America’s Christian Credit Union stands with you during this challenging time and wants to support your ministry in every way that we can. This starts with a time of daily prayer as we ask God to grant you wisdom, strength, peace and the daily provision that is promised in His Word. We want to provide information and ideas to help your ministry walk alongside the local community you serve. As we talk to churches and ministries across the nation, we want to pass along some of the best operational practices and ideas that are being implemented during this time with the coronavirus.
1. Communicate: Regular communication with your congregation is more important than ever. With efforts to remain connected to the church body, we are finding that frequent but short messages are more engaging and have higher viewership. Since we all will be spending more time at home, you may want to suggest book recommendations or bible studies – think of offering a daily word of encouragement or short devotional that your members can follow online. Lastly, even though campus activities might be on hold, consider expanding your social network capabilities and communicating with your community through various online platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc. These channels can be very effective in allowing you to communicate and connect with your followers through pictures, videos and messages.
2. Gather together (online): Virtual meetings can be very effective and provide a personal touch that emails or phone calls can’t. Whether you use Zoom, GoToMeeting or another provider, we encourage you to create small groups within your congregation to meet and share online, outside of your Sunday message. Creating ways for members to meet, share needs, and pray together can go a long way in helping people to feel connected. Even though we may not be able to be together in the sanctuary, providing space for members to gather online will help your church stay engaged and connected.
3. Story-Telling: Talk about the ministry the church is doing during these challenging days. You might be caring for seniors or reaching out to the community in new ways. Your church body wants to know of these things and hearing about the ministry being carried out by your team can be a great source of encouragement to them. Remain active on social media and allow your community to engage in story-telling and fellowship to continue to be bold in this difficult time.
4. Spending: Most ministries have seen a reduction in giving. We would encourage you to look at the organization’s fixed verses discretionary expenses* and have an understanding of what spending can be reduced. Often times, there are expenses related to employee benefits or facilities that can be eliminated or put on hold. Having a good understanding of these opportunities might help reduce potential staff reductions. Lastly, most churches will see a reduction in payroll, utilities and other facility costs as the church building and offices are not being used due to meeting restrictions. As you manage the demands of continued ministry, please use ACCU as a resource in evaluating or creating a budget, discussing financial assistance or talking about ways to implement an online giving platform.
5. Resources: Churches across the nation are utilizing new technology and platforms to reach members in their homes. Your church might be “streaming” for the very first time, simply due to necessity. You might be trying to figure out how to establish online meeting space for youth groups, small groups and provide resources to your church family. There are a lot of resources already built and available that you should take advantage of. Utilizing existing tools will allow you to respond to members faster and avoid “recreating the wheel”. For example, a large church in our local area has established a 24-hour prayer portal that is available to all churches and individuals.
6. Giving: As you engage members through effective online communication, provide opportunities for fellowship, and tell the story of your ministry, members want to continue providing financial support. It’s important to provide ways for members to give online or through text as a way to support the ongoing ministry of your organization. If you have not implemented an online giving platform or text to give program, now may be the time. We have resources to help you get started with this process and would encourage you to visit our website here or call us at (800) 343-6328.