Why not… Require all church members to have a valid passport and go on at least one international trip every couple years? Invite representatives of unbelieving people groups into your church to speak about what they believe and what they think of Christianity? Send a care package to a missionary you don’t (yet) know? Start a blog on behalf of [...]
In my last few posts, I offered an outsider’s perspective on Youth With A Missions’s communication efforts and strategy. I want to reiterate that my efforts were totally unsolicited, but sincere. I’m only here to help. YWAM has been very gracious in their interaction and response, and I would love to help them however I’m able. In wrapping up my [...]
YWAMer Bill Hutchison has produced YWAM’s current podcast since early this year. He does a tremendous job of mixing news from the field, needs, and opportunities while keeping things upbeat. It’s really great to listen to– mmmmkif you want to know more about YWAM. I’d love to see more general evangelism training included (if only YWAM knew where to find [...]
SOCIAL MEDIA Some of the most powerful communication tools out there are the social media. Twitter, Facebook, and blogging platforms allow for more than just spreading information; they open up opportunities for interaction with both friends, and strangers. You’d be surprised how few missions agencies make use of social media. YWAM, on the other hand, has a significant presence in [...]
YWAM.ORG When it comes to communication in the missions world, web presence is everything. Monthly newsletters and bi-annual visits aren’t enough anymore. In order to feel connected to your ministry, supporters want to know what’s happening now. And not just the good things, either– they want to know the good, the bad, the mundane (see Twitter). The YWAM website is [...]
This is the second part in my unsolicited communications advice for the missions organization, YWAM. I had intended to begin with ywam.org, but before we evaluate the content of YWAM’s website, I wanted to share some thoughts regarding the group’s name. The name, Youth With A Mission, dates back to the founding of the organization by Loren Cunningham in 1960. [...]
Welcome to the Communications, Misunderstood tour, where I offer unsolicited advice on the communications strategies of different missionary initiatives. I’d like to start with an organization with an unquestionable track record of missions sending. This year, Youth With A Mission celebrates 50 years of sending young, mostly untrained, volunteer missionaries around the world. These guys have the reputation of being [...]
A big part of my work with the Upstream Collective is in the area of communication strategy. I strongly believe that how we communicate determines what we communicate. (Some might call this marketing, but for my audience, that wouldn’t be good, um, marketing.) We live in noisy times. Everywhere we go, someone is trying to get our attention and influence [...]
Unless writing a lot makes one a "writer," Ernest is a former missionary. After more than six years in Western Europe, he moved to Portland, where he drinks too much coffee and over-analyzes human behavior. For more about Ernest, visit the About page where you can read a long-time reader's interview with him. Or, if you don't mind waiting a very, very long time, send him an email.