Pro Church Podcast With Brady Shearer

TikTok is the newest emerging social platform and like all social media evolutions: it’s weird, it’s unfamiliar, and young people love it. So in this episode, we’ll be giving you a primer on everything you need to know about TikTok so you can begin exploring it with your church and student ministry.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/tiktok-13-things-your-church-needs-to-know/   Show Notes:   If IG Stories and Vine had a baby (1:40)   Most videos are 15-60 seconds in length (4:30)   Sound autoplays (6:20)   The content creation tools are mind boggling (7:00)   It’s unfamiliar and disorienting (7:56)   It’s repetitive (11:35)   Virality is probable (14:56)   Machine learning (18:00)   How often should you post? (20:00)   The demo is young now, so people will disparage it (20:10)   TikTok is prime real estate (22:20)   TikTok is driving the music charts (25:50)   Theforyoupage.com (27:50)    

Every subculture has its own set of insider language and jargon - and the Christian subculture is no exception. We lovingly call our insider language Christianese (see how self-aware we are?). And in this video, we’re going to present to you our power rankings of the best Christianese words and phrases.      ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/the-ultimate-christianese-power-rankings-top-7-christian-phrases/     Show Notes:   What is Christianese? (0:35)   Bootstrapping, MVP, Ramen profitable (1:55)   #7. Narthex, lobby, foyer (4:20)   #6. Partake (7:00)   #5. Baby Christian (8:10)   #4. The Anthropomorphics (10:00)   #3. Love offering (11:35)   #2. Fellowship (13:15)   Honorable mention (16:20)   #1. Problematic Prepositions (20:10)  

When you’re serving in a church, you inevitably find yourself in situations where you need to speak in front of others. Maybe it’s a prayer, maybe it’s announcements, or maybe you were asked to preach! Whatever it is, for most of us in church, public speaking is a necessity in some capacity. So in this video, you’re going to learn my best tips on how to become a confident and comfortable speaker.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/how-to-become-a-confident-comfortable-speaker/   What's In This Session?        #1. Listen and watch yourself (0:40)   #2. Use stories as your cheat code (5:00)   #3. Pace and pitch (7:20)   #4. Smile (9:50)   #5. Find your style (11:35)  

Today, you’re going to learn what option is best for your church when it comes to announcements - video or live? There are pros and cons to each of course, but my final answer on this may surprise you. So let’s dive right in.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/church-video-announcements-vs-live-whats-best-for-your-church/   What's In This Session?      Pros of video announcements (4:35)   Cons of video announcements (7:00)   Pros of live announcements (9:00)   The goal of announcements (10:15)   Cons of live announcements (12:25)      

Today, you’re going to learn the absolute easiest social media strategy for churches. Even better? You don’t need to create any graphics or produce any videos - you don’t even need to post every single day! Yet, despite how easy this strategy is, the best part is that it gets results. So follow along, and by the end of this episode, you’ll have everything you need to start using this strategy right away at your church.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/the-easiest-social-media-strategy-for-churches-ever/   What's In This Session?      Step 1: Using the text tool on Facebook (5:00)   Examples (6:15)   Step 2: Respond to every single comment/interaction that you get (10:35)  

I get questions all the time asking about animation and motion design - particularly in the context of social media. So in this video, we’ll speak directly with one of our motion designers that brings our social program to life through animation - as we give you a behind the scenes look into our complete workflow.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/the-beginners-guide-to-motion-design-animation-for-social-media/   What's In This Session?      How do you approach bringing a static design to life - particularly in the context of social? (9:00)   How we use motion to tell a story. (12:50)   What were some of the challenges when we first started working together? (15:30)   What is the best way to get into motion design? (26:20)   Why use designs that are not apart of your brand on social? (30:45)   

