Creative Bites

This is it friends! The end of an era. Thank you so much for joining me along the way. If you'd like to join me as I continue to podcast about Leading Healthy Creative Teams, I'd LOVE to have you.

http://lunchtimeheroes.co/podcast

All previous podcast content will be removed at the end of September, so if there are episodes you want to keep, download them before them. I also have an archive, so feel free to contact me through the Lunchtime Heroes website.

Creative solutions are often most powerful because of the tension they create. But rarely does a speaker want to leave their audience in a prolonged state of tension. So how can we resolve this?

Matt and Aaron discuss the different things you get when you hire a Graphic Designer or a Communications Director for your ministry. Which should you hire first? Well, it depends.

What do you think? Which hire fits best for your ministry?

Is graphic design really a preference driven industry? Is there such a thing as objectively "good" graphic design? In this episode of the Creative Bites podcast, I talk through that topic. I also provide tips for both pastors and designer to have meaningful conversations about the work that is being produced. 

I wanted to update you on the new schedule for the Creative Bites Podcast. I'm moving it to every other week instead of weekly.

I also wanted to share two new resources I've created for anyone spending time doing graphic design as part of their job.

The first is a free bundle called: 3 Design Secrets that Will Save Ministry Leaders Hours of Time. In order to get done the workload assigned to me early in my career, I had to develop some strategies to make myself dramatically more efficient. It worked, and I'm sharing them with you to help you save time.

The second is an online class that goes even deeper: Help! I'm Doing Graphic Design for my Church! This course will teach you the foundational principles of graphic design so you can make faster design decisions. This will help you spend less time doing graphic design so you can spend more time investing in your ministry.

For listeners of the podcast, I'm offering a 25% off coupon - CREATIVEBITES. The coupon is good through April 21.

As the potential of online ministry becomes more and more clear, should social media move outside of the Communications team and under pastoral leadership instead? Matt and Aaron discuss the pros and cons of each approach.

The promise innovation never seems to stop. Worse, if you aren't running on the treadmill of what's next, you are declared (by some) to be missing the opportunity of a lifetime. But God is working at His pace and in His way. So how can we balance taking advantage of opportunity while also avoiding becoming overwhelmed?

This is the last episode of the Communicate on Purpose Podcast. What a ride it has been!

But the podcasting is going to continue. Here is a bit of the backstory - I've started  my own business named Lunchtime Heroes. My goal with it is to help the church communicate clearly effectively, and with integrity.

There are two belief that have really stood out to me in my time in ministry.

• Pastors need to spend their time pastoring people, not managing details.
• Pastors and comm people need to be in the same conversation.

The focus of Communicate on Purpose was to help church staff bring their industry to the church. That will still be happening, just a bit more focused on the creative side.

The focus of what's coming will be on helping ministry leaders have more time to fulfill their calling.

A bit about the new format:
I'll unpack an issue or topic, then talk to both sides about it. A message to those serving in comm, and a message to those serving in pastoral leadership. 

• Hearing different sides of the conversation is important.

I'll also be introducing a new format for some episodes that are Church Communication Hot Takes. A friend and I will navigate some of the common challenges in the church comm space an work through the perspectives. The goal with these episodes is that you are able to listen and decide where you stand.

One of the most effective ways to implement change in your organization is by building the next solution before you remove the previous one. People rely on the tools you create and the way you communicate. If you transition between tools too suddenly, you stoke fear.

But beyond that transition, fear expresses itself in many ways. The communications role has a unique seat to see much of it, and to help others have more peace than they would have otherwise.

In the church and non profit space, we are told to be on board with the mission or get off the bus. This is a dangerous message. It adds stress to our lives, and it ultimately leads to division - more division than we realize.

In order for you to be effective in your role, you need to keep balance between all the different responsibilities in your life.