You send weekly emails. You post on social media. You make announcements from the pulpit. Yet somehow, people still show up to church asking “Wait, when is that event?” or “I didn’t know we needed to sign up.”
If you feel like your church communications disappear into a void, you’re not alone. Most small churches struggle with the same problem: they’re communicating, but people aren’t engaging.
The issue isn’t that you’re not trying hard enough. The problem is that most church communication follows patterns that guarantee it will be ignored. When you understand what actually captures attention and drives action, your effectiveness transforms overnight.
This guide reveals the seven most common church communication mistakes and provides specific solutions you can implement immediately to get your congregation reading, remembering, and responding.
Mistake 1: Burying the Action You Want People to Take
You’ve probably seen (or written) announcements like this:
“We’re so excited about our upcoming community outreach event! For the past three months, our missions team has been planning something special. We’ll be serving at the local food bank, and it’s going to be a great opportunity for our church family to live out the Great Commission together as we demonstrate Christ’s love to our neighbors in need. We really hope you’ll consider joining us for this meaningful day of service. It’s on Saturday, November 23rd at 9am. If you’re interested, you can sign up at the welcome desk or email Sarah at missions@church.com by November 15th.”
What’s wrong with this? The actual action—sign up by November 15th—is buried at the end after 80+ words of context. Most people stopped reading before they got there.
The Fix: Lead with Action
People skim. They’re busy. They’re reading your email while standing in line at the grocery store. Respect that reality by putting the most important information first.
Here’s the same announcement, restructured:
“Sign up by November 15th for our Community Service Day. Join us Saturday, November 23rd at 9am at the local food bank. We’ll spend the morning serving our neighbors and living out the Great Commission together. Register at the welcome desk or email Sarah at missions@church.com.”
Notice the difference? The action comes first, bolded and clear. The details follow in order of importance. The inspirational language is still there, but it doesn’t block access to practical information.
Implementation tip: Before sending any communication, ask yourself: “What’s the one thing I want people to do?” Put that in the first sentence. Everything else is supporting detail.
Mistake 2: Using Insider Language and Assumptions
Churches develop their own vocabulary. You might announce “small group signups” without explaining what small groups are, or mention “the fellowship hall” assuming everyone knows where that is. You reference “our missions partnership in Guatemala” without context for newcomers.
This creates two problems. First, newcomers feel excluded and confused. Second, even longtime members might not engage because they’re not sure they understand correctly.
The Fix: Write for Your Newest Member
Assume zero prior knowledge. Define terms. Provide context. Include basic information every time.
Instead of: “Small groups start next week!”
Write: “Small groups (8-12 people meeting weekly in homes for Bible study and fellowship) start next week! New members and longtime attendees are all welcome.”
Instead of: “Meet in the fellowship hall”
Write: “Meet in the fellowship hall (the large room behind the sanctuary, enter through the north doors)”
Implementation tip: Read your announcements as if you’ve never visited your church before. Would you understand everything? If not, add context.
Mistake 3: Writing Everything the Same Way
When every communication uses the same format, tone, and structure, people develop “announcement blindness.” Their brains learn to tune you out because everything looks and sounds identical.
Look at your last ten church emails. Do they all start with “Hope you had a great week!” or “Excited to share what’s happening at [Church Name]”? Do they all use the same three-paragraph structure? That predictability is killing your engagement.
The Fix: Vary Your Approach
Use different formats for different types of communication:
For urgent announcements: Short, direct, single-topic emails with subject lines like “ACTION NEEDED: Sign up by Friday”
For weekly updates: Scannable format with clear headers, short paragraphs, and bullet points
For storytelling: Longer narrative format with personal examples and emotional connection
For event invitations: Visual-first design with compelling images and minimal text
Mix up your opening lines. Sometimes start with a question. Other times begin with a story. Occasionally lead with a surprising statistic or quote.
Implementation tip: Create three different email templates for different purposes (urgent action, weekly digest, story-driven). Rotate between them based on your content.