If you’re a church or leader in a church - young or old - you’re confronting new challenges in ministry right now that couldn’t have even existed ten years ago. And my belief is that these new challenges require a particular mindset to successfully navigate them. And so in this episode, I’ll explain this “bias for action” mindset - and why it’s critical for you as a church leader.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/how-a-bias-for-action-mindset-is-critical-for-every-church-leader/   Show Notes:   From a position of humility (10:40)   Failure isn’t something I’m concerned with (11:45)   Everything can be redeemed (12:25)   Recognize this approach is contrarian (14:00)   Buy into the principle for its merit, not material results (16:15)   Change the narrative (18:30)     Featured Resource & Additional Links:     Pro Church Tools Products https://prochurchtools.com/products/   The Church Announcements Scripts Bundle https://prochurchtools.com/akwh   CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS FORMULA https:

  One of the easiest ways to boost engagement on social media is to ask your followers questions. But…you need to ask the right questions. So today, you’ll get 39 different questions made specifically for churches like yours to use on social media. The best part? These questions have already been proven to boost engagement and we’re giving them away freely to you! So let’s get started.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/39-copy-n-paste-question-posts-for-churches-on-social-media/   What's In This Session?      We’ve been doing the social program for a year now - What we’ve learned and created. (0:30)        An easy to follow strategy. (3:10)        Why these questions are so helpful. (21:30)    Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:      Pro Church Tools Products -  https://prochurchtools.com/products/        CENTRAL HUB STRATEGY: Boost Church Signups 53% -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtsAWLZoC7c         

The Central Hub is a strategy churches use to boost engagement - it exists to see your congregation take more next steps. And this is important because we don’t want churches filled with passive spectators, but rather, active participants. So in this video, we’ll share with you eight different central hub lobby setups from real churches to get you inspired - and to show you that whether your church is big, small, portable, young, old - whatever - The Central Hub can work in your context.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/8-inspiring-central-hub-lobby-setups-real-church-examples/   What's In This Session?      Rule #1: The Central Hub must be accessible be 24/7 (4:40)      Rule #2: The Central Hub must be accessible from any device (5:35)      Rule #3: The Central Hub must be able to capture, store, and distribute information (6:05)      Example #1: Big blue wall (8:30)      Example #2: In the sanctuary (11:15)      Example #3: iPad stand (12:00)      Example #4: Pop-up signs (13:20)  

There are a handful of graphic design trends that we are absolutely loving right now. And we want to share them with you! So by the end of this podcast, you’ll be introduced to eleven of our favorite current design trends and how we’re using them on an everyday basis.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/11-graphic-design-trends-we-love-in-2019/   What's In This Session?      Example #1 (5:35)   Example #2 (7:10)   Example #3 (8:10)   Example #4 (10:00)   Example #5 (11:45)   Example #6 (13:45)   Example #7 (16:05)   Example #8 (16:35)   Example #9 (19:50)   Example #10 (20:45)   Example #11 (23:20)     Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:      The Ultimate Free Connect Card Template      12 Fresh Sermon Series Ideas      Pro Church Tools      Pro Church Tools on Facebook      Pro Church Tools on YouTube      Brady Shearer on Instagram      Brady Shearer on Twitter      Alex Mills on Instagram  

A church slogan isn’t just a catchy tagline. It’s your church’s story. Your vision and mission distilled down to a short and memorable phrase. It should inspire your congregation and help with your leadership’s decision making. And yet, so few churches actually have a good one. So let’s change that. In this episode of Pro Church Tools, we’re going to highlight a trio of amazing church slogans and walk you through the process of crafting your own. .   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/3-of-my-favorite-church-slogans-plushow-to-write-your-own/   What's In This Session?      #1: What is a slogan? It includes a key benefit. (3:15)        #2: What is a slogan? It differentiates your church. (6:25)        #3: What is a slogan? It’s your church’s story/vision/mission. (8:15)        Real Church Examples (12:05)     Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:      19 PERFECT CHURCH WEBSITE HEADLINE EXAMPLES        The Ultimate Church Website Page Template Library        Pro

