Here is a summary from my second session at the Internet Ministry Conference called “Tailored Internet Ministry.”

Ministry is exciting. I am excited and passionate about my own calling. And I get excited about other’s success stories as they pursue their own callings.

Yet with all of the excitement, I must be careful that my feelings do not make me think that what works for another ministry will automatically work for my ministry.

Just because someone else’s calling is exciting, does not mean that I should make their calling my calling.

I think we all can agree with that statement.

But unfortunately, this copying mindset often plagues ministries. I see too many churches and too many ministries pursuing the exciting, the successful, the cool, the hyped, the trendy, and any other shiny thing that catches their eye rather than pursuing something that is more aligned with their calling.

Copying is not a cure-all solution. Copying makes people say,

If we could just be like…

If our website was just like…

If our marketing was just like…

UNIQUE CALLINGS

Although there may be ministries similar to yours, keep in mind that there is no ministry that is an exact copy of your ministry. No other ministry has the same calling as your ministry. Your calling is a unique formula of your passions, gifts, values, abilities, timing, place, and people you will reach.

As 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 explains, we each have our own unique mission, our own unique role to play in the Body of Christ.

Imagine if your foot started doing the hand’s job. In the big picture, the master plan would fail because each part of the body has a specific function.

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
1 Peter 4:10

It does not say use someone else’s gift. It says use your gift.

3 REASONS NOT TO COPY

1. Copying limits you from reaching your full potential.
   If you are copying, your methods are not customized to your ministry’s unique context, and consequently, you will fall short of your full potential.
2. Copying can misguide you to someone else’s mission.
   Whether copying a church or a corporation, copying will likely give you the results for their mission. Copying something that you do not understand the reasoning behind is dangerous because you make be achieving the opposite of what you hope to achieve.
3. It may no longer work.
   (1) It may be oversaturated. If everybody is doing it, people have probably become desensitized to it. Oversaturated methods are just clutter and noise.
   (2) It may be obsolete. Because intersecting cultures create innovation which creates communication breakthroughs which creates more cultures and speeds up the evolution of cultures, what used to work may no longer work because it could be obsolete.

COPYING VS. TAILORING

Inspiration is good. But it is what you do with inspiration that matters.

You can copy what inspires you.
You can tailor what inspires you.

Some things can not be tailored. You need to understand the science behind things in order to know if it can be tailored to your ministry.

8 STEPS FOR TAILORING YOUR MINISTRY

1. Write your mission down.
2. Review your mission.
3. Study who God has called you to reach. (science of culture)
4. Determine the best ways to reach them. (science of methods)
5. Do it.
6. Reevaluate.
7. Tweak.
8. Repeat.

For more thoughts about Internet ministry, see the notes from my first session - “All You Need to Know About Internet Ministry Marketing in 72 Questions.”

Here is the outline from my first session at the Internet Ministry Conference. Stay tuned for the sequel to this session - “Tailored Internet Ministry.”

If you want to have great Internet marketing, ask yourself the following questions.

#1 :: How can I have great Internet marketing?

FUNDAMENTALS / BRANDING

#2 :: What is my brand?
#3 :: What is my ministry’s mission?
#4 :: What are my three most important goals?
#5 :: Who am I called to reach?
#6 :: Who are the most important audiences for me to reach?
#7 :: How do I want to be perceived by each audience?
#8 :: What is unique about my ministry?
#9 :: What are my ministry’s core values?
#10 :: If I could communicate a single message about my ministry, what would it be?

FUNDAMENTALS / BRANDING / LOGO

#11 :: Do I have a good logo?

Example: Church Relevance’s Top Church Logos

#12 :: Is my logo good looking?
#13 :: Does my logo look good in color and in black and white?
#14 :: Is my logo distinctive?
#15 :: Is my logo memorable?
#16 :: Is my logo timeless?
#17 :: Is my logo scalable
#18 :: Is my logo simple?
#19 :: Is my logo communicating my brand?

FUNDAMENTALS / MY AUDIENCE

#20 :: Do I understand the cultures I am trying to reach?

INTERNET MARKETING / TYPES OF PLATFORMS

#21 :: What is my platform for Internet ministry?
#22 :: Should I use a website?

