Tim Schraeder gets it. He’s leading a team of church communicators to release the new book, Outspoken- to help spread the word about church communications.
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“The early church didn’t have the modern technologies we have today. There were no billboards or direct mail campaigns to announce Jesus was coming. The disciples didn’t tweet or blog the Sermon