Deka.Blog

Chase Savoie 6/29/22 Chase Savoie 6/29/22

Facebook Streaming 101

The Basics of Broadcasting Your Church Sevices on Facebook

Are you looking to broadcast your church’s Sunday worship service on Facebook? Maybe you are wondering what options are out there for doing a live stream and want to know if Facebook is a viable option for your church. You will find this blog helpful if you want to know the basics of putting your church’s service on Facebook.

7 Things You Need to Know Before Streaming on Facebook

Get Familiar with Facebook Live

Facebook Live lets you livestream your church services on Facebook. People can watch from a phone, computer, or TV. The great part about using Facebook for your church’s streaming service is the interaction that can be created during a broadcast. This will help you reach people with your church service you would not be able to reach elsewhere. Views can react, share, comment, and engage with other interactive features that will broaden your audience.

You Need a Facebook Page for Your Church

You need a Facebook Page for your church to best use all of the features available to you for livestreaming on the social media platform. You can go live with a personal account, but there are several drawbacks to that. A Page is where you can put up regular updates, and it can become a hub for your church on the social media platform.

According to the Meta website Livestreams to Pages have the following features which are not available for event livestreams:

The ability to crosspost to other pages. You can only crosspost live broadcasts from a page.
The ability to access detailed insights in Creator Studio.

Decide If You Want to Go Live From Your Phone Or Not

Before you broadcast your stream, you must decide if you want to go live or schedule your broadcast in advance. Here are some tips for both.

If You Want to Go Live From a Phone

Navigate to your Church Page using the Facebook App. This is where you want to publish your live stream. Then follow these steps:

Tap the Live button at the bottom of the post composer.
Add a description to your video. You can also tag friends, check in to a location, and add a feeling or activity.
Tap Start Live Video.
Tap Finish when you want to end your broadcast.

If You want to Use a Camera

Use a separate camera and streaming software to go live if you want the highest level of audio and video quality. To do this, you will need access to extra equipment like a computer, a camera, a microphone, and streaming software to help you broadcast. You can find out more about streaming software here.

Schedule Your Livestream

You can schedule your live stream up to a week in advance if you use a connected camera and encoder. Meta recommends scheduling live broadcasts to make your audience aware of upcoming broadcasts and connect when your stream begins more easily.

Know About Automatic Posts

Two posts are automatically created when you schedule a live broadcast.

The first is an announcement post. This is published on your Page. It lets your followers know there is an upcoming broadcast from your church. A church member can click “Get Reminder” to receive a one-time reminder notification shortly before the cast begins.

The second automatic post is the Live broadcast post: A post containing your live stream is automatically published at the scheduled time of your broadcast. Those who expressed interest in the announcement post will get a notification directing them to the broadcast.

Promote Your Church’s Livestream

Share your live stream on your Page and encourage church members to invite others to watch online by sharing to their profiles as well.

You can embed your Livestream to your church’s website if you like. Provide an option for people to click a link to watch on Facebook if they prefer that option.

Deka Can Help

There are many ways to take your digital broadcast to the next level and improve your online digital presence. This post is meant to help you get started with Facebook Live. If you would like more detailed help tailored specifically to you, then use this <link> to schedule a free coaching session with one of our Deka experts.

Chase Savoie 6/22/22 Chase Savoie 6/22/22

Presenting Like a Pro

Five Elements That Should be in Every Message

“No reason exists why the preaching of the gospel should be
a miserable operation either to the speaker or to the hearer.”
- Charles Spurgeon

Nowhere in the Bible does it state that a sermon is more spiritual because it is long and boring. In fact, an argument can be made that it is more spiritual to deliver a creative and engaging message because of the life change that such a message can bring.

You do not have to re-invent your communication style if you want to be more effective with your preaching. Here are five pointers that can help your preaching improve.

5 Tips to Present Like a Pro

Lift up Jesus

"And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."
- John 12:32 ESV

No matter what topic you are covering on Sunday, it should always bring people to a better understanding of Christ in their life. Each message should give people the opportunity to respond to the gospel.

"To present the Bible 'in its fullness is to preach Christ
as the main theme and substance of the Bible's message."
- Timothy Keller, Preaching

Illustrations

Being engaging is not about entertainment. It is about connecting to your audience so you can deliver a message that will help them make an eternal decision.

An illustration is like a picture. It says more than the words it takes to present it. Stories and illustrations help the audience process God's truth in their own understanding.

If you do not connect with your audience, you are not stewarding your opportunity well. Do not do a disservice to God's compelling word by making it dull. Jesus, the best preacher in history, used illustrations, and so should we.

Less is More

It is important to remember that less is more when presenting. At a certain point, the more you give them, the less they remember. The goal of a fisherman is to pull the net in once it is full, not to show off how complicated the net is or see how long he can keep it in the water.

Leave them wanting more, and they will be back next week. Give them all you have, do not honor their time, and you better make it count because it may be the only chance you get.

Humor

"Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine do down."
- Mary Poppins

It is always good to include humor, especially at your own expense. Making a loved one or valued team member the subject of a joke is never a good idea. If you do not feel you were born with a funny bone, you can still share an amusing anecdote from someone else at the beginning of the message.

Humor can also relieve the pressure in the room after an intense portion of the message. This is the spoon full of sugar that helps the medicine go down. Do not be afraid to plan a laugh in the middle of your message as well.

Address Felt Needs with an Application

"Preaching for life change requires far less information and
more application. Less explanation and more inspiration."
- Andy Stanley, Communicating for a Change

Make sure you are not answering questions no one is even asking. Addressing felt needs creates an entry point for engaging the audience with your message. Giving them practical application is an exit ramp from your message that helps your audience bring that message into their everyday life.

Bonus Tip: Most Importantly, Be Yourself

There are many different styles of communication. These principles are here to help you. The worst thing you can do as a communicator is to try to be something you are not. When teaching, you should be yourself, but you should also continue to improve your craft to be the best version of yourself.

Deka offers multiple solutions to help your church with giving and digital marketing. Click here to schedule a free coaching session and see how we can help your ministry.

Chase Savoie 5/25/22 Chase Savoie 5/25/22

Creative Ways to Thank Donors

Increase the “Cheerful” in Your Givers

Do you know how to thank your donors? Is it possible that you have allowed consistent givers to go unrecognized?

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV) says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

There are two ways to look at that passage. One way is to say it is people’s duty to give. Since the Bible commands it, people ought to do it whether I thank them or not. The second is to see that “God loves a cheerful giver,” and ask yourself, how can I help the people who give to our church be more cheerful in their giving?

Here are three creative ways to thank your donors that will help increase the “cheerful” in your givers.

3 Creative Ways to Thank Donors

1. Show Appreciation in Your Donor Receipts

A donor receipt is something your givers look forward to seeing because it confirms that their digital donation went through. The IRS requires it, but it should not just give them an accurate receipt and confirmation. Why not take advantage of this point of contact by showing appreciation as well? Include a heartfelt thank you in the message to your givers with their receipt. Let them know they are making a difference and ensure that they are feeling appreciated.

When you use Deka as your digital giving partner, we can help you craft this message. Our team will make sure that your donor receipts are excellent, consistent with your church brand, and inspire people to keep giving to your church.

2. Celebrate Their Birthday

Keep track of givers’ birthdays and celebrate their big day! To do this, you need to set up an automated email campaign that goes out to your givers on the month of their birthday. You can also create a generic video that you include in the email.

Do you want to really impress your givers? Reach out to them directly with a personal message to tell them how much you appreciate them.

3. End of the Year Acknowledgment

Thanking your donors at the end of the year is important because 31% of giving happens in December. The end of the calendar year is not only when the highest percentage of donations come in, but it is also an excellent opportunity to engage with your top givers to show appreciation.

Intentionally connecting with givers at the end of the year honors them for their donations throughout the year. It adds “cheer” to them by helping them feel like a partner instead of just another transaction. It also motivates them to be part of your end-of-the-year giving campaign.