Resource: Internet Evangelism Day’s Church Website Checklist

#23 :: Should I use email?
#24 :: Should I use a blog?
#25 :: Should I use podcasting?
#26 :: Should I use a vlog, vodcasting, or video sharing?
#27 :: Should I use livecasting?
#28 :: Should I use chat rooms?
#29 :: Should I use forums?
#30 :: Should I use a wiki?
#31 :: Should I use Second Life? (virtual reality)

Example: LifeChurch.tv’s Second Life Campus

#32 :: Should I use Flickr? (picture-sharing)

Example: Church Marketing Lab

#33 :: Should I use Twitter? (microblogging)
#34 :: Should I use Facebook? (social network)
#35 :: Should I use MySpace? (social network)
#36 :: Should I use Virb? (social network)

Example: Junky Car Club

#37 :: Should I use Ning?
#38 :: Should I develop my own social network?

Example: CreativeMYK.com
Example: ROOV.com

#39 :: Should I have a mixture of Internet platforms?

INTERNET MARKETING / MY PLATFORM’S QUALITY

#40 :: Does my platform reflect my brand?
#41 :: Is my platform good looking?

Example: Church Relevance’s Top Church Websites

#42 :: Does my platform have good coding?
#43 :: Is my platform user friendly?
#44 :: Does my platform have good copywriting?
#45 :: Is my platform optimized for search engines?

INTERNET MARKETING / MARKETING YOUR PLATFORM

#46 :: How can I get people to my platform?
#47 :: Am I remarkable?
#48 :: Should I have a marketing campaign?
#49 :: Should I use advertising?
#50 :: Should I use pay-per-click advertising?
#51 :: Should I use Facebook advertising?
#52 :: Should I use free directories?
#53 :: Should I create strategic partnerships?
#54 :: Should I use email?
#55 :: Should I comment on other people’s blogs?
#56 :: Should I network on social networks?
#57 :: Should I create an e-book?

Example: Tim Schmoyer’s “130 Youth Ministry Tips and Ideas”
Example: Chris Forbes’ “Facebook for Pastors”

#58 :: Should I use press releases?
#59 :: Should I contact bloggers?
#60 :: Should I use offline communications?

INTERNET MARKETING / MEASURING SUCCESS

#61 :: Is it effective?
#62 :: Should I use StatCounter?
#63 :: Should I use Google Analytics?
#64 :: Should I use Compete?
#65 :: Should I use Crazy Egg?
#66 :: Should I use Technorati?
#67 :: Should I use FeedBurner?
#68 :: Should I use Google Alerts?

INTERNET MARKETING / THE BIG PICTURE

#69 :: What would this all look like?
#70 :: Do I need to change anything?
#71 :: Do I need to change anything?
#72 :: Do I need to change anything? (because this is a neverending question)

Last summer, I created a list of my top 20 favorite church logos. Now I have added thirteen more church logos to the list, which makes it the Top 33 Church Logos. They are the best church logos I have found that are:

• aesthetically pleasing
• distinctive
• memorable
• timeless
• scalable
• and easy to work with

Here’s a sneak peek at the new additions:

To see the rest of the logos, check out the full list of the Top 33 Church Logos.

For Discussion:
- What are your favorite church logos and why?

This fall, I will be speaking at two ministry conferences - MinistryCOM and The Internet Ministry Conference. I would love to meet you if you can make it to one or even both.

MinistryCOM :: September 18-19 :: Oklahoma City, OK
MinistryCOM is a church communications conference designed to give those in church communications encouragement, education, resources, and networking opportunities. I will be teaching a session called:

1. Balance
   Without question, marketing can help a church better fulfill its mission. But if a church is not careful, marketing could actually distract it from its mission. This workshop discusses the importance of distinguishing between mission and marketing and how to strike balance between the two.

Other speakers include Mike Foster, Scott Hodge, Dawn Nicole Baldwin, Anne Jackson, and many more.

The Internet Ministry Conference :: October 20-23 :: Grand Rapids, MI
The Internet Ministry Conference caters to anyone with a passion to make an impact for Christ online. I will be teaching two sessions:

1. All You Need to Know About Internet Ministry Marketing
   Get a well-rounded lesson in marketing your ministry on the Internet.
2. Tailored Internet Marketing
   How to create an Internet ministry based on your calling and not what other ministries are doing.

Other speakers include Gabe Lyons, David Russell, Brad Abare, and many more.

Are you going to either conference? If so, post a comment and let me know. I look forward to meeting you in person.

Great custom graphic design is ideal. But sometimes time, money, or skill limitations make it necessary to use premade graphics. And even when you have the time, money, and skills, there are still occasions when it is more efficient to not reinvent the wheel and to instead use and build upon a premade resource.

In either case, here are 15 of the best sites offering free church graphics and resources. And if you want to spend some cash, I have also included 6 sites that cost money but are worth considering for premade resources.