Mistake 4: Giving Too Many Options Without Clear Priority
Your weekly email lists fifteen different opportunities: Sunday service, Wednesday prayer meeting, men’s breakfast, women’s Bible study, youth group, children’s ministry, missions committee, choir practice, building maintenance team, greeters needed, small group signups, upcoming sermon series, prayer requests, giving update, and next month’s special event.
When everything is presented as equally important, nothing stands out. People feel overwhelmed and end up doing nothing.
The Fix: Establish Clear Hierarchy
In any communication, pick the top three priorities and make them visually and structurally prominent. Everything else is secondary information.
Structure your weekly email like this:
TOP 3 THIS WEEK:
1. [Most important thing - event, decision, opportunity]
2. [Second priority]
3. [Third priority]
ALSO HAPPENING:
- [Other items in brief list format]
ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES:
- [Regular weekly activities]Use formatting to reinforce hierarchy: bold headers for top items, regular text for secondary items, smaller text or links for reference information.
Implementation tip: If you struggle to identify your top three priorities, you’re probably trying to communicate too much in one message. Consider breaking content into multiple focused communications throughout the week.
Mistake 5: No Clear Next Step or Call to Action
Many church announcements end with vague statements like “We hope to see you there!” or “Let us know if you’re interested.” These aren’t calls to action—they’re passive suggestions that require the reader to figure out what to do next.
When people have to work to figure out how to respond, most simply won’t. Every communication should end with a crystal-clear, specific action step.
The Fix: Make the Next Step Obvious and Easy
Strong calls to action include:
- Exactly what to do
- How to do it
- When to do it by
- Why it matters
Weak: “Hope you can join us for the church picnic!”
Strong: “Register for the church picnic by Sunday, May 15th. Text PICNIC to 555-1234 or visit church.com/picnic. We need your RSVP to order enough food for everyone.”
Weak: “If you’d like to volunteer, let us know.”
Strong: “We need 5 more volunteers for Sunday morning greeters. Click here to see available dates and sign up for one Sunday this month. It takes 10 minutes and makes a huge impact on first-time visitors.”
Notice how strong calls to action remove friction. They tell people exactly what button to click, what number to text, or what link to visit. They create urgency with deadlines. They explain why the action matters.
Implementation tip: End every communication by completing this sentence: “The one thing I want readers to do is _____________.” Then write your call to action to make that action as simple as possible.
Mistake 6: Inconsistent Communication Rhythm
You send three emails one week, none the next week, then two in one day. You post on social media sporadically whenever someone remembers. Your congregation never knows when to expect communication from you, so they stop paying attention.
Consistency builds trust and attention. When people know they’ll hear from you every Tuesday morning, they start watching for your email. When your communication is random, they tune out because they can’t form a habit around it.
The Fix: Establish a Predictable Schedule
Choose a sustainable communication rhythm and stick to it religiously. For most small churches, this looks like:
Email: One comprehensive weekly email (same day, same time) plus occasional urgent standalone messages
Social media: 4-5 posts per week on main platforms, scheduled in advance
Text messages: Only for time-sensitive reminders (weather cancellations, event start times)
Printed bulletin: Every Sunday with consistent sections in the same order
The specific schedule matters less than consistency. If you commit to “every Wednesday at 10am,” people will start expecting and looking for your communication at that time.
Implementation tip: Block time on your calendar each week specifically for communication tasks. Treat it as non-negotiable as Sunday morning service. This ensures you maintain consistency even during busy seasons.
If maintaining this consistency feels overwhelming, check out our guide on AI communication workflows that save 10+ hours weekly.
Mistake 7: Ignoring Mobile Readability
Over 60% of email is opened on mobile devices. Yet many churches design their communications as if everyone is reading on a desktop computer. Long paragraphs, small fonts, complex layouts, and wide images all create terrible mobile experiences.
When your email is difficult to read on a phone, people delete it immediately. They don’t save it to read later on a computer. They just move on.