How do you acknowledge your donors at the end of the year? Here are a few ideas:

Thank them from the stage on Sunday morning with a general statement about how your givers are making a difference.
Send them a letter thanking them for giving along with some statistics from what your church has accomplished that year because of their giving.
Play a video in your church service showing stories of lives changed and connect it to the end of the year giving campaign.
Send an email thanking your givers for their donations throughout the year. Let them know that what your church does would not be possible without them.
Take time to write a personal note to as many givers as you can to show your appreciation for their continued support.

Thanking your donors does not have to be lengthy or intrusive. A few personal touches can go a long way. What creative ways you have thanked your donors? Let us know in the comments.

If you are interested in learning more about how your church can better engage with givers, Deka would like to help. Click here to schedule a free coaching session today.

Chase Savoie 4/6/22 Chase Savoie 4/6/22

Outreach Tips for Success

3 Quick Tips You May Not Have Considered for Outreach

By Josh Roberie

Is your church involved in regular community service projects? If not, you are missing out on a fantastic way to reach your city with the love of Jesus. If you have an outreach project planned soon, how do you know your team is ready to get the most out of the event?

In this blog, we will discuss three tips for outreach success. Whether you have never done a service project before, are considering doing your first one, or have completed projects in the past, these tips should help you maximize your next outreach.

Tip #1 Start with the Big Picture

Too often, when people plan a community service project, they start with the details. This can be easy to do when trying to make the most impact with an outreach. It’s always best, though, to start with the big picture. Then, after you have the big ideas laid out, move on to the details of each area.

Look at planning your project as having building blocks. Don’t try to stack the tiny blocks on top before you get the big blocks in place first. When you have multiple areas to consider, figure out the most critical components before getting together all of the elements of one part of your project.

Once the big pieces are in place, you will find the team will fill in most of the details.

Tip #2 Build a Team of Leaders

An essential element of any service project is the people involved in serving. Once you have a general idea of where and when your project will take place, the team you build will determine what you can do.

The best way to recruit a fantastic serve day team is to start with selecting leaders. Once you appoint team leaders, you will be sharing the weight of the responsibilities. Since your leaders will have an area they are giving oversight, they will be motivated to use their circles of influence to add people to their projects.

To build a team of leaders, you will decide what projects you want to complete, recruit leaders to be over those projects and ask them to add people to their groups. This is the best way to add the most people to your outreach plans.

Tip #3 Take Care of Your Team at the Event

It takes so much effort to plan a community outreach that it can feel like you can start to relax once you get to the day of the event. In reality, the work is just getting started. Not only will the tasks of the outreach have to take place, but you will also have to take care of your team at the event.

Here are some suggestions to equip your team for the best outreach possible.

Send an update of all the critical information to the team the day before the event.
Start your event with prayer.
Give general instructions for the day and dismiss into teams.
Emphasize safety as the top priority of the day.
Have your team leaders give detailed instructions.
Leave the area better than you found it. AKA Clean up after yourself.
Keep Jesus front and center throughout the day by looking for ministry opportunities and reminding your team why you are doing the outreach.

The Benefits of Outreach

Outreach is a great way to communicate the love of Jesus to your community because it speaks a language everyone understands - serving. When you share the burdens of those you want to reach with the gospel, it opens the door of their hearts to hear what you have to say. Serving not only loves your neighbors well, but it is also fun for your team and creates buy-in from them.

There are many different outreaches and community service projects your church can do. These tips will help you have outreach success no matter what project you choose.

Josh is a ministry leader, communicator, and creative who helps train and coach church planters at the Association of Related Churches (ARC). He has written Believe Again: Finding Faith After Losing Religion and has contributed to many ministry publications, including Relevant Magazine. You can stay connected to Josh through his blog JoshRoberie.com and Social Media at @JoshRoberie.

Chase Savoie 3/30/22 Chase Savoie 3/30/22

Preaching Do’s and Don’ts

And One Bonus Tip That Will Improve Your Service Immediately

By Josh Roberie

What is your routine for preparing messages for your church? Is there any wisdom that has become a cornerstone of how you prepare? Are you someone who is always looking to improve on your craft of communication? In this article, you discover some message prep do’s and don’ts that will help you no matter your delivery style.

Planning, writing, practicing, and presenting your messages are integral to pastoring your church. Engaging members on Sundays with a clear and compelling message will fill your church with energy and encourage people to invite others to church.

DO - Preach From the Overflow

The best messages do not come from those who study the most but have spent time with Jesus. The priority of message prep is to fill your cup before attempting to fill someone else’s. When you begin preparing a message, your cup should already overflow with time spent with God.

DO NOT - Only Read Your Bible to Prepare a Message

It can become easy to read the Bible for “others” when constantly writing messages. This happens when God reveals something to you in His Word, and you immediately see how it can fit into a message instead of how it can apply to you. Living out your message will only strengthen what you teach others.

DO - Write as Things Come to You

When an idea comes to you, or you have a moment of inspiration, go ahead and write it down. This does not mean you have to write the majority of the message as soon as you have a moment of inspiration. Keeping track of your ideas will give you a head start when you are able to sit down to write. Instead of trying to remember a clever thought you had early, you already have it stored away. You may not preach that principle this week, but it can be something that you build out over the next few months.

DO NOT - Write Your Message at One Time

Your message should be like an onion that reveals layers as it is shared. This is difficult to accomplish without stepping away and revisiting what you have written later. Rushing a message in one sitting takes away from the depth and the critical revisions that will add much-needed clarity to your thoughts. When you return to something you have written, focus on making it more concise over expanding what you have already written. Do not be afraid to go in a different direction as the message grows.

DO - Get Input From Others

What makes sense to you may come across differently than you expect to others. Getting input from others helps you process your message’s ideas and brings in much-needed perspective to sharpen your points. You never know how what someone says about your message may inspire you in a way being alone with your own thoughts can not.

DO NOT - Rely Only on Yourself for Message Prep

When you do not open yourself up to feedback before and after a message, you ensure that you only connect with people who think and see the world exactly like you. If you want a diverse audience, you need to have diversity in the people helping you generate ideas and evaluate what’s best in your messages.

DO - Leave Them Wanting More

No one ever complained because a message was too short, but many church members have left saying a sermon was too long. One preacher said, “Once the net is full, bring in the net.” There is no reason to keep going once they are already “in the net.” Focus on taking people on a journey each week, one step at a time.

DO NOT - Take Advantage of People’s Time

You will always have more to say on a topic, but it is always better to leave them wanting more than regretting having too much. If you continue to go over your message time, week after week, people will begin to feel taken advantage of during your message. If you try to accomplish everything in one day, you better do it because you may not get another chance.

BONUS TIP!

More momentum is lost during transitions than any other part of the church service. Just because those moments are short does not mean they are not a priority. If you are going to do a transition during your church service, make sure to rehearse your segues. If you are playing a video, you need to know precisely how much time your videos will take and what you will do with the time before and after. You should think through every transition detail. Doing this will keep the energy flowing into your message until the last person is out of the auditorium.

Chase Savoie 3/23/22 Chase Savoie 3/23/22

Easter Outreach Ideas

Strategies for Connecting People to Your Easter Service

By Josh Roberie

The Spring is an excellent time for your church to be involved in outreach. Not only are people wanting to get outside after being cooped indoors during the winter, but it is also a terrific way to introduce people to your church leading up to Easter.

Many churches start preparing months in advance for their Easter services. They know this will be one of the most well-attended Sundays of the year. To make the most out of this weekend, you need to prepare the message, song selection, production, and promotion. But have you considered outreach as part of your Easter plans?

Benefits of an Easter Outreach

There are many ways you can promote Easter gatherings at your church, but without an outreach, your plans are incomplete. Here are some benefits of doing a service project:

It shares the love of Jesus.
It introduces people to your church who may not be aware of you.
It reminds people of you that have not been to your church in a while.
It promotes your Easter service times.