If your church website design feels at all stale or needing of a makeover - you’re in the right place. Because in this podcast, we’re going to examine five unusual but creative church website design ideas that real churches are using right now. So if you’re looking for inspiration, you’ll have it by the end of this episode.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/5-unusual-church-website-design-ideas-that-i-love/   What's In This Session?      #1: The Gospel Church (Destiny Keller) (0:40)   #2: Peoria Nazarene Church (Joel Davis at Cross & Crown) (4:25)   #3: First Baptist Church of Allegan (8:35)   #4: Faith Church Gold Coast (Nate Zerk) (10:30)   #5: Hill City Church (12:25)   Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:      HOW TO UPGRADE YOUR CHURCH WEBSITE DESIGN IN 1 DAY USING STUNNING PHOTOS      The iPhone Church Photography Case Study      Pro Church Tools      Pro Church Tools on Facebook      Pro Church Tools on YouTube      Brady Shearer on Instagram      Brady

There’s a group of church branding trends that are emerging right now and they absolutely deserve your attention. Churches around the world are beginning to embrace these ideas, and every one of our churches can learn from at least one of them. So in this podcast, we’ll show you real examples of each of these trends and breakdown how they may be applicable to you.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/6-positive-church-branding-trends-that-deserve-your-attention/   What's In This Session?      Defining Branding (0:40)   #1: Trade in a color palette for a color matrix (2:00)   Vineyard Colombus design by Jeff Miller (3:41)   #2: Branded house; not a house of brands (5:35)   East Gate design by Dave Keller (6:40)   #3: Logo with meaning (8:00)   Catch the Fire design by Samuel Nudds (9:10)   #4: From me to we (12:30)   Westside King’s Church design by Matthew Birtch (13:15)   #5: Short church names (14:20)   #6: Sermon series’ addressing doubts (16:4

  In my experience, most churches sabotage their own announcements every week with chaotic communications. But it doesn’t have to be this way! In fact, there is a proven church announcements formula that works and inspires churchgoers to get involved. So in this podcast, I’ll unpack how that formula works - and we’ll show you how to apply it as we prepare church announcement scripts on the fly for your upcoming events.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/5-church-announcement-frameworks-that-really-work/   What's In This Session?      One Story (2:30)   One Next Step (3:00)   The 50% Rule (5:40)   #1: New People Category - also works great for volunteers (8:30)   #2: Annual Event Category (11:10)   #3: Small Groups Category (11:30)   #4: One-Off Event Category (17:50)     Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:        The Church Announcements Formula        The Church Announcements Scripts Bundle        Pro Church Tools        Pro Church Tool

If you asked 100 church leaders - what’s the best way to attract new people to a church? The majority would answer...personal invitations. And I agree. Knowing this, how can your church’s leadership inspire your congregation to take those steps and begin inviting their friends and family? By the end of this podcast, you’ll have your answer as we dive into what it takes to create a culture of invitation.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/how-to-attract-new-people-to-church-through-invitations/   What's In This Session?      Starting with some stats... (2:08)   #1 - Creating a welcoming atmosphere (5:15)   #2 - Equip churchgoers with resources (11:40)   #3 - Timely campaigns (15:40)   #4 - Create a culture of invitation in how you communicate (18:05)   Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:      CHURCH WELCOME: Follow-Up For New Visitors      The Ultimate Free Connect Card Template      Pro Church Tools      Pro Church Tools on Facebook      Pro Church Tools on YouTube      Bra

Because of the work that I do, I have been privileged to read through and present tens of thousands of different church announcements. So I know what makes a good church announcement and what doesn’t. So in this video, I want to share with you some of what I’ve learned - as we examine five unwritten rules that every church announcement follow.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/the-5-unwritten-rules-every-church-announcement-should-follow/   What's In This Session?        Announcement #1 (2:50)   Unwritten Rule #1: Don’t use guilt as a motivator (5:00)   Alternative Announcement (6:20)   Announcement #2 (7:15)   Unwritten Rule #2: Don’t lead with rhetorical questions (9:30)   Announcement #3 (10:25)   Unwritten Rule #3: Don’t be break your own rules (11:05)   Announcement #4 (13:30)   Unwritten Rule #4: Don’t use acronyms that need explanation (14:30)   Announcement #5: (18:30)   Unwritten Rule #5: Don’t elevate information over inspiration (19:

