituents through visual presentation, public relations, marketing and branding.

He has a B.S. in Education concentrating on design and technology from Northeastern State University and a M.A. in Theology and History from Criswell College.

MinistryCOM 2009 Breakout Session

Presenters:

Bill Koch, CEO, Bill Koch PR
Kevin August, Pastor, New Hope Church
Cynthia Lamb, Director of Communications, Holy Spirit Catholic Community

Session Description:

Our congregations — for better or worse — are microcosms of society. Security lapses, moral failings and unprotected environments for children are all too common crisis situations in churches nationwide.

Crisis Communications: A View from the Pulpit, the Pew and the Press will offer a three tier approach – from an “in the trenches” church director of communications, a pastor who is a former, accredited PR professional, and a crisis communications veteran with extensive, first-hand experience. This session will highlight post-event healing and restoration of trust along with the impact of new media and social communications.

What Attendees Will Learn:
Through review of actual crises in ministry, learn the importance of the crisis preparedness and response, how to bring your decision-making hierarchy on board, and practical and tested strategies from three seasoned communications professionals.

About the Presenters:

Bill Koch, APR, Fellow PRSA

Bill Koch is president and CEO of Bill Koch PR, a strategic public relations counseling firm headquartered in the western suburbs of Chicago. The firm’s services include communications counsel; relationship building; reputation management; crisis communications planning, management and support; and executive communications skills development focused on presentation delivery and media spokesperson activities. An expert in crisis communications, Bill was formerly vice president of communications for Laidlaw Education Services, where he coordinated communications for six major acquisitions that doubled the size of the company and managed communications to isolate the company from the parent’s bankruptcy. Bill is co-author of the book No Surprises: The Crisis Communications Management System. He was accredited by the Public Relations Society of America in 1988 and was elected to their College of Fellows in 1992.

Kevin August

Kevin is currently the pastor of New Hope Church in Decatur, Indiana. He as served both small and large congregations ranging in size from 120 to 1100 in weekly attendance during the past five years. Prior to stepping into ministry fulltime, Kevin invested more than 15 years in the communications field. He began his career in the radio broadcasting industry in northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Later he became an accredited public relations professional handling crisis communications, media and community relations for a large people transportation company serving North America. Kevin and his wife Laura have been married for 21 years and have been blessed with two children.

Cynthia Lamb, APR

With a focus on non-profit marketing communications, Cynthia Lamb is the Director of Communications of Holy Spirit Catholic Community in Naperville, Illinois, with over 3,200 registered families.  Previously, she had worked as the Marketing Communications Manager for an accredited museum village. She taught public relations and speech for a local university, and has worked in telecommunications marketing and consulting.  Ms. Lamb has a master’s degree in Marketing Communications and is an accredited member of PRSA.