Principles for an Effective Easter Outreach

When you are preparing for an Easter outreach, there are a few things you want to consider.

Spread a wide net. You want to select an outreach project that will touch as many people as possible.
Consider the kids. One of the best ways to reach families is to serve their kids.
Easter Service Information. Have a plan to communicate the details of your Easter gatherings.

4 Easter Outreach Ideas

Here are four simple and inexpensive Easter Outreach Ideas that will help your church connect with new people leading up to Easter weekend.

Egg-vitations

Hand out egg-vitations to kids the week before Easter. This is a plastic egg with a piece of candy and an invite to your Easter service. Give each child at least two eggs, one for them and the other to give away. The kids can give it to a friend and invite them to church.

Easter Basket Give-a-ways

Collect Easter baskets from your church members that you can donate to families in need for Easter. Schedule an Easter basket pick-up the weekend of Easter. The parents can come and pick up an Easter basket for their child, receive prayer, and an invitation to the Easter Service on Sunday.

Water Give-a-way

A couple of weeks before Easter, begin doing water give-a-ways at multiple locations. This is an inexpensive way to impact people in an unexpected way. Take an ice chest full of water to a park, university, or running trail and hand out cold waters with an invitation to your Easter Service. It does not get easier than this!

Easter Egg Hunt

You know, we couldn’t have a list of Easter outreach ideas without this classic. Here is the thing, with a bit of planning, this does not have to be complicated and can reach many people. Don’t have the space to do an Easter Egg Hunt because you are portable or limited with your building? No problem. Team up with a local sub-division. You can promote the Easter Egg Hunt to the residence (built-in marketing for your church!) and use a recreational space in the neighborhood for the event. Why not plan multiple Easter Egg Hunts in communities connected to your church.

Bonus Ideas for Easter Egg Hunt

Consider the children that will be at your Easter Egg Hunt when planning your event. Here are some things to be mindful of to care for all the kids at the event:

Age-Specific Easter Egg Hunt - You should either let the younger children go first or have a separate area for them to pick up eggs without older kids overcrowding them.
Special Needs Easter Egg Hunt - Create a plan for kids with differences to safely enjoy an Easter Egg Hunt with their loved ones.
Easter Eggs Without Candy - Include Easter eggs that have things other than candy in them so that kids with diabetes or who are on a different diet can also enjoy the event.

Being attentive to these families’ needs will go a long way in showing them that you care.

We hope these outreach ideas will help you get the word out about your church and see people connected to your community of faith. Do you have more Easter outreach ideas? Let us know in the comments on this social media post.

Chase Savoie 3/16/22 Chase Savoie 3/16/22

Text-to-Give 101

5 Questions About Text Giving

Did you send a text message today? It is a question that does not even need to be asked, right? Statistics say that the typical person sends 85 text messages a day. So, the odds are you not only sent a text message but communicating in this format is one of the most natural parts of your day.

Texting is not just for sending emojis. It can also be utilized for donations. If you are unaware of how text-to-give works or what it is, then this blog will be helpful. This post will cover the basics of text-to-give by asking five simple questions. Consider this your Text-to-Give 101 course.

What is Text-to-Give?

A simple definition for text-to-give is that it is a method of donating that allows giving to take place through a text message. Supporters can text a keyword and donation amount to a nonprofit’s predetermined number to give in one simple step. Text-to-give can go by many other names. Sometimes, it is called “text giving” or “mobile giving.”

How Popular is Text-to-Give?

Many organizations realize text-to-give is an essential giving solution. The Red Cross raised over $43 million in their Haiti earthquake relief text-to-give campaign. Since texting is becoming most people’s preferred method of communication, it makes perfect sense to incorporate text-to-give into your fundraising strategy.

How Does Text-to-Give Work for Non-Profits?

Choose a giving partner - You’ll need to choose a third-party provider or a text-to-give platform before you can start collecting text donations. You can learn more about how Deka can help you with text-to-give through this link <LINK>.

Promote your text-to-give campaign - Your members will not be able to start texting their donations if you don’t let them know how to do it. Make sure you communicate clear steps for your text-to-give campaigns. The Deka team will be happy to help you with this. You can schedule a free coaching session here to learn more: <LINK>.

Confirm when Donation has been accepted - You givers should automatically receive a text message thanking them for their donation when they give.

How Does Text-to-Give Work For Donors?

Text-to-give is easy to use for donors. Here is how it works.

The donor sends a text message to a number that everyone in your church will use. This message will include your keyword and a dollar amount.
The first time they give a donor will access an online donation page to fill out their information.
Once they complete that information, their donation will be processed.
The final step is that the donor will receive a confirmation text message.
After that, all your givers have to do is text your keyword and a dollar amount, and their donation is processed!

Is Text-to-Give for you?

Here are some statistics to consider if you are still deciding if the text to give is for you.

The average text-to-give donation is $107.
91% of American adults own a smartphone.
51% of people who visit nonprofit websites do so on a mobile device.
99% of text messages are read and responded to within 5 minutes of being received.

It just makes sense to take advantage of the fact that so many people use their mobile devices and text messages daily. It is meeting givers where they are and making the process as easy as possible.

Text-to-Give is a simple giving solution that many non-profits and donors have found helpful to use. Deka can help you set up text-to-give for your church, but that is just the beginning of how we can help. Deka seeks to be a partner that empowers you to make a difference.

Click here if you would like to find out more or schedule a free coaching session with one of our knowledgeable team members.

Chase Savoie 3/9/22 Chase Savoie 3/9/22

Clever, Spiritual, or Clear?

Two Obstacles to Effective Marketing
By Josh Roberie

Are you sure you are getting your message across with your marketing efforts? How do you know that people understand you when you communicate with those who are unfamiliar with your insider language? Is it possible for creativity to go too far when working on promotional language and branding?

In this blog, we will look at two obstacles to effective marketing by asking, “Is what you are saying clever, spiritual, or clear?

Can you be too creative?

“Cute and clever language is almost always the enemy of clarity. Clarity sells, while and cute and clever confuse.” Donald Miller

Creativity has boundaries. Once you begin to sacrifice clarity for creativity, your message is diluted. Do not try to stand out so much that people can no longer understand what you are saying. This can happen when churches try to force every value and aspect of their church to fit within a certain theme, like their name, for instance.

Another example of over-focusing on being clever is when someone tries to use alliteration beyond the confines of clarity. The purpose may be to help people remember what you have to say, but that does not matter if they do not understand it. When you can make everything start with the same letter, and it works, great! If it is not clear, then do not force it.

Can you be too spiritual?

“Companies often make the mistake of using insider language that is hard to understand and sounds awkward when saying it out loud.” Donald Miller

Every industry and profession has insider language - even churches. Religious language makes sense to you and other insiders but confuses outsiders. It may be hard for you to see your insider language because, well, you are an insider. You are so used to it that you do not see it. If you want to reach people outside of your church, you have to make sure to speak their language.

It can feel like you are compromising when you break with traditional descriptions for spiritual things. Remember, though, Jesus made things simple and spoke using illustrations that were easy for people in that time and culture to relate to. Relevance is not the enemy of the scripture. It is the connecting point to it. We must make the truth of God’s scripture accessible by communicating it in a culturally relevant way.

Are you being clear?

Being creative and religious are great things! The world needs a church that is creative and rich in spiritual strength. Although these things are essential, clarity is also a priority. The solution is to balance these things when creating a name for a ministry, writing a message, or planning a promotional message. Applying this principle will help you in your marketing and in many other areas of ministry as well.

Chase Savoie 3/1/22 Chase Savoie 3/1/22

The Seven C’s of Preparing a Message

Keys to Message Prep Success

Do you sometimes struggle to get traction writing your messages? There are times when preparing a new sermon is easy. The words just seem to flow right through you. At other times, it can feel like your message tank is empty. It can be a struggle to get something on paper in those moments. This article will cover some basic principles to help you get going when your message prep seems stuck.

