Are you doing video announcements?
If you are, check out this website, http://badchurchvideo.tumblr.com, and that should be the reasons why you don’t need to spend time and energy doing video announcements.
Let me be honest. I love live announcements. It’s critical in how we move people on a weekly basis. The problem is that we so often don’t do a great job at inspiring people to actually do something. If we don’t inspire someone to do something with the announcement, they will forget. Think about the last time you were on announcements at youth or church. What did you announce? If you are like me, you totally forget.
Communicating live is so crucial, but so often churches do a terrible job at communicating what is important. Here are a few tips on how to communicate to people that will cause them to do something with the announcement.
Only announce something if it applies to 50% of the people.
If it doesn’t apply, find a different way to communicate the info. When you watch those videos, you realize that there are tons of things from garage sales to baptism classes.
When finding the one thing you need to announce. Think, why is this important? And what should they do next?
Share a story.
The best story will always move people, it will captivate people. If you just share information, that won’t move anyone. Often I will share a story about a student in the youth ministry, or a reason why the youth ministry exists with a call to action in regards to the youth ministry.
Whatever you announce, the one thing, you need to make sure that you include a story about why it matters.
Have a clear call to action.
What do you want a person or teenager do? We try to never say things like, “Talk to ___________”. That is insider language, and it doesn’t allow for people who are new to know clearly what to do next. They might not know who you are let alone the admin, lead pastor or whoever you are referring to.
The next step for baptism could be a dm on your instagram account. It could be filling a card out in the lobby. We need direct the person to what is next.
Often in my youth ministry, I will give an announcement about the all-nighter for example, and say “buy a ticket in the lobby we only have 25 left”. It’s a clear call.
Make it fun.
Make the announcement fun. If you can have two people up there having a conversation together do that. The more you can make it two way, make it a conversation and not just a traditional one way mini-sermon.
I have seen people have a conversation up there in front of everyone and it has been so clear. It’s a fun dynamic that you can try out with another leader or student.
