Building an Effective Church Communication Team
Table of Contents
1. What is a Church Communication Team?
2. Why Your Church Needs a Communication Team
3. How to Form a Church Communication Team
4. Setting Clear Goals for Your Communication Team
5. Collaborating Across Church Departments
6. Choosing the Right Communication Channels
7. When to Seek Help from External Teams (Aka Outsourcing)
8. Challenges to Expect and How to Overcome Them
When it comes to running a church, communication can make or break how connected your people feels and how well you can reach out to your community. From weekly announcements and event promos to sermon slides and social media posts, having a team dedicated to communication is essential.
A church communication team plays a critical role in ensuring that everyone—from long-time members to first-time visitors—stays informed, engaged, and connected. Whether it’s promoting an upcoming event, sharing key messages, or managing your church’s social media presence, your communication team keeps everything flowing smoothly.
The benefits of having a well-structured team are huge. You’ll have clear, consistent messaging across all platforms, less last-minute stress, and better outreach to your community. When everyone knows what's going on and when, your church is more unified, and your mission reaches further. It’s all about creating a strong connection that serves your congregation and invites new people in.
Let’s be honest: great communication doesn’t just happen. It takes planning, teamwork, and the right systems in place. And when you get it right? You’ll see the difference in how people engage with your church, both online and in person.
1. What is a Church Communication Team?
At its core, a church communication team is the group responsible for making sure your church’s message is shared clearly, creatively, and consistently. They’re the behind-the-scenes heroes who make sure that everyone—from your church to the broader community and potential visitors—stays informed and connected.
A communication team’s role can be wide-ranging, but it usually includes handling things like:
Social media — Posting regularly, engaging with your following, and sharing sermons, event updates, and other Digital Discipleship content.
Church announcements — Making sure important info is communicated, whether through bulletins, slides, or during the service.
Email newsletters — Keeping your people in the loop with weekly or monthly updates.
Event promotions — Creating graphics, videos, and flyers to get people excited and involved.
Whether it’s creating a weekly social post or putting together promotional materials for your biggest outreach event of the year, your communication team helps make sure that your church’s voice is heard loud and clear.
But their work isn’t just external—it’s internal too. Communication within the church is just as important. The team sees that your staff, volunteers, and different ministries are all on the same page, reducing miscommunication and last-minute scrambles. And externally, they help extend your church’s reach, attracting new members and keeping current ones engaged.
In short, the communication team is the glue that holds it all together. Without them, things can easily get missed, messages can become inconsistent, and opportunities to engage your community can slip through the cracks.
2. Why Your Church Needs a Communication Team
Let’s face it—without a dedicated communication team, things can get chaotic fast. Maybe it’s a last-minute scramble to promote an event, or inconsistent messaging across your platforms that leaves people confused. Sound familiar? That’s where a communication team becomes a game-changer for your church.
First and foremost, a communication team ensures clear, consistent messaging. Whether it’s a social media post, a Sunday morning announcement, or an email blast, your church’s message needs to be the same across the board. This consistency builds trust with your congregation and makes sure nothing important falls through the cracks.
Plus, your church’s identity is important, right? Your communication team helps you build and maintain that identity. Everything from the tone of your announcements to the look of your social media posts reflects who you are as a church. A dedicated team ensures your church's brand is clear, authentic, and recognizable, whether someone is visiting your website, seeing a flyer, or engaging on Instagram.
Engaging with your people is a top priority, and a communication team helps you do just that. It keeps your congregation connected by regularly sharing updates, celebrating events, and creating content that keeps people engaged throughout the week—not just on Sundays. And when it comes to your broader community, the team can strategically reach out, helping your church grow by spreading the word in a way that feels natural and welcoming.
No one likes last-minute rushes (except maybe coffee lovers). A solid communication team prevents those last-minute scrambles by planning ahead and making sure key messages are requested and delivered on time. Whether it’s promoting an Easter service, organizing a community event, or updating the church on important changes, they’ve got it covered.
And let’s not forget the big picture: better outreach and community growth. A well-organized communication team allows you to reach people beyond your walls, strategically crafting messages that resonate with your local community and inviting them in—through church marketing like social media ads, invite cards, and more. It’s all about building connections that help your church thrive.