The Fix: Design Mobile-First
Test every communication on your phone before sending. Make these adjustments for mobile readability:
Keep paragraphs short: 2-3 sentences maximum. White space is your friend on small screens.
Use scannable formatting: Headers, bullet points, and bold text help mobile readers quickly find what they need.
Make buttons and links large: If someone has to zoom in to tap a link, your design needs work. Buttons should be thumb-friendly.
Optimize images: Use images that are responsive (automatically resize) and place text overlays carefully so they’re readable at any size.
Front-load important information: Many mobile email apps only show the first few lines in the preview. Put your most critical content at the top.
Test links: Click every link on your phone before sending. Broken links destroy credibility and engagement.
Implementation tip: Create a pre-send checklist that includes “viewed on mobile” as a required step. Forward the draft to your personal phone, open it in your email app, and actually use it as a reader would.
How to Measure If Your Changes Are Working
Making these changes without tracking results means you’re guessing. Here’s what to measure:
Email metrics:
- Open rate (aim for 40-50% for church emails)
- Click-through rate (aim for 10-20%)
- Reply rate (any engagement is good)
- Unsubscribe rate (under 0.5% is healthy)
Action completion:
- Registration numbers for events
- Volunteer signups
- Response to specific calls to action
- Website traffic from email links
Engagement indicators:
- People mentioning they read your email
- Questions about upcoming events (showing they’re aware)
- Social media shares and comments
- Survey responses about communication preferences
Track these monthly and look for trends. If you implement the fixes above and your open rates increase from 30% to 45% over three months, you know your changes are working.
A Complete Communication Checklist
Before sending any church communication, run through this checklist:
Content Quality:
- ☐ Primary action is in the first sentence
- ☐ No insider language without explanation
- ☐ Clear hierarchy (top priorities prominent)
- ☐ Specific call to action with deadline
- ☐ Tone is warm but concise
- ☐ All facts and dates are accurate
Formatting:
- ☐ Paragraphs are 2-3 sentences maximum
- ☐ Headers break up content logically
- ☐ Important items are bolded
- ☐ Lists use bullet points
- ☐ White space makes content scannable
Technical:
- ☐ Tested on mobile device
- ☐ All links work and go to correct pages
- ☐ Images load properly and have alt text
- ☐ Subject line is clear and compelling
- ☐ Scheduled for optimal send time
Accessibility:
- ☐ Information is understandable to newcomers
- ☐ Multiple ways to take action provided
- ☐ Contact person listed for questions
- ☐ Critical info isn’t only in images
Real-World Examples: Before and After
Example 1: Event Announcement
Before:
“We’re really excited to announce that we’re going to be doing something special this year for our annual fall festival! It’s always such a blessing to see our church family come together for this event. This year we’re planning lots of fun activities for all ages including games, food, and fellowship. We’ll have a bounce house for the kids and some great music. It’s a wonderful opportunity to invite your neighbors and friends to experience our church community. We hope you’ll mark your calendars and plan to join us! The event will be on Saturday, October 14th from 2-5pm in the church parking lot. If you’d like to help with setup or bring food, please contact Jenny in the church office.”
After:
“Fall Festival: October 14th, 2-5pm in the church parking lot
Bring your family and invite neighbors for an afternoon of games, food, and community. Free for everyone.
What to expect:
- Bounce house and games for kids
- Live music
- Food trucks and desserts
- Friendly atmosphere perfect for newcomers
Help us prepare: We need volunteers for setup (1pm) and food donations. Sign up at church.com/festival or text HELP to 555-1234 by October 7th.
Questions? Contact Jenny at jenny@church.com or 555-5678.”
Example 2: Volunteer Recruitment
Before:
“As we continue to grow as a church, we’re always looking for people who feel called to serve in various capacities. One of the areas where we could really use some help is in our children’s ministry. Working with kids is such a rewarding experience and it’s a great way to build relationships with families in our church. We understand everyone is busy, but even if you could just help out once a month it would make a huge difference. If you think you might be interested in exploring this opportunity, we’d love to hear from you!”