Starting from scratch on social media can feel like a monumental undertaking - but keep in mind, we all started with zero followers at one point or another. So follow along, and by the end of this video, you’ll have a complete social media marketing plan for starting from scratch.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/how-to-build-a-social-media-following-from-scratch-for-a-church/https://prochurchtools.com/7-fixable-mistakes-churches-make-on-social-media/   What's In This Session?      #1: Leverage your existing audience (1:30) #2: Choose your platform (3:00) #3: Fill out your profile (4:05) #4: Determine when you should be posting (4:30) #5: Start posting! (5:25) #6: Measure and audit (6:00 Other tips (8:00)   Show Notes & Resources Mentioned:   THE ULTIMATE 7-DAY SOCIAL MEDIA CALENDAR FOR CHURCHES 3 NEW INSTAGRAM PROFILE HACKS YOUR CHURCH CAN MAKE TODAY THE ULTIMATE CHURCH FACEBOOK PAGE GUIDE THE 3-STEP SOCIAL MEDIA GRADING SYSTEM Pro Church Tools Pro Church Tools on Facebook Pro

When you’re a church, and you’re hosting a new service every seven days, in perpetuity - things can start to feel monotonous. So how do you mix it up? How do you inject new life into something that feels stale or predictable? Well I think this is actually one of my church’s strengths, so I talked with my pastor about how we continually change things up within service and by the end of this video, you’ll know exactly how to do the same thing in your church.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/3-ways-to-ensure-sunday-services-are-never-predictable-or-stale/    What's In This Session? #1. Anecdotal (Short-Term): One-off curveball pieces built around engagement with things that are already happening (2:08) Recipe for this is to train yourself to see everything as a creative inspiration for church (I take pictures of everything, screen capture and keep it all in an Evernote note for easy recall) (5:20) #2. Seasonal (Medium-Term): A temporary move to either change it up or to strategically fo

Using social media as a church has a number of benefits. For example, you get the opportunity to interact with your congregation beyond Sunday morning. But there’s one particular advantage of social that most churches don’t even consider - and what’s amazing about this social media perk, is that it can actually help you make better decisions in every facet of ministry. Here’s the good news...by the end of this video, you’ll know exactly how to put this overlooked social benefit to use at your church.   ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/how-smart-churches-use-social-media-to-make-better-decisions/    What's In This Session? Find the intersection between your vision and what the people want (4:46) #1. Have you ever seen tweets in my Instagram Feed? Stop the scroll design intersected with content you’ve already responded to positively (6:30) #2. Which Scripture has been your greatest comfort? (8:40) 58% of Americans want to read the Bible more - Barna (9:33) #3. What’s your favorite summer

I was recently asked the following question: "If you went back to a full time church job - what business lessons would you take with you in order to be more effective?” And this episode of Pro Church Tools is the answer to that question. Not only will you hear from me though, but friends of mine who are also former church leaders and pastors that have since launched their own businesses. Here are the lessons we’ve learned from running businesses, that we’d bring to a church. ***VISIT THE FULL POST HERE: https://prochurchtools.com/the-business-owners-guide-to-running-a-church/    What's In This Session? If you went back to a full time church job, what business lessons would you take with you in order to be more effective? (1:02) #1: Measurement/metrics (1:16) #2: Hiring (2:07) Justin Dean - That Church Conference: "Build a core team that’s in on the mission and dedicated to the church, but for most positions be open to outsource and hire people who are good at getting the job done. Design, creative, worship,