The goal of your messages should not be to present your opinions or good ideas. Each sermon should point to Jesus, be delivered with spiritual weight, and inspire people to a decision. To do this effectively, consider these 7 C’s.

Seven 7’s of Message Prep Success

1. Consistency is in your devotional time lays the best foundation for your message prep. Your daily devotional time not only feeds your spirit but also primes the pump of your message writing. Being consistent in this area adds much-needed depth to your messages.

2. Continual Personal Development - You need to build up a saving account of content to have “money in the bank” when you want to make a withdrawal to write a message. You can make deposits through reading books and listening to podcasts. Take notes on what you are learning that can be easily accessed when writing what you will speak about on Sunday.

3. Calendar - Add message prep times throughout your week. Save it on your calendar like you would any other appointment. When you develop a writing and message prep routine, you will experience better focus and fewer interruptions. Build margin into your prep because there will always be things that come up.

4. Creative elements - You may feel finished once you have a well-organized message with straightforward points. In reality, this is only step one. Now it is time to consider creative elements. What illustrations can you add? Bring your team into your prep earlier on by giving the general direction of your message. Including them will generate suggestions and help you deliver a better-finished product.

5. Contributions - You should process your message with a trusted advisory team to make sure you communicate what you intend in the best way possible. You may only have one person at first. That is ok, but make sure you include a diverse group to best reach those who have different experiences than you.

6. Clock Yourself - Too many communicators are unconcerned with the time it takes them to deliver their message. This is a mistake. It takes hard work to be efficient at communicating. It would be best if you rehearsed your message and timed each element. Practice your takeoff and landing and transitions between points. Planes and messages are most likely to crash during these two times.

7. Commit to Memory - You want your message to come across to those listening as something coming from your heart; because it is. To accomplish this, you should learn to internalize your messages before presenting. One way to know if you have done this is to see if you can summarize the message in one sentence. To begin internalizing, start with your main idea and then move on to your major points. After that, focus on the transitions and the stories.

These 7 C’s will help you while preparing, and your audience will also see the difference in your delivery. Sharing a message of eternal significance each week is no easy task. You will need God’s help every time, as well as a desire to keep learning and growing in this craft.

Deka wants to help you have more time to spend on message prep and the people of your church. To do this, we offer a variety of solutions that keep you on the field of ministry instead of on the sideline of administration. Whether it is digital giving, social media, or church finances, we have the experience and expertise to help. Click here to schedule a complimentary coaching session with one of our helpful team members today.

Chase Savoie 2/21/22 Chase Savoie 2/21/22

The Digital Mission Field

What Are You Doing to Prepare Digital Missionaries in Your Church?

By Josh Roberie

John Donne once famously said, “No man is an island.” That is never more true than it is today. The information age has connected people around the globe and across sectors of society through the internet. It has never been easier for you to contact a stranger or connect to someone digitally who is physically far away, but what does this mean for churches?

You can now use digital tools to reach more people with your church’s message as a pastor. A new crucial measuring stick that is now part of having a digital presence is engagement. You cannot simply broadcast your sermons and announcements and hope to generate an authentic connection. People will tune you out if you do this. You have to speak to them, listen to them, and respond to their feedback if you are going to thrive in the digital mission field.

How do you go from preaching to a crowd to engaging with many individuals online? The key is to train digital missionaries in your church. A digital missionary is a member of your church who will take the gospel and the heart of your church online to win people to Christ and see them connected to your local church.

5 Ways to Create Digital Missionaries in Your Church

Prioritize Digital Roles

You should make sure that having leaders and even staff covering digital responsibilities is a priority in your church. You would not hold a service without the worship team, service hosts team, and kids ministry team. Why? Because you know people will need those services while at your church. That is where people are.

If you are going to post content online, you need to have staff and volunteers in roles there because you are likely to encounter more people online with your content than you will in-person on Sunday morning alone.

Online Reviews

Ask your team to leave detailed reviews for your church online. As a church planter, you can do this in a pre-launch team meeting. Positive reviews are very significant for a new church in town. Reviews from people in the area will help build your reputation as a welcoming place.

An existing church can also benefit from asking for reviews. You can send a message to your volunteer team asking them to become a digital evangelist by posting their experience with your church.

Facebook Events

Create an event on Facebook for your next gathering and ask your team to like, comment, confirm they will be attending, and share the event on their page. This not only helps get the word out to their friends and family but increases your organic reach without paying for an ad.

Build Your Online Audience

Send an email to your church asking them to like your church page, leave a review, and invite friends and family to like the page as well. This is a simple way to build an outreach mentality in your church.

Chat Hosts

You need to have chat hosts engaging with people during your digital broadcasts. This is an excellent way to serve people watching online by answering their questions and making sure they are connecting to the right people and resources. You should train your team in how to prevent someone from taking over the chat in a negative way.

Bonus Tip

This one works surprisingly well. Post-high-quality images of people attending your church events (and tag them if you can). People love sharing great photos of themselves, and when they do, guess what? They are sharing about your church as well. When people tag themselves in a photo your church posts, it goes out to all of their followers. They are becoming a digital evangelist without even knowing it!

Whether you are an existing church or a church plant, you can build online momentum. The most important key is to ask your team for help spreading the word online about your church. Give detailed instructions to make it easy to help you, and you will see your digital presence soar.

Chase Savoie 2/14/22 Chase Savoie 2/14/22

Church Marketing Made Simple

Creating Engagement with Visitors

Do You Need a Sales Funnel?

Should you create a sales funnel for your church? Probably not. BUT are there principles you can learn from sales funnel marketing that can help you see more new people enter your doors on Sunday? Definitely.

According to Donald Miller, a sales funnel is a way to capture and convert leads. He says that you will not be able to build an effective digital marketing plan without a sales funnel. While this may be good for business, what does it mean for churches not selling anything?

The first thing to remember is that a sale is an exchange of money for a good or service. Churches ask people to make exchanges every Sunday. You want members and guests to exchange their time for your church's worship experience. If you want someone to be at your church on Sunday instead of sleeping in, going to the golf course, or watching television, then you are asking them to make an exchange.

Ministry Is About Relationships

In his book, Marketing Made Simple: A Step by Step Storybrand Guide for Any Business, Donald Miller shares three stages of a relationship between a customer and a business. These three stages can be helpful for pastors as well. After all, ministry is about people, and managing people is about relationships.

The three stages of a customer relationship are:

Curiosity
Enlightenment
Commitment

Steps to Commitment

If you want people to commit to your church, then you will have to begin by creating curiosity. You may have heard that you cannot convert a lead with one touch. It takes multiple encounters to pave the way for a commitment from a potential customer. It is the same for seeing new people visit your church. Pastors must be willing to walk on a journey with people instead of expecting an immediate decision because of one conversation, good deed, or advertisement.

Seeing relationships this way shows that you value people, not just what they can offer you. Jesus valued people. He took his time with them. You must do the same as you build trust over time. Doing this will lead to the exchange you want with outsiders attending your church gatherings.

Let us look at each of these steps to commitment in more detail.

Step 1: Curiosity

"If you don't tell somebody how you can help them survive, they will set you aside-or worse, discard you." - Donald Miller, Marketing Made Simple

A church can use the principle of creating curiosity by addressing people's "felt needs." Doing this in your series titles and marketing communication is one way to meet people where they are instead of expecting them to value the things a believer does. If you want the opportunity to lead new guests into discipleship, then you must be willing to create curiosity by speaking to their perceived needs and priorities, not yours.

How does this work? It may help to demonstrate what does not work. Promoting a series about fasting will not create curiosity in people not currently in a church. Why? Because they do not perceive that topic as something that will help them survive. It sounds like another chore on a list of things they are already not doing well. But what if your message was on Family 101? Now you are talking about something that will get their attention because you are solving a problem they perceive is important.