Simply put, having a communication team means you’re always ahead of the game, connecting with people in a meaningful way, and growing your church with intentional messaging.
TL;DR: Why Your Church Needs a Communication Team
Ensures clear, consistent messaging across all platforms.
Helps build and maintain your church’s identity with cohesive branding.
Keeps your church engaged and informed throughout the week.
Prevents last-minute scrambles by planning and delivering key messages on time.
Supports outreach and community growth with strategic communication and/or marketing.
3. How to Form a Church Communication Team
Building a church communication team isn’t as hard as it might seem, especially when you have a clear idea of the roles you need to fill. Let’s break it down step-by-step.
Identify Key Roles
To make sure your communication efforts are running smoothly, it’s important to assign specific roles within your team. Each of these roles serves a unique purpose, and together, they ensure your church is able to engage your congregation effectively and creatively:
Communication Director — The person who oversees everything. This role keeps the team organized, sets goals, and makes sure all messaging aligns with the church’s mission.
Social Media Manager — Someone to manage your church’s social platforms, keep the community engaged, and share posts consistently.
Graphic Designer — This person is responsible for all visual content—everything from sermon slides to event flyers and social media graphics.
Content Creator/Copywriter — If you want engaging newsletters, blog posts, and web content, you need a good writer who can tell your church’s story in a compelling way.
Video Production Specialist — Video is essential for sermon bumpers to event recap videos. Having someone skilled in video production will take your church’s communication to the next level.
But here’s the reality: finding and hiring all these roles can be overwhelming for a lot of churches. That’s where outsourcing comes in. You can partner with services like Church Media Squad to handle all of these roles for you. Need a Social Media Manager or Graphic Designer? We’ve got you covered. Need a Copywriter or Video Specialist? We can take care of that too. We handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on ministry.
For Fielder Church, joining TheSquad has allowed the church’s communications team to focus on what truly matters: connecting with their community and sharing their message.
“It’s like having an extra team member who’s always on top of things. We couldn’t be happier with the decision to bring TheSquad on board.” — Maddie, Communications Director
Recruiting the Right People
If you decide to build your team in-house, finding the right people is key. Look for volunteers or staff members who bring a mix of creative and organizational skills. You want people who can think outside the box but also stay on top of deadlines and keep projects moving forward.
For example, your Social Media Manager should not only be familiar with platforms like Instagram and Facebook but also know how to engage your audience with consistent posts and interactions. Meanwhile, your Content Creator/Copywriter should be a strong writer who understands your church’s tone and can create engaging content for newsletters, blogs, and more.
The sweet spot is finding individuals who are both creative and detail-oriented. They need to be able to brainstorm big ideas and then break those down into actionable steps to help make sure your church’s communication is consistent and clear.
TL;DR: How to Form a Church Communication Team
Identify Key Roles — Communication Director, Social Media Manager, Graphic Designer, Content Creator, and Video Production Specialist.
Consider Outsourcing — If you don’t have enough staff or the budget for full-time hires, outsourcing to Church Media Squad can cover all your communication needs.
Recruit Paid Staff — When possible, hire staff members who have both creative and organizational skills to lead the team.
Find and Champion Volunteers — Look for volunteers who are passionate and capable, and give them the tools and support they need to thrive.
4. Setting Clear Goals for Your Communication Team
Having a communication team is great, but without clear goals, it’s hard to know what success looks like. Setting both short-term and long-term goals helps your team stay focused and ensures they’re making a real impact.
Short-term vs. Long-term Goals
It’s important to strike a balance between immediate needs and future growth.
Short-term goals are the day-to-day tasks your team will be handling. These could include:
Promoting upcoming events.
Sending out weekly newsletters.
Managing social media posts.
These tasks keep things running smoothly and ensure your church stays connected and up-to-date.
On the other hand, long-term goals are where the bigger vision comes into play. You want your communication team to think about:
How can we grow engagement over time?
How do we build a consistent brand presence for our church?
What steps can we take to expand our outreach and invite more people into our community?
By setting both types of goals, your team has something to work toward now, and a bigger picture to keep in mind for the future.
