Communication in Ministry

The ideologies, principles and values of an organization form its culture. Culture is a powerful force, which shapes the environment in which a church or organization contends with strategic management, casting vision, and interpersonal relations. Leadership trust is a definitive precursor to building and shaping culture. Leaders should work through a five-stage process, managing change, as well as the transition from tension to resolution.
In addition to developing trust, a strong culture-building leader must foster efficient organizational communication. While this may seem like a no-brainer, simply possessing astute public speaking ability does not necessarily equate to exhibiting excellent organizational communication prowess. Pastors and church leaders who set out to build and shape culture while continuing with underdeveloped leadership communication skills, will fall regretfully short of the culture God desires for them to build.

As a church or organization becomes more complex, informal means of communication must be replaced by more formal ones. A leader’s ability to make that shift has direct implications for shaping culture. Whether you are inheriting an existing culture or initiating a new one, learning how to be a credible organizational communicator is essential to building stability and effectiveness as you move through the process. When you learn how to close the gap between expectations and performance through communication, you learn a skill which assists unity, confidence, and capability in others. Sometimes, this includes having the conviction to speak the truth in love.

In this video, Chris Railey of Church Multiplication Network presents the characteristics of powerful communication which build a framework for a strong, enduring culture of growth and unity in the church. Chris also explains how pastors and church leaders can expand their God-given communication strengths to include not only teaching or public speaking, but also how to be effective in interpersonal and organizational communication skills.