Step 2: Enlightenment

After you have piqued someone's interest, the next step is to enlighten them. This is where you begin to build trust by showing a potential guest how you will solve their problem.

We can go back to the Family 101 series example to explain Step 2. If the Family 101 series had the subtitle: Restoring the Joy in Your Family, then you would be "enlightening" a potential visitor to how you will solve their problem. The felt need is family security. The problem is the pain that comes when family expectations are not met. You are a guide taking them on a journey one step at a time, from not interested, to curious, to how God's word will help solve their problem. The goal is not to show them everything at once but to extend the bridge from where they are to your church doors.

Simple stating, "We will be teaching on Ephesians 5 to learn more about what Paul says about the correct model for family order," does not create curiosity or enlighten an outsider to how you will help them survive. They may be wondering what is Ephesians 5 and who is Paul? Is he the gardener, a sandwich shop owner, a family counselor? Will he be speaking this Sunday? Following the steps of a relationship will take people on a journey. Over time, they will learn all about Paul, but one step at a time.

Step 3: Commitment

Take your time, but do not be afraid to take action. Make the invite! Give a clear ask for people to follow. Do not assume that everyone knows they are invited because you made a post about your church service. Some people grow up where only certain people who believe a certain way are allowed to attend particular churches.

Ask people for a commitment, but make it easy on them. Make it clear what they should expect at your church and where they can find out more information about your gatherings. Plan a guest experience that fits everyone instead of just doing church for your committed members and hoping others will come along and understand what is going on.

Talk to your new guest in your marketing and your church gatherings, but also allow them to remain anonymous. Be willing to let someone attend several times before identifying themselves so that they can get a feel for you and your church.

The road to commitment is winding and sometimes long, but it is not complicated. Serve people by building a relationship that uses the three steps of curiosity, enlightenment, and commitment, and you will build lasting trust.

Chase Savoie 2/7/22 Chase Savoie 2/7/22

How Are Your Givers Donating?

Two Giving Concerns Churches Face

Times, They Are a-Changing

Are you aware of how your givers are donating to your church? Gone are the days of people dropping loose change and dollar bills in the offering plate on Sunday Morning. The majority of people are no longer putting pen to paper in order to fill out a check to donate to their church. While people will always want to have the option to give cold hard cash, studies show less, and less church members financially support ministries in this way.

In 2020, the number of payments across all transactions in bills and coins dropped 35%. In 2021 only one in six transactions took place with cash. The concern for churches is that they will be left behind as society moves further away from cash. Is your ministry ready for this shift?

Your Largest Block of Givers

So, the question remains. How are most of your members giving? The largest block of your givers is using a credit card. About 50% of all church giving comes from a credit card. This stat shows how important it is for your church to be ready to process donations from credit cards at each giving point.

In the past, there has been a stigma connected to credit cards. That perspective is ancient history. Merchants, who have long held out against cards because of fees, realize that fighting the momentum of credit cards is a lost cause. Consumers use their cards because of convenience. And if you are not ready to accommodate them in this way, you will be missing out on their giving.

What’s The Good News?

The good news is that 8/10 people who give to non-profits have no credit card debt. This means that they are smartly using the cards, and they want to use them to give to your church.

You can be prepared for this growing trend by scheduling a demo with Deka to see how our solutions can help you in this area. Click here to learn more.

Another Problem Facing Ministries

Another problem facing ministries is not always getting competitive rates on credit card transaction fees. The percentages can add up and diminish the difference that your giving partners intended to make with their donation. Deka offers competitive giving packages to fit the size of your ministry and is also proud to offer the lowest transaction rates you will find anywhere.

Chase Savoie 1/30/22 Chase Savoie 1/30/22

Why Your Sermons Are Not Sticking

Tips for Creating A Series Calendar

By Josh Roberie

Do you have a preaching calendar for your church? If not, how are you giving your team the advanced notice they need to prepare for your messages creatively? Planning your message series does not just reduce your team’s stress and improve your ability to put together your sermons. It is also a way to strategically plan for how your Sunday messages will disciple your church.

What is a Series Calendar?

You may call it a preaching plan, message calendar, or sermon strategy. Whatever you call it, a series calendar is when you lay out the general topics you will cover in your Sunday morning messages throughout the year.

Why Is a Series Calendar Important?

Planning your messages is vital for your sermons to stick for several reasons.

Discipleship - It is your job, as the shepherd of your church, to make sure the sheep receive a healthy diet from God’s word on Sunday morning. Planning your messages ensures you lead your flock through different pastures of biblical content that will give your congregation a well-rounded spiritual diet.

Essentials - A series calendar will help you to cover the essentials that are important to your church every year without repeating unnecessary topics. Looking ahead on a calendar will allow you to see the best time to cover the most critical issues to your ministry.

Repetition - “Pastor, we’ve heard that story before.” No one wants to hear that after sharing a sermon! A message calendar will give you the opportunity to collect new stories, illustrations, and humor for your messages without repeating the same content from another message.

Creativity - Knowing what you will cover in advance will give your team a creative runway to do their best work.

How to Create a Series Calendar

When creating a series calendar, you need to understand the general overview of the year, people’s habits, and what you want to accomplish through your ministry in each season. Here is a quick summary of the flow of a typical church year.

Yearly Series Flow

Beginning of the Year - People establish routines for the new year and new school semester. Think about how many people are joining a gym and dieting during this time. They are looking to focus on their priorities which may be why church attendance increases after the Holidays.

Spring - Easter and Mother’s Day are two of the most well-attended Sundays of the year. What is your plan to invite them and convince them to return the following week?

Summer - One of the lowest attended seasons for churches. Plan messages for your most consistent group of attendees.

Fall - The first couple of months of Fall is when people return to their church attendance habits. School is starting back, and College’s return to session creates an opportunity for you to speak to people who are adding church to their schedule for the rest of the year.

Holidays - This can be a time when people are not in church as much, except for Christmas. Important things are happening during this time that you can use to celebrate Christ and emphasize the importance of faith in your members’ lives.

Use the Momentum

You want to use the momentum already present in people’s calendars instead of working against it. Here is how you can do that.

Plan your more evangelist series for when people return to church at the beginning of the year and school year. It is a natural time for people to return to church or try out church and can be an incredible time of soul-winning.

When attendance is lower, you know you have your most committed people in the room. You should use this time of the year to go a little deeper and prepare them for the evangelistic seasons coming up.

When you know there will be a more highly attended Sunday, like Easter, plan a series to start the following week so that people can feel like they are coming in at the beginning of something. The length of the series will give them an opportunity to “try out” the church for that length of time.

Final Tips for Message Planning

Give Yourself Breaks - Look for the weeks that have been the lowest attended, and give yourself a break at those times. Setting a calendar will also help you see when you have a long series of preaching back-to-back weeks. Planning for you to take a break is not selling your congregation short. It is a way to refresh and ensure you give them your best self each week.

Plan for Open Weeks - Do not expect to have a message series every week. Allow yourself to have a “one-off” message. An open week can also be when you invite a guest to bring a unique message to your church.

Be Flexible - A series calendar provides a great structure that allows you to plan, but it should not become so rigid that it does not allow you to mix things up when needed. Be ready to move series back or add something new if God leads you in that direction.

Did you know Deka offers social media services that will help get the word out about your series and the other amazing things happening at your church? Click here to schedule a complimentary coaching consultation to see how we can help your church’s social media presence today.

Chase Savoie 1/17/22 Chase Savoie 1/17/22

5 Reasons Why You Should Not Care About Your Church Brand

By Josh Roberie

Is church branding for you? Your brand is more than a logo and a motto. It is what people think about your church before they ever visit. It can seem that church branding is not for everyone. It is more businesslike than it is spiritual. Branding is also more than just a little intimidating when considering how much secular organizations spend on marketing. Did you know anywhere from 50% to 150% of a movie’s budget is spent on Marketing?