Aligning with Your Church’s Mission
Your communication team’s goals should always reflect the heart of your church’s mission and values. Whether you’re promoting an event or creating a social media strategy, ask yourself: Does this align with our mission? Does it reflect what we stand for as a church?
When your communication aligns with your church’s mission, it resonates more deeply with your church. It’s not just about getting the word out—it’s about reinforcing what your church stands for in every message you send.
Measurable Metrics
To know if your communication efforts are working, you need to track the right metrics. Here are a few examples of measurable goals your team can keep an eye on:
Engagement rates on social media — Are people commenting and sharing our posts?
Attendance at events — Is there an increase in turnout when events are promoted well?
Online growth — How many new followers or subscribers are we gaining over time?
Click-through rates — For emails or social media posts, how many people are clicking on the links we provide (ex: to event registrations or sermon videos)?
Website traffic — How many new or returning visitors are checking out our church’s website, and what pages are they visiting most?
By tracking these metrics, you can gauge what’s working and what might need some adjustments. It’s all about measuring progress and constantly improving.
5. Collaborating Across Church Departments
From Request to Deliverables
One of the biggest challenges in church communication is getting everyone on the same page. You’ve probably experienced the last-minute scramble before an event—trying to get flyers printed, slides made, or social posts ready, all while feeling like you’re juggling a dozen other things. Sound familiar?
Here’s the thing: a communication team can only be as effective as its connection with the rest of the staff. If there’s a disconnect between ministries or departments, things will fall through the cracks, and that’s where chaos comes in.
Let’s Start with a Simple Request System
Picture this: Your worship team needs a graphic for the upcoming sermon series. Your youth ministry is planning an outreach event. Your senior pastor wants a promotional video for next Sunday. All of this is thrown at the communication team at once—what do you do?
You need a clear, simple way for everyone to submit their requests. Think of it like a one-stop-shop for all communication needs. Instead of juggling texts, emails, and sticky notes, funnel everything into one system. That’s why we recommend using a centralized request form. This form gathers all the important details (like deadlines and project specifics) right from the start, saving everyone a ton of back-and-forth.
Next, throw it into a project management tool like ClickUp. (That’s the same software we use at Church Media Squad!) It helps keep track of everything—from graphics to videos to social media posts—and ensures your team can see the status of each request at any time. No more wondering where things are or if that flyer is going to get printed on time. It’s all in one place.
Now, How Does the Workflow Actually Happen?
So, a department sends in a request. What next?
Your communication team reviews the details, assigns the right person to the project, and makes sure they have everything they need to start. Easy enough, right? But here’s the important part—make sure you’ve got all the information upfront. It’s a whole lot easier to ask questions before the project begins than halfway through when everyone’s crunched for time.
As the project moves forward, keep the original department in the loop. Maybe the youth ministry wants to add a speaker’s name to the flyer or tweak the event time. The key is keeping that line of communication open without overwhelming everyone with constant updates.
Getting Everyone on the Same Page (Literally)
Regular check-ins are gold. We’re talking about a weekly (or bi-weekly) meeting where the communication team sits down with department heads. Think of it as a quick huddle:
What’s coming up?
What needs to be prioritized?
Is there anything last-minute that popped up?
These meetings make sure your team isn’t caught off guard and can plan accordingly.
Another pro tip: designate a point person in each department. This way, you avoid confusion and conflicting feedback. If the youth ministry needs something, it always comes from their designated point person. It’s all about simplifying the process for everyone involved.
What About Deadlines?
Let’s be real: not every request can be turned around in 24 hours. That’s why it’s crucial to set clear expectations from the start. If the worship team needs a series of social posts or your senior pastor wants a sermon video produced, agree on a deadline that works for both sides.
A good rule of thumb is to create a list of expected turnaround times for different types of projects—flyers in a week, social graphics in a couple of days, videos maybe in 5 days, depending on complexity. This keeps everyone aligned and avoids those frantic “is it ready yet?” emails.
When It’s All Said and Done
Once the deliverable is finished (hallelujah!), make sure it gets approved by the department before it’s distributed. This final review is where those tiny tweaks happen—dates, spelling, or logos—and you can avoid embarrassing mistakes like promoting an event for "Thrusday."