Free Church Graphics and Resources

• CreativeMYK.com
  Offers free church graphics including logos, photos, vector art, projector slides, bulletins, sermon graphics, projector slides, templates, and more. The site also includes a social network for Christian artists.
• LifeChurch.tv Open
  Offers free sermon series resources that include message outlines, sermon graphics, videos, and more creative materials created by LifeChurch.tv (Edmond, OK).
• Muddy River Media
  Offers free illustrative videos, motion backgrounds, countdown timers, stock photographs, illustrations, small group resources, and more.
• NewSpring Ministries
  Offers free sermon series resources (e.g., sermon graphics, audio, message outline, & service outline) as well as administrative forms and manuals created by NewSpring Church (Anderson, SC).
• Northside Christian Church Creative Resources
  Offers free logos, posters, and other artwork designed by Northside Christian Church (New Albany, IN).
• Nside Admin
  Offers free administrative documents from North Point Community Church (Alpharetta, GA) on church government, human resources, accounting, facilities, IT, and Web.
• Seacoast All Access
  Offers free sermon series resources that include sermon graphics, motion graphics, audio, video, message notes, and small group questions created by Seacoast Church (Mt. Pleasant, SC).
• Vine Resources
  Offers free sermon series graphics, postcards, countdown videos, and message bumpers created by the college ministry of Southeast Christian Church (Louisville, KY).

Free General Graphics and Resources

• Adobe Exchange
  Offers free downloads to use with Adobe software including brushes, styles, gradients, custom shapes, and patterns for Photoshop.
• BittBox
  A blog that regularly highlights free Photoshop brushes, Flash components, vector graphics, and more.
• Brusheezy
  Offers free Photoshop brushes.
• Flasheezy
  Offers free Flash elements.
• PS Brushes
  Offers free Photoshop brushes.
• Smashing Magazine
  A blog that regularly highlights free graphics, fonts, and more.
• Vecteezy
  Offers free vector graphics.

Church Resources that Cost Money

• Creative Pastors
  Sells sermon series resources that include sermon graphics, video, mind maps, outlines, audio, and more created by Fellowship Church (Grapevine, TX).
• North Point Resources
  Sells logos, DVDs, sermon messages, conference messages, and more created by North Point Community Church (Alpharetta, GA).
• Outreach
  Sells church graphics that include postcards, banners, bulletins, door hangers, invitations, brochures, logos, signage, and more.
• The Church Box
  Sells sermon series resources that include sermon graphics, PowerPoint slides, and audio created by Four Corners Community Church (West Chester, OH).
• WiredChurches.com
  Sells sermon series resources (e.g., outlines, graphics, videos, audio, & scripts) and administrative resources (e.g., forms, documents, & manuals) created by Granger Community Church (Granger, IN).
• WorshipHouse Media
  Sells mini-movies, motions, stills, software, and editables for churches.

For Discussion:
- What are you favorite websites for church resources and why? Be sure to mention whether they are free or cost money.

The Center for Church Communications (CFCC) has had great success with their Flickr Church Marketing Lab. And now members are hoping to capture the synergy of the online lab and bring it to their communities by creating local labs. There are already seventeen regions across the United States that are creating local church marketing labs, and the list is growing.

One of those regions is my community - Tulsa, Oklahoma. We are already networking on Flickr and Facebook, and we plan to have our first meeting at 6:00 PM on Monday, April 7th at the Panera Bread at 71st and Garnett.

If you are in the Tulsa area and want to talk church communications, I would love to see you at the meeting. We will be meeting on the first Monday of every month. Meeting locations may vary from month to month. For the latest details, visit the Tulsa Church Communications Lab’s Facebook page.

For those of you outside of Tulsa, you can join an existing local church marketing lab or create a new one. Visit CFCC’s website for more information.

Seth Godin is interviewed on the latest episode of the Catalyst Podcast. It features Seth Godin’s big ideas behind Squidoo and his two most recent books, Meatball Sundae and The Dip. The Catalyst team also gets Seth Godin’s thoughts on the church and religion.

To listen to the interview or subscribe to the podcast, visit the Catalyst website. It is well worth it for any Seth Godin fan.

2 Big Lessons from Jesus’ Ministry Marketing

Overall, two big lessons stand out to me from Jesus’ ministry marketing.

1. Product is Priority.
   Great products market themselves. Always be striving to improve your ministry. Above all else, strive to be more Christlike.
2. Maximize Your Distribution
   Jesus was purposeful in reaching new people. I believe it is the church’s responsibility to utilize technology to maximize their reach.

For Discussion:
What do you think the role of marketing is in the church?

>> Read part 1 of the series.
>> Read part 2 of the series.
>> Read part 3 of the series.