Here are five things to consider if you are wondering if creating a church brand is for you.

1. You Don’t Care About Your Church’s Reputation.

You have a brand whether you want one or not and whether you think branding is important or not, because your brand is your reputation. It is what will be known about you before people get the chance to know you in person.

What comes into your mind when you think of Starbucks, Mercedes-Benz, or Apple? Now consider this for yourself: When people hear of my church, I want them to think and feel _________. That is the brand you are trying to build.

If you care about what people think about your church and what they experience when they interact with your ministry, then you should be intentional about your church’s brand.

2. You Do Not Mind Getting Off Mission.

Having a solid brand for your church is a daily reminder of your ministry’s mission. The idea of a church brand is about holding yourself accountable to your mission and values. Before you can do that, you have to have a clear vision, mission, and values. Your brand only re-enforces these things.

If you, as the pastor, cannot easily state what the vision and mission of your church is, then how can you expect others on your team or in your membership to be able to communicate what your church is about?

Your church branding should be vision-based, stand out, and be created with outsiders in mind. Having a church brand is not about trying to be better than anyone else or forgetting the Great Commission. It is a way to clearly communicate what your role is in your city to outsiders and see the Great Commission fulfilled.

3. You Think People Should Come to You Without You Going to Them.

Your church brand is one way you can meet people where they are, before expecting them to change and believe what you believe. If you expect new people to value what you do before they experience the life change found in Christ, then church branding is not for you.

One way branding helps you lead people into an eternal decision is by speaking to people’s felt needs in your messaging. Doing this earns the opportunity to deliver the truth of God’s word through the church’s ministries and events.

Simply put, marketing is the exchange of goods and services. On Sundays, you are asking people to exchange their time to receive the service of your worship experience. We know the value of our “product” is eternal, but how can we help people make this exchange who don’t yet value its result? This is done by meeting them where they are, connecting with what is important to them, and then introducing them to God’s Presence and truth.

4. Your Will Not Deliver on Your Promises.

A consistent brand is not just making a promise in an advertisement. It is delivering on that promise with an experience. This means you have to plan for the advertising as well as the experience side of church marketing.

To invite someone to hear an “incredible message” and “powerful worship” and not deliver on that expectation breaks a promise with guests and hurts your brand (reputation). Branding is not just about logos but delivering on what you tell people to expect. You want people to like, not only what they see in your promotion, but what they feel in your worship gatherings. That way, they tell others about how much they love your church.

If you think it is important that every guest at your church has a great experience and that you do not over promise and under deliver, then you should think about what your church gatherings are communicating about your brand.

5. You Do Not Think Excellence is Important.

Anytime you invite someone to church, or ask your member to do the same, you are “promoting” your church. If you are going to promote your church then why would you not want to be as intentional as possible and use all of the tools available to reach the most people with the best invite?

It may feel unspiritual to worry about your church’s brand, but aren’t there lots of non-spiritual parts of running a ministry? We do these other things with excellence because we know how they help the ministry fulfill its mission. Churchs should not be known for second-class experiences and cheesy advertisements. We serve THE Creator and should lead the way in creativity and innovation.

If you believe excellence communicates how much you value your people and the significance of what you are offering them, then you should plan to create a brand that delivers a consistent message to all who come in contact with your ministry.

Church branding can seem unspiritual but it can lead to spiritual results. Make your branding about the people you will reach instead of about your church. It’s not enough to let people know you want them to come to church. You will also need to let them know clearly, concisely, and convincingly how your church will help them in their life.

Did you know Deka offers social media services that will help with your branding? Click here to schedule a complimentary coaching consultation to see how we can help your church’s social media presence today.

Chase Savoie 12/28/21 Chase Savoie 12/28/21

How to End the Year Financially Strong

Your Christmas services are complete, and all the Holiday parties have concluded. Even so, there is still work to do to close out the year strong for your church’s finances. This season can often be one of the busiest times of year for church finances, but it does not have to be the most stressful.

Here are 4 Year-End Financial Tips for Churches

Prepare for Last-Minute Givers

If you do not have one yet, you need a plan for last-minute givers. Why? Well, 31% of giving happens in December, and 12% occurs in the last three days. Here are two ways you can make sure to engage last-minute givers with the mission of your ministry

High-capacity givers want to give to a specific need that allows them to see the difference their gift makes. Giving to your general fund does not help paint the picture for them in this way. Therefore, it is critical to connect their desire to give to those in need by providing them the opportunity to give to a specific cause and not just to your general fund.

The second step you can take to engage last-minute givers is to communicate the cut-off date for giving to be counted in the current calendar year through a simple email message or announcement on the last Sunday of the year.

Examine Your Financial Systems

As the world moves towards digital, your ministry needs to be prepared to do the same. Is your giving platform customized for your church? Deka helps you empower downers, make giving easy, and make a difference through Deka.Gives .

Another way Deka can improve your financial systems is through the powerful dashboards you will have at your fingertips to manage your giving data through Deka.Gives.

How are the systems you use to distribute, fund, and manage team spending? Deka.Wallet allows you to access this budget information on all of your devices easily. If your team uses cards to spend and make purchases, you will want to check out Deka.Wallet. Click here to find out more.

Set Financial Goals for the Next Year

Pray about what you would like to see your church accomplish in the following year. Is there something new that will need to be budgeted to meet that need? If so, does this mean another area will need to see the budget reduced?

What areas can you be more financially efficient in to be more productive as a ministry? Check the budgets you set at the beginning of last year and see what actual spending looked like. Examine with your team to see how better decisions can be made in the coming year.

Would you like some help going over these areas for your unique situation? Click here to schedule a free coaching call with one of our team members today.

Chase Savoie 12/20/21 Chase Savoie 12/20/21

5 Secrets to Year-End Giving

Unlocking Financial Momentum for Your Church at the End of the Year

Are you a Black Friday shopper? Some people love to take advantage of the sales and deep discounts that sway customers to spend at one store over another. Others prefer to sleep in, eat leftovers, and shop online. The term “Black Friday” comes from the fact that the Friday after Thanksgiving is the biggest shopping day of the year. The extra business helps retailers move from operating in the red to moving their ledgers into the sweet black ink of profit.

There is a reason why Black Friday has expanded in recent years. The date seems to start earlier each November and is now extended to Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday. Businesses and non-profits now that people are more willing to open up their wallets at the end of the year. But what does this mean for you, as a pastor?

Year-End Giving is a crucial part of financial sustainability for non-profits as well. Donations made at the end of the year are the equivalent of Black Friday for retailers. Even though you should not rely solely on financial gifts that come in the last quarter, understanding the dynamics of year-end giving can help give your ministry a boost.

This post will discuss five secrets to year-end giving to unlock some new financial momentum for your church.

Secret #1: Almost One Third (31%) of Giving Occurs in December

31% of giving happens in December, yet it is the most stressful time of year for many families living paycheck to paycheck. Entrepreneurs and high-capacity givers want to give to a tangible thing that makes a difference, not a general fund. Therefore, it is critical to connect their desire to give to that real need of people in this season.

That is what has been on my heart and mind in this season. I’m reminded of Jesus feeding the 5000. Jesus found the need - the hungry crowd and connected with the giver (the boy with the five barley loaves and two fish). He then performed the miracle of multiplication and met the need.

To activate donors to meet the greatest need, give them the opportunity to give to a specific cause and not just to your general fund.

Secret #2: 12% of all giving happens in the last three days of the year.

Is it any surprise that these many people give last minute? There could be many reasons for why this could be. Maybe people want to take advantage of interest in their accounts as long as possible before making a pre-planned donation at the end of the year. It could also be that, just like many other things, people like to wait until the last minute to do what they know they need to do.