And don’t skip feedback. After the event or project, have a quick follow-up with the department to see how the communication team can improve next time. Continuous improvement is the name of the game here.
By setting up an easy request system, defining clear workflows, and keeping everyone in the loop, you’ll save a lot of time and stress. Your church communication team will run like a well-oiled machine, and most importantly, you’ll have more time to focus on what truly matters—engaging with your church community!
TL;DR: Steps for Streamlining Church Communication Requests
Create a Centralized Request System — Use a simple form and a project management tool (like ClickUp) so all requests go through one place and nothing gets missed.
Assign the Right Person — Review each request, gather any missing details, and assign the task to the right team member.
Keep Departments in the Loop — Regularly update the department on progress, and make sure they have a clear point person for all communication.
Set Clear Deadlines — Agree on deadlines up front, and set standard turnaround times for different types of deliverables.
Final Approval — Get the department's final sign-off on the deliverable to ensure everything is accurate before going live.
Follow-Up and Improve — After the project wraps up, gather feedback to make the process even smoother next time. </aside>
7. Choosing the Right Communication Channels
When it comes to church communication, using the right channels can make all the difference in how well your message is received. Each platform serves a unique purpose, and knowing how to use them effectively can help you engage both your congregation and the wider community.
Social Media
Social media is a powerful tool for churches, but each platform has its strengths. Here’s how you can tailor content to fit the platform:
→ Instagram This is your go-to for visual and short-form content. Post sermon clips as Reels to capture attention and provide bite-sized spiritual moments. You can also create Digital Discipleship Posts that dive into Bible teachings or offer daily encouragement. And don’t underestimate the power of Instagram Stories—they’re perfect for sharing quick, unpolished behind-the-scenes videos of staff, volunteers, events, or Sunday mornings. It’s a great way to give a more personal, authentic glimpse into your church.
→ Facebook Facebook thrives on community and conversation. Here, you can share short and medium-length copy posts, along with photo albums from events that help people relive the moment. It’s also great for event pages, where people can RSVP and share with friends—helping you boost turnout and engagement. Use Facebook to foster conversations and create a sense of community.
→ YouTube As the hub for video content, YouTube is where you can host both long-form sermons and shorter sermon snippets. The longer videos serve those looking to engage deeply, while YouTube Shorts or 5-10 minute clips can highlight impactful moments for viewers on the go. This balance keeps your channel versatile and accessible to different audiences.
Evangel Christian saw a visible increase in visitors aftering joining TheSquad’s Social Media Squad and receiving personalized coaching and social media management for their church. Hear what they had to say:
"TheSquad has taken the burden off our very small leadership team. They helped us create content to connect with people through social media and really frame our approach. We’ve actually seen people come to our church based on the traffic generated…" — Genna, Pastor
Email Newsletters
Email is still one of the best ways to keep your congregation informed. But to avoid overwhelming your readers, follow these best practices:
Segment Your Lists — Not everyone needs to know everything. By segmenting your email lists (e.g., parents, volunteers, newcomers), you can make sure each group gets the info that’s most relevant to them.
Find the Best Time to Send — Timing is everything. Track when your congregation is most likely to open emails, whether that’s early morning, midday, or evening, and send your newsletters accordingly.
Keep It Concise — Avoid lengthy emails that can lose your readers' attention. Stick to key information and use bullet points or bold headings to make the content easy to skim. Include clear calls-to-action so recipients know exactly what steps to take next.
Make your emails visually appealing, easy to skim, and always include a clear call-to-action (like signing up for an event or joining a small group).
Church Website
Your website is the first place many people will go to learn about your church. Make sure it’s user-friendly and regularly updated. It’s tempting to overload your site with content, but resist the urge. Instead, use your website as a hub that leads people to other channels like your newsletter, small group sign-up forms, or social media. Keep it clean and simple, with clear navigation that helps visitors find exactly what they need without frustration.
Woodland Park Baptist Church’s 100+ year legacy was honored, and its current identity was strengthened through a rebrand and new website launch with Church Media Squad.
