Churches across America are facing a growth crisis. Recent studies reveal that 8 out of 10 churches are either plateaued or declining.
After consulting with hundreds of churches over the past seven years, I’ve discovered that many Jesus-loving churches unknowingly sabotage their growth through simple communication mistakes that can be fixed in weeks.
While multiple factors influence church growth, communication issues consistently appear across struggling churches.
Conversely, growing churches excel in their communication strategies.
Let’s examine the five most common communication mistakes and their solutions.
Mistake #1: Speaking to Everyone
How often do you go to one of those huge Chinese buffets? You know, the kind where there are 100+ options to choose from, including, oddly, other cuisines and even soft-serve ice cream?
There’s a lot of food, but it’s all kind of mediocre. These restaurants try to please everyone but end up impressing no one.
Sound familiar? Many churches fall into this same trap with their communications.
Is your church a Chinese buffet when it comes to communicating? The churches that try to reach everyone end up reaching no one.
Growing churches recognize the importance of clarity and relevance in communication.
Here are a few practical ways to improve:
* Define Your Target Audience: Understand your audience’s demographics, interests, struggles, and aspirations to fuel effective communication.
* Call Out Your Audience: Before diving into details, grab your audience’s attention. For example: “Hey parents! Coming up next Sunday is….”
* Limit Announcements: Keep announcements to no more than three items, ensuring they apply to at least half of the congregation.
By being intentional with your message, you transform passive listeners into engaged participants.
Mistake #2: Using Insider Language
Your church communications reach both newcomers and regular attendees. However, even longtime members may be unfamiliar with church jargon.
Consider this scenario. After more than a decade of membership at my church, I received an invitation to an important meeting in “The Parlor.” Unfamiliar, I asked for directions. The response? “It’s down the hall from the Music Academy.” Unfortunately, that location was just as foreign.
When deeply involved in ministry, we can lose objectivity, creating barriers for others. Identify and eliminate insider language that confuses newcomers and regulars alike.
When in doubt, be as practical as possible (for example, third floor, second door on the right).
What insider language is lurking in your church? Is it the names of your spaces? Your small groups? Are there acronyms or references to past terminology?
Remember that confused people rarely become connected people. Clear communication removes barriers and helps everyone feel welcome.
Take time this week to identify where confusion exists in your language and develop an action plan to do something about it.
Mistake #3: Unclear Purpose
Growing churches thrive because their entire congregation understands and embraces their missional purpose.
Whether it’s a mission or vision statement, you should have oft-repeated language that is memorable and easy to grasp.
Unfortunately, many churches have purpose statements that are:
- Too long to remember
- Too vague to inspire
- Too complex to share
Your purpose should be a central piece of your church communications, incorporated from the pulpit to the pews in consistent and creative ways.
It needs to succinctly answer the question “Why does our church exist and how do we help?” in a way that motivates action and creates momentum.
People want to know what to expect. When deciding whether to join your spiritual family, they want to understand where they’re going.
By communicating a clear and memorable vision, you build a distinct culture and set proper expectations.
Signs your vision needs clarity:
- Members struggle to articulate it
- Ministry initiatives lack alignment
- Growth remains stagnant
- New visitors express confusion about church direction
Your purpose statement serves as your church’s compass. When it’s buried, unclear, or forgotten, your congregation loses its way.
Keep it visible, make it memorable, and sew it into the fabric of your church’s culture every week.
Mistake #4: Neglecting Story
Every Sunday, life-changing moments unfold within your church, but many struggle to share these stories effectively. While attendance numbers matter, stories resonate more deeply.
Consider the difference between stating your church baptized 50 people last year and sharing John’s story—a former atheist who found faith through a coworker’s invitation to church.
To create a story-rich culture:
- Train your team to recognize story opportunities
- Develop systems for collecting testimonies
- Share stories across various platforms in different formats
Stories of transformation are powerful. When shared consistently, they create a picture of hope and inspire others to engage with your ministry.
Mistake #5: Treating Communication as an Afterthought
“We’ll post it on Facebook” isn’t a communication strategy. Relying solely on social media for announcements is inadequate.
For many churches, messages are thrown together last minute and without a plan. In the age of algorithms, just because you post it doesn’t mean it gets seen.
Think of communication as a bridge connecting people to life-changing opportunities. That bridge needs to be built thoughtfully and with a firm footing so that people don’t fall through the cracks.
Whether you’re new to church communication or a seasoned vet, these three questions can help guide you to a more effective message:
- Who is my audience? (Be specific)
- Why should they care? (Make it relevant)
- How can they take action? (Provide one clear next step)
Treat communication as a core ministry that deserves an intentional investment of time and resources. Every aspect of your church relies on effective communication—act like it.
Change Starts With You
These five communication mistakes—speaking to everyone, using insider language, unclear purpose, neglecting story, and treating communication as an afterthought—hinder church growth.
Yet they offer immense opportunities for positive change.
The future of your church’s impact may well depend on how effectively you communicate its message. While the challenges are real, the potential for transformation through improved communication is even greater.
After all, we serve a God who specializes in helping His people speak truth in ways that change lives.
Tyler Harden is a church growth consultant and co-founder of Firm Foundations Marketing, a church growth consulting agency that helps plateaued and declining churches grow by using community research to reach the right people with the right message, www.firmfoundationsmarketing.com.