If you want to engage these last-minute givers, then do not stop your end of the year push for donations when your day of giving is completed. Instead, follow-up with those financially invested in your church after your day of giving. You can do this by sharing the results of your day of giving and reminding them that it is not too late to give and continue to make a difference. You may also want to consider sending an email to those financially invested in your church the last week of the year, letting them know you will be able to accept donations up to and including December 31.

Secret #3: 54% of nonprofits start planning their year-end appeal in October.

If you are not planning ahead for year-end giving, you are missing out on vital financial momentum for your church. One of the easiest ways to increase giving without putting pressure on people is by helping them plan ahead.

To plan appropriately, you will need to prep your team at least one to two months in advance. This will allow time for your creative team to develop themes and imagery for your giving campaign and for your communications team to share the message of year-end giving with the different segments of your church before it is time to give.

Secret #4: 27% of church members attend every week on average.

Do not expect that your givers are attending church every week. You need to repeat your message about year-end giving because most of your members tend to have irregular attendance. About 20% of churchgoers are committed to their church but do not go every week. If you do not communicate about year-end giving repeatedly in the weeks leading up to a day of giving, you will miss out on members who would have donated but are unprepared.

Secret #5: Digital giving was up 20% in 2020, and 60% of people prefer to give online.

If your church is not prepared with a digital platform that will make giving easy, fast, and accessible, then you will be missing out on the year-end investment givers want to make into your church. 70% of giving comes through various channels. You also need to have text-to-give setup and ready to serve your Holiday Givers.

This is where Deka can help. Even if you already have an online giving provider, Deka can ensure that you provide the most straightforward and efficient giving solutions to your donors. Do you have any questions about how our robust solutions can help your church? Click here to schedule a complimentary coaching call, and a helpful Deka team member will be happy to help you.

Chase Savoie 12/13/21 Chase Savoie 12/13/21

7 Strategies to a Successful Year-End Giving Campaign

A Guide to Year-End Giving

By Josh Roberie

How high do you want to go? When I was a kid, we built ramps for our toy cars to jump. As we did, one thing quickly became apparent. We needed a long roadway to build momentum if we wanted our cars to fly high. The longer the ramp, the higher the car would go.

The same rules apply when it comes to a successful year-end giving campaign. The more you put into building up momentum for your campaign, the better your results will be.

Here are seven strategies you can use to create a high-impact giving campaign.

#1 Plan Ahead

Asking people to plan ahead is one of the easiest ways to increase year-end giving without putting pressure on people. Before you ask them to prepare, you and your team need to do the same. Meet with your team months in advance to review last year’s giving, set goals, and consider what it will take to go ahead with this year’s plan.

#2 Pick a Giving Day

Selecting a day for sacrificial giving helps you build a longer ramp to launch the vision for your year-end giving campaign. It also provides a clear target for your donors to hit. When you select a day to join together in giving as a church, it helps people pray and decide in advance what they will donate.

One key element of picking a giving day is deciding on a theme. Give the day a name that communicates the importance and the impact of your church’s giving. Use this theme in your messaging to inspire people to go above and beyond in their giving. Include elements of vision and lasting legacy.

#3 Prepare People with Communication

60% of nonprofits make between 1-3 donor “touches” for their year-end campaign. You will have to communicate, re-communicate, and community again your plan to unite as a church in generosity. The primary way you will be able to do this is by announcing each week during your Sunday service that you will have a day to give coming up and that you want people to begin preparing for that moment.

#4 Present Stories of Lives Changed

You should share stories of lives changed through your church’s generosity during your giving campaign. You can begin telling these stories before your day of giving by capturing some videos and images from the ministries your year-end giving will support. If part of the donations is going towards your church, then use a testimony from someone ministered to by your church. You can also use stories from the previous year’s giving campaign.

#5 Promote Through Multiple Avenues

Making an announcement the week before you want people to give is not enough. Studies show that most church members do not attend every week. To reach your entire congregation, you will need to communicate the same thing repeatedly through multiple avenues.

There are various ways you can reach your church with the vision of your year-end giving campaign beyond making announcement videos. You can hand out print pieces after church or include them in your church worship guide. Consider promotion on social media with multiple posts that vary slightly in their message. Mention financial donations as an application in some of your messages leading up to your day of giving. Sending emails to different segments of your church will help you tailor your message to each group’s involvement in your church. And finally, do not forget to mail a letter to those who have given to your church in the past.

#6 Pitch the Vision and Make the Ask

The big day is finally here. Now it is time to make the ask! Before you do, make sure you share the vision and not just the need. Let people know where the church is going because of your members giving. After making the vision clear, you want to make it easy for people to give.

More people than ever are giving online and prefer digital giving. Deka has many solutions to help you in this area. We make giving easy and accessible for your members. Deka also works with you to personalize the giving experience for your church, so it flows with the branding of your other digital platforms.

#7 Pursue Givers with Appreciation

Your giving campaign is not over once your day of giving happens. You now need to follow up with your givers and show appreciation. You can do this with emails communicating the results of giving and sharing wins from that day on the following Sundays.

Keep in mind that 12% of giving happens in the last three days of the year. Some organizations report that the last day of the year is the biggest day of giving all year long. You should continue pursuing givers until the last day of the year, celebrating all that God has done through your ministry.

We hope this guide to year-end giving helps your ministry reach its goals to impact lives for the better. Please let us know if you are interested in finding out more about what your church can do to improve your ministry’s giving, marketing, and budgeting. You can schedule a free coaching session by clicking here!

Chase Savoie 12/6/21 Chase Savoie 12/6/21

Three Myths of Missions Giving

How to Support Missions Without Busting Your Budget

By Josh Roberie

Have you considered increasing your giving to local and foreign missions but are afraid of how that would impact the resources for your church? If so, you are not alone. Sustainability is crucial for churches, but so is donating to missions. Giving to missions does not have to ruin your budget for other ministries. But how does this work together?

If you teach your people to be generous with their finances, your church should follow suit. You need to model generosity to your people. In the end, this will show them what kind of church they are a part of and will encourage more giving on their part.

This blog will bust the myths of missions giving by shedding some light on three areas. It will show you how you can make this possibility a reality and extend your ministry’s reach far beyond the walls of your church while still making your church stronger.

Myth #1: Giving to Missions Communicates to Givers Our Church Does Not Need Their Offerings

Some may say asking givers to support a separate mission’s work financially may communicate that your church has enough financial support. The result is people may feel your church does not need their giving above and beyond their tithe. Maybe you have had this thought as well. Will people give less to my church instead of just giving additional funds to missions? Financially supporting missions helps your church fulfill the Great Commission.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

-Matthew 28:19-20 NIV

Whenever you devote a portion of your offerings to missions, you communicate that your church is a church worth their financial investment. You cannot be faithful to the Great Commission without being committed to “all nations.” Communicating to your church that you want a portion of their giving to go to local and world missions lets them know you are leading by example. Giving away some of your budget to those in need shows your givers can trust you more than anything else.

 "You cannot be faithful to the Great
 Commission without being committed to “all nations.”

Myth #2: Talking About Giving will Discourage Generosity Because It Puts Pressure on People

Being upfront about the needs of your church and the vision you have to help others outside of your church will not discourage givers. People avoid pressure but respond to vision and transparency with generosity. Here are a few ways that discussing your financial vision for your church can encourage giving.

Communicate regularly about your budget. When you give people clarity, they are more likely to support you financially. This means you need to let people know how much of their donations are going to missions through regular reports and updates on Sunday morning.

Create a plan to teach on generosity. Do not wait until you realize there is a need to ask people to give. Instead, make generosity part of your church culture by teaching on the importance of financial stewardship and the Christian virtue of helping people in need. A regular series on finances will not only help your people live at peace in their personal lives but will encourage them to be better givers as well.

 "People avoid pressure but respond to
vision and transparency with generosity.