After:
“We need 3 more children’s ministry volunteers for Sunday mornings
Serve once per month during the 10am service (background check required).
Why it matters: You’ll help create a welcoming, safe environment where kids learn about Jesus. Parents can focus on worship knowing their children are cared for.
Time commitment: One Sunday per month, 9:45am-11:15am (we’ll place you on a rotating team)
Next step: Attend a 30-minute info meeting this Sunday (Nov 12th) at 11:30am in Room 203, or contact Sarah at kids@church.com to learn more.
Ready to sign up now? Visit church.com/volunteer by November 20th.”
Quick Wins You Can Implement This Week
Don’t feel like you need to fix everything at once. Start with these three high-impact changes you can make immediately:
Quick Win 1: Add Clear Deadlines to Everything
Go through your next communication and add specific dates to every call to action. “Sign up soon” becomes “Sign up by Friday, November 17th.” This one change often doubles response rates.
Quick Win 2: Put the Most Important Information First
Take your next announcement and restructure it so the action you want people to take is in the first sentence. Push background information to the end or remove it entirely.
Quick Win 3: Test Everything on Your Phone
Before sending your next email or posting on social media, view it on your phone. If you have to zoom, pinch, or struggle to read anything, fix it before sending.
These three changes alone will significantly improve your communication effectiveness. Once you see results, gradually implement the other fixes from this guide.
For ready-to-use templates and automation strategies, see our article on time-saving AI workflows for pastors.
When to Break the Rules
These guidelines work for 90% of church communications. But there are exceptions.
Break the “action first” rule when: You’re writing purely devotional content with no specific action required, or when the emotional context is essential for the request to make sense (like explaining a crisis before asking for prayer).
Break the “brief content” rule when: You’re telling an important story that requires detail, or when you’re addressing a sensitive church issue that needs thorough explanation.
Break the “consistent schedule” rule when: There’s genuinely urgent news that can’t wait for your regular communication time, or when unexpected circumstances require immediate communication.
The key is intentionality. Break the rules when you have a specific reason, not just out of habit or laziness.
Building a Communication Culture
Better communication techniques only work if you actually use them consistently. Here’s how to make these practices stick:
Create templates: Build 3-5 email templates with the proper structure already in place. This makes it easier to maintain quality even when you’re rushed.
Share the checklist: If multiple people send communications on behalf of your church, make sure everyone uses the same quality standards. Share the checklist from this article with your team.
Review quarterly: Every three months, review your communication metrics and examples of what you’ve sent. Identify patterns in what works well and what doesn’t.
Get feedback: Periodically survey your congregation about communication preferences. Ask specific questions: “Do our emails feel too long?” “What’s the best way to reach you with urgent information?” “What type of content do you want more/less of?”
Iterate continuously: Communication preferences change. What worked five years ago might not work today. Stay flexible and willing to adapt your approach based on results.
For guidance on using AI to maintain consistency without burning out, see our guide to creating custom AI assistants for church ministry.
Your Next Steps
You’ve identified the seven most common mistakes that kill church communication effectiveness. You know how to fix each one. Now it’s time to implement.
This week: Choose one mistake you’re currently making and fix it in your next communication. Track whether you see improved engagement.
This month: Work through all seven mistakes systematically. Update your templates and processes to incorporate these best practices.
This quarter: Review your communication metrics and gather feedback from your congregation. Adjust your approach based on what you learn.
Better church communication isn’t about working harder or sending more messages. It’s about being strategic with the communication you already do—making it clear, concise, compelling, and action-oriented.
Your congregation wants to stay connected and engaged. They want to participate in church life. Your role is to make it as easy as possible for them to do so by removing confusion, reducing friction, and providing clear paths to action.
When you fix these seven mistakes, you’ll stop wondering why people aren’t reading your emails or responding to your announcements. Instead, you’ll see increased engagement, higher event attendance, and a congregation that feels genuinely informed and connected to church life.
Start with one fix today. Your congregation will notice the difference immediately.