Even though your job as a church communicator is a functional one, you are indeed a minister. Yes, you’re responsible for producing products and orchestrating plans, but directly or indirectly, your primary goal is to minister to people so they’ll love Jesus more.

Your unique job often finds you ministering to the people who minister to others – pastors, team leaders, elders. You support and encourage them, not just by providing communication tools but also by doing so with a servant’s heart.

Now, that doesn’t mean you give in to every request or compromise your home life because you’re overworked. But it does mean that you have to invest time and build trust before you can expect people to respect your recommendations or adhere to policies you put in place.

With a Christ-like attitude and proactive approach to developing relationships, you can change people’s perceptions from seeing you as a doer and gatekeeper to that of a trusted minister whose input they value and who they turn to when they want to make things happen.

Here are some tips for helping people see you as a ministry partner:

The Lead Pastor

He says, “We’ve launched a major initiative. Let’s have The Communicator create a logo.” You want him to say, “We’re launching a major initiative. Let’s bring The Communicator into the conversation, so he/she can develop a plan to communicate it.”

Here’s how:

• Suggest, “I think we can get the congregation excited about this with more than a logo. Can I put together a communication plan that creatively rallies people around the initiative?” Then deliver.
• After the fact, meet with the pastor to list recommendations for communicating messages like this in the future. Present it positively, “Here are ideas I’d like us to consider while this experience is fresh.” Not, “Here’s what we should have done.”
• Request a regularly scheduled meeting with church leadership so you will know where the church is heading. Listen carefully. Then respectfully make recommendations.

The Ministry Leader

She says, “Ever since The Communicator came here, there are all these rules that keep our ministry from doing what it needs to do.” You want her to say, “The communications team is our ministry partner. They helped us promote our event with much greater impact than last year.”

Here’s how:

• Meet with ministries to plan their projects. Use forms and planning tools to organize information but keep your focus on establishing relationships and educating them that every ministry benefits when multiple messages are delivered in an organized manner. Map out a communication plan that utilizes resources from their team and yours. Then deliver.
• In these initial stages, you’ll have to be proactive and invest more time in these meetings. But once you’ve established rapport and garnered respect, the ministry will seek out your expertise. And you can delegate these “discovery” meetings to appropriately gifted members of your team.
• Showcase successes. Ask ministries that have benefited from such partnerships to encourage other leaders to seek out your support.

The Co-Worker

He says, “That pastor really ticked me off. I’m going to The Communicator’s office to vent because he/she will agree.” You want him to say, “I’ve watched The Communicator develop a good relationship with our pastors. I want to do the same.”

Here’s how:

• NEVER complain to a co-worker about a church leader. When something frustrates you, either go directly to the person for reconciliation or realize it’s your own control-freaked-ness and get over it.
• When a co-worker complains to you, recommend they do the same.
• Look for ways to celebrate church leaders, their calling and their passion, instead of complaining that they don’t do things the way you would. If they did, you wouldn’t have a job.