Myth #3: Providing an Option to Give to Missions at the Point of Donation is Enough

If you are not planning ahead for missions giving and following up with the impact of people’s donations after they give, then you are missing out on financial momentum for your church. One of the most important ways your church can increase giving to missions without busting your church budget is by asking people to plan ahead. You can accomplish this by selecting a day of giving for your church.

Give this day of giving a theme that will help communicate what you want people to see about how their donations will leave a lasting impact in the world. Once you select a name for your day of giving, you need to communicate your goals for this giving campaign weeks in advance. You can do this through announcement videos, print pieces, promotion on social media, working the point of the day of giving into your message, and through written emails and letters.

Once you have your day of giving, you need to celebrate the difference that those donations are making. Share stories of lives changed. You can do this through photos or an interview with the organization receiving the financial gifts that will play before your offering on Sunday.

Digital giving makes supporting missions and your church easier for people. The ease of use will encourage people to give more frequently because donating is more accessible and faster than other ways of making a financial gift.

Online donations also make it easy for people to see an option to support a missions ministry you believe in without decreasing their regular giving to your church. Instead of them giving additional gifts to outside organizations, including missions giving as an online option at your church keeps those who make donations financially involved in your church’s mission.

How is your online giving going for you? Would you like to find out how Deka can help you increase donor commitment at your church through our portfolio of tools? Click this link to schedule a complimentary coaching consultation today.

Josh is a ministry leader, communicator, and creative who helps train and coach church planters at the Association of Related Churches (ARC). He has written Believe Again: Finding Faith After Losing Religion and has been a contributor to many ministry publications, including Relevant Magazine. You can stay connected to Josh through his blog JoshRoberie.com and on Social Media at @JoshRoberie

Chase Savoie 11/22/21 Chase Savoie 11/22/21

How to Inspire People to Action

5 Steps to Create Buy-in

By: Josh Roberie

“People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it, and what you do simply proves what you believe.”

-Simon Sinek, Start with Why

I recently tried to turn on a lamp that did not work. I clicked the button a few times and made sure the bulb was screwed in tight. Nothing happened until I remembered I had unplugged it to make room for something else in the outlet. I could not see the light because I failed to ensure the lamp was connected to the power.

When we try to inspire people to commit, join our team, or even give us their attention, we must first make sure that we connect before asking for anything else. Too many leaders give information, facts, and figures without first making sure they relate to their intended audience. This is like having all the supplies someone needs in a truck only to discover there is no bridge to cross the river so that you can reach them on the other side.

You must connect with your audience before you attempt to inspire them to action.

How do you connect with people in this way? In his book, Start with Why, Simon Sinek suggests that you must begin with why. There are two ways you can do this.

The first way you can connect with people before asking them to commit is to talk about what is important to them. When you are speaking, people are first asking, “What’s in it for me?” If you answer that, their why, it is much more likely your message will stick. This means you must address this early in your presentation by talking about them and not yourself.

Most people feel pressure to build up themselves so that others will listen to them. This is a false truth. If you want to influence people, build them up first, and you will find that they will lean in much more into what you are saying.

When recruiting someone to your church plant, volunteer team, or just to help you, begin by asking what is important to them. Discover their why and connect the task, project, or vision you want them to be a part of to their why.

The second way you can inspire people to change through the tool of connecting is to use your buy-in story. Your buy-in story is a real-life personal story that connects people’s hearts to what you want to share with them. You should always have a short (one or two sentences), medium (one to two minutes), and an extended version of your buy-in story. That way, you can mix in the power of starting with why into the time constraints you are given.

Five elements are needed for a compelling buy-in story. It will need to be clear, connecting, concise, convincing, and include a call to action.

1. Clear
Your story needs to be linear and easy to follow. Do not jump all over the place, be repetitive, or chase rabbit trails.

2. Connect
Make sure you connect with people first by focusing on them and addressing what is important to them. You also want to connect your why to the call to action you will give.

3. Concise
Make sure you edit your story only to include the necessary amount of detail (it is possible to overshare in an effort to connect) and to fit within the timeframe that is most important to the situation you are sharing.

4. Convincing
Make sure your story has broad appeal and is not something only people who already believe what you do will find inspiring. This is also why the emotional hook is essential. It touches people’s hearts, which is what you need to reach to inspire lasting change.

5. Call to Action
A great buy-in story will not leave people hanging. It is not afraid to make an ask. If you have done an excellent job, people will want to know what is next. Let them know by giving them clear next steps.

If we try to turn on the light without making sure it is connected, we will end up sitting in the dark. If we start with why, then we will end up inspiring people to action.

Deka has many digital tools to help you connect better with givers as well as new people online through social media and branding help. Click here to schedule a free coaching call with a Deka team member.

Josh is a ministry leader, communicator, and creative who helps train and coach church planters at the Association of Related Churches (ARC). He has been a contributor to many ministry publications, including Relevant Magazine. You can stay connected to Josh through his blog JoshRoberie.com and on Social Media at @JoshRoberie.

Chase Savoie 11/15/21 Chase Savoie 11/15/21

Three Practices that Lead to Financial Peace

By: Josh Roberie

Your church finances do not have to be a source of stress in your life. With some simple practices and a little discipline, you can remove most of the worry related to your church finances.

Too often, we avoid the areas that make us uncomfortable or cause us stress. If you do this with money, the problem only multiplies. Avoiding your ministry's financial health will increase your pressure when you finally have to address a money issue that can no longer be avoided. Follow these guidelines to help you establish best practices for your ministry.

1. Make a budget (and stick to it).

Could you imagine driving a car without a fuel gauge? What if you were about to run out of gas on your way to pick up your kids from an event but had no idea? Can you picture the stress this would cause? Your fuel gauge gives you peace and helps you plan ahead, so you do not end up stuck on the side of the road.

It is the same with a church budget. I am guessing you have a general budget for your ministry. But is it something that gets regular attention? Do you consult it in a way that allows you to plan, and that will cause you to say "no" because the budget gauge is warning you to make an adjustment?

Your budget should be something that guides your spending the same way a fuel gauge determines your driving. It is not something you look at only when it cannot be avoided. You check it every time you drive. If you want your ministry to stay on the road, then make sure you update your budget and regularly use it for making the best decisions for your church.

2. Build Margin into your budget.

Create margin when planning for future budgets. Instead of expecting your giving to increase or stay the same, plan for reduced spending. That way, if your church exceeds or maintains previous giving, you will be set up for success for saving and spending. This extra pad is not about being negative. It is about preserving peace and protecting your ability to lead without pressure. A general rule of thumb is to make budgets 80% of the previous year’s expenses.

Imagine having extra money to put into your reserves because you planned ahead? What would it be like to enter into an economic slowdown that may impact your giving, knowing that you are prepared and all your current ministries can proceed as usual? Building margin is your best way of investing financial peace into the future of your church.

3. Pay your expenses right away.

When you pay your bills right away, you not only relieve the anxiety of having an unpaid debt, you also reduce the opportunity for mistakes in your budgets and make a good witness for the Church. Delaying your bills can cause you unnecessary late fees. It also increases the chance that the expense gets overlooked or misplaced. Paying bills late puts a bad taste in the month of other local businesses, which will hurt your church's reputation. You want people to be happy to do witness with you. You never know how you can influence people through your disciplined financial habits.

Knowing your expenses are covered helps you know what kind of room you have for the rest of the month. Whether it is less room or not, you can be at peace because you know what you are dealing with moving forward without the guesswork and stress of having an unnecessary debt weighing over you and your church.

Deka Can Help

Deka has many tools that will not only help you budget better but will make dealing with your church finances much easier as a whole. Use this link to schedule a free coaching call with one of our team members.

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You cannot be faithful to the Great Commission without being committed to “all nations.”

"

People avoid pressure but respond tovision and transparency with generosity.

5 Steps to Create Buy-in

Deka Can Help

You cannot be faithful to the Great
Commission without being committed to “all nations.”

People avoid pressure but respond to
vision and transparency with generosity.