Before we dive into the topic of this article, I’d like to highlight a book I read a few years ago about management. The title is It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff. Chapter five specifically emphasizes communication. If anyone understands effective communication methods, it’s the dedicated individuals in our U.S. Navy.

Capt. Abrashoff highlights a major issue the Navy encountered during the Gulf War of the 1990s. Essentially, their communication system could not handle the volume of data they needed to exchange. One determined radioman on Abrashoff’s ship decided to make a difference. Radioman John Rafalko singlehandedly tackled the Navy’s communication challenge in the Gulf War. Capt. Abrashoff remarks, “John’s story proves that no matter how fantastic your message is, if no one is receiving it, you aren’t communicating. You must have mastery of all means of communication, along with the willingness to use them—otherwise, you’re just talking to yourself.”

Communication is an art form. Some people are skilled at it, while others are not. However, like any art form, anyone can learn basic skills to enhance their abilities. One area of communication that may require improvement is finding the right balance between informing your audience and the risk of overwhelming them with too much information.

This is not a complete list or in any particular order. It is a list of the lessons I have learned over the years regarding communicating the right amount of information to the people who need it most.

Use appropriate bullet points.

Maybe it’s my millennial brain, but I love it when the most important information is presented in bullet points. For example, I’d prefer your email to say…

• What? Pool Party
• When? June 1, 2025 @ 2 pm
• Where? The Smith House | 123 Random St.

In contrast to an email that says…

Hey there! You’re invited to a pool party. It’s going to be so much fun, and we can’t wait to see you there! You might be wondering where it is? Good question! It’s at the Smith House. Just go to 123 Random Street right behind the old mall, and you can’t miss it. We’ll probably start around 2pm in the afternoon. Did I mention it’s going to be fun? Can’t wait to see you there!

I was literally cringing as I typed that out. While it might seem good to you as you write and read it in your own voice and mind, consider it from the perspective of someone who gets emails all day and wants to know the crucial details.

Combine multiple things into one communication.

This one can be harder, but when done right, it pays dividends. My church recently experienced this. We planned two events for the same week: the Men’s Ministry Car Show and the Awana Program’s Grand Prix event. Someone on our staff asked the simple question, “Why can’t we promote both of these together? I mean, they’re both dealing with cars.”

Brilliant! We combined communication and events into one afternoon, and both benefited from each other. Parents waiting for their kids to race their cars had something to do, and the people at the car show were introduced to our Wednesday night Awana program for kids.

Strategically say no.

This is usually done after someone expresses a complaint about something you just communicated. For example, over the past few months, I have had to relocate several of our Adult Bible Classes on Sunday mornings. I decided the best way to disseminate information was to email the leaders a list of the classes with their new locations and let them inform their groups.

After I sent it to the leaders, a few class members complained to the volunteers at our welcome desk that they didn’t know where they would be meeting. The volunteer came to me with this information, and I had a choice to make: Should I send another email immediately to everyone with the same list, or should I wait and let the process play out?

I decided to let the process play out. Everyone had the information they wanted by the end of the week, so I didn’t need to send any additional emails based on one complaint.

Utilize a variety of communication platforms.

Email is great, but sometimes text is better. Other times, a printed handout will be more effective in conveying your message to your audience. I know this sounds crazy, but sometimes you should write something out with your hand and mail it to a group of people.

There are so many different ways to communicate these days. Utilizing a diverse set of tools reduces the risk of overloading your audience. Just ensure you use the appropriate platform for the right type of information. Instagram is probably not the right place to communicate specifics. Text messaging can be a little annoying when used to communicate general and vague information that doesn’t need an immediate response.

Final thoughts.

You can always improve your communication strategies and practices. Constantly filter your messaging before you send it. Put yourself in the shoes of the people you are trying to inform. Ask if this is something you need right now and if it’s valuable to know. Your target audience will appreciate your efforts in improving this part of the church.