“TheSquad’s dedication to understanding our mission and vision was profound. We received a new website that not only exceeded our expectations but also beautifully reflected our identity. They absolutely knocked it out of the park and showcased the true spirit and values of your community!” — Stephen Hinkle, Pastor
Printed Materials
While many churches have moved away from weekly bulletins, seasonal bulletins can still have a big impact. A well-designed seasonal bulletin highlights major events, services, and ministries without the pressure of constant weekly updates. In addition to that, event flyers and invite cards can complement your digital efforts by giving people a physical reminder to attend an event or share with friends.
Printed materials work best when they’re used in conjunction with your digital strategy. An invite card can point people to your website or social media for more details, while an event flyer can help drive attendance when promoted online. It’s all about creating touchpoints across multiple channels.
Questions to Ask When Deciding on Communication Platforms
Before jumping onto a new platform, it’s important to evaluate whether it makes sense for your church. Here are a few questions to help guide your team’s decision:
Why do we want to add this channel/platform?
What specific goal are you hoping to achieve with this platform? Is it to reach a new audience, engage your existing people, or boost event attendance? Make sure you’re clear on the purpose before committing.
What will we post on this medium?
Each platform has its own strengths, so consider the type of content you’d share. Make sure you have a clear content plan in mind.
Do we have the ability to sustainably share to this platform/channel?
Maintaining consistency is key. Do you have enough content, volunteers, or staff to keep this platform updated regularly? If you don’t have the time or resources to manage it well, it may be better to focus on fewer channels and do them really well.
Is our audience actually on this platform?
There’s no point in investing time in a platform if your target audience isn’t there. Make sure you understand where your people or potential visitors spend their time online.
How does this platform fit into our overall communication strategy?
Think about how this platform complements your other communication efforts. Will it support your website, email newsletters, or social media? How will it help you create a more cohesive message?
What does success look like on this platform?
Define what success means for each platform. Is it more followers, higher engagement, or increased event sign-ups? Having a clear measure of success will help you evaluate if a platform is worth your time.
Asking these questions will help ensure you’re intentional with your communication channels and not just jumping on the latest trend. Focus on platforms that align with your church’s mission and communication goals.
8. When to Seek Help from External Teams (Aka Outsourcing)
Building and maintaining an effective communication team can be a challenge, especially for smaller churches or those with limited staff. That’s where outsourcing comes in. Knowing when to bring in outside help can free up time, reduce stress, and improve the quality of your church’s communication efforts.
When Should You Consider Outsourcing?
Outsourcing doesn’t have to be a last resort—it can actually be a strategic decision to help your church thrive. But how do you know when it’s the right time? Here are a few questions to ask:
Are we stretched too thin?
If your team is juggling multiple roles, from managing social media to creating event flyers, they might be overwhelmed. If your volunteers or staff feel burned out, it’s time to think about outsourcing.Are we consistently missing deadlines?
Struggling to get projects done on time is a red flag. Outsourcing ensures that deliverables are produced on schedule without sacrificing quality.Do we have the necessary skills in-house?
Graphic design, video production, and content writing are specialized skills. If no one on your team has experience in these areas, outsourcing can fill those gaps with professionals who can deliver high-quality work.Is our messaging consistent and professional?
If your content looks piecemeal or lacks consistency, it might be time to seek outside help. A professional service can ensure all of your church’s communication is aligned with your brand and values.
How Outsourcing Can Support Your Team
For churches with smaller teams or limited budgets, outsourcing can be a lifesaver. Instead of hiring full-time staff members for every communication role, you can bring in external help for specific tasks or ongoing support. Here’s how outsourcing can supplement your team:
Fill skill gaps — If you don’t have a dedicated graphic designer, video producer, church website developer, or social media manager, outsourcing allows you to tap into professional expertise without the need to hire and train someone in-house.
Save time — Outsourcing repetitive tasks like creating sermon graphics or editing video clips frees up your staff to focus on what they do best—engaging with your people and leading ministries.
Flexibility — You can scale your outsourced services up or down depending on your church’s needs, giving you more control over your budget and workload.
