Storytelling in a Digital Era to Grow Your Church
Our world is changing, no doubt. The ways we need to communicate today with our church members and donors are changing, too. However, one thing that has not changed since the beginning of time is the power of a great story. The Bible, a collection of stories that changed hearts and lives, is at the core of your mission as pastors. And now, in our age of digital disruption, we are seeing how pastors can be more effective through better storytelling.
Keeping the message simple, truthful but using digital storytelling techniques to convey it. Through digital devices, we are finding ways to better connect, grow, and guide our church members. Here are seven tips you can share with your team and church managers, to enhance storytelling skills.
Have a multimedia mindset from the start
Say you have planned a great church service. When taking notes, jot down ideas for your media channels. How will you tell this story on Facebook or Twitter? Do you have an Instagram account to share your message and story with a single attractive picture? Can you video yourself telling a short story, then edit this for your YouTube Channel?
Make sure your audience can relate
When telling a story, use characters your audience can identify with. For example, are you speaking to your teenage church members? During your virtual meetings, tell a story that youths will find engaging. Let the characters speak with the jargon of their generation.
Co-create with your audience
Maybe you are telling the story of your church’s financial needs for particular projects. Get your readers involved. Ask them what they would like to see improved within the church. Turn them into content creators by asking for testimonials, quotes, and feedback to be used in your newsletters.
Harness the power of social sharing
When crafting your story, always make it available to share. You want to put your story out on several media channels and platforms so that as many as possible benefit from it, and you reach a greater number of potential donors. Teach your team about better social networking or hire a social media manager to create a content calendar for regular story sharing.
Invest in quality equipment and digital platforms
Do you plan to shoot more videos for your church storytelling? Start a podcast? Create a Bible app or church giving app? All these things are possible nowadays. But the most successful churches know they should invest in the quality of sound and visuals. Look for digital partners who are aware of a church’s need and understand your message. You may even have digital engineers within your own congregation who can help you to do this.
Lead—and end—with the heart of your message
Remember that your goal with the story is to get people to think about your message, even after they’ve switched off their digital devices. Make sure that when you wrap up your story, you bring it back to your primary mission. This could even incorporate your call-to-action for support of the church or regular donors.
Seek feedback
If you are just getting started on digital storytelling channels, it may be a struggle at first. You can improve your storytelling techniques by constantly seeking feedback, asking your members with surveys and questionnaires how you can do better in the future. Stay open to growth and ready for positive change!
Being a better storyteller will lead to conveying the church missions better, more efficient fundraising, more followers on social media, and more engagement—all of which lead to more giving!
Remember: the best stories don’t just instruct or amuse. Great stories inspire. They connect with your audience and move them to make a change. Tell your story, not just with eloquent words or a beautiful voice; tell it from your heart. That is what your audience will remember in the end.
For more tips on transforming your church giving strategy with better digital tools, contact us at DonorWerx today. You can get on a Discovery Call to know where you are in the journey and tools for getting to your destination!