Benefits of Partnering with Professional Services Like Church Media Squad
At Church Media Squad, we understand the unique needs of churches because we’ve worked in them ourselves. 100% of our Squad have previously worked at churches around the world. Partnering with a professional service like ours offers many benefits.
Unlimited graphic and video design — Whether you need sermon slides, social media posts, event flyers, or a professionally produced video, our Squad can handle it all. You get access to high-quality designs without having to worry about hiring full-time staff.
Cost-effective — Hiring a full communication team in-house can be expensive, but with outsourcing, you get all the expertise you need at a fraction of the cost. Our Social Media Squad comes with a personal coach, copywriter, and designer—That’s three positions in one!
Fast turnaround times — We pride ourselves on delivering projects quickly, so you’re never scrambling at the last minute. Our system ensures you meet deadlines without sacrificing quality.
9. Challenges to Expect and How to Overcome Them
No matter how well you plan, challenges are bound to pop up when managing a church communication team. Whether it’s inconsistent messaging, lack of engagement, or staff burnout, it’s important to know how to tackle these obstacles head-on and keep your team running smoothly.
Common Obstacles
→ Inconsistent Messaging:
One of the biggest challenges churches face is ensuring that messaging and branding across different platforms (social media, website, etc.) stays consistent. If one platform is promoting an event with one tone or set of details and another is saying something different, it confuses your people and weakens your church’s brand identity.
How to Overcome It: Develop a central communication calendar and make sure all messaging flows from the same strategy. Assign one person to oversee the tone and accuracy across all platforms to avoid mixed messages.
→ Lack of Engagement:
Even with a strong communication plan in place, you might find that your posts, newsletters, or videos just aren’t getting the engagement you hoped for. It can be frustrating to put in the work and not see results.
How to Overcome It: Test and adjust. Track which types of content (videos, graphics, stories) get the most traction and experiment with different posting times, formats, and styles. Engage your audience directly—ask questions, encourage comments, and create impactful, shareable content that can resonate with your people.
→ Burnout:
If your communication team is small or if staff members are juggling multiple roles, burnout is a real risk. Over time, the constant demand for content, event promotion, and messaging can wear people down.
How to Overcome It: First, prioritize. Not every event or message needs a huge production—sometimes a simple, straightforward approach is all that’s needed. Also, consider outsourcing time-consuming or repetitive tasks. This can give your team more breathing room and allow them to focus on strategic planning instead of just production.
How to Maintain a Clear Workflow
→ Use a Project Management Tool — A solid workflow can prevent things from falling apart when projects pile up. Use tools like ClickUp (a paid platform) or Trello (which offers a free tier) to keep your team organized. This way, everyone knows what’s expected of them and when each task is due. It helps avoid the “who’s working on what?” confusion and ensures deadlines are met.
→ Set Realistic Deadlines — Nothing adds more stress than impossible deadlines. When scheduling projects, be realistic about what your team can handle. Break larger projects into smaller tasks and space out deadlines to avoid last-minute chaos.
→ Encourage Open Communication — Create an environment where team members feel comfortable speaking up when they’re overwhelmed. Regular check-ins can help you spot when someone’s workload is becoming too much, and you can redistribute tasks or call in extra help before burnout sets in.
By addressing these common challenges proactively and setting up a clear, sustainable workflow, your communication team will be better equipped to handle the demands of church communications while staying engaged and energized.
Every church, no matter its size, can benefit from a well-structured communication team.
When you prioritize communication, you’re investing in more than just announcements and social posts—you’re building stronger connections within your congregation and expanding your reach into the community. A dedicated team ensures your messaging is clear, consistent, and aligned with your church’s mission, while also lightening the load on staff and volunteers.
If your church doesn’t yet have a communication team, now is the time to evaluate your current efforts. Are your messages reaching people effectively? Are you scrambling to meet deadlines or struggling to keep your social media updated? Whether you need to build a team from the ground up or improve your existing process, taking action today can help your church communicate more clearly and engage more deeply with your community.
Ready to take the next step? Start by assessing your current communication efforts, identifying gaps, and considering how you can bring in the right people or resources—whether that’s building an in-house team or partnering with services like Church Media Squad to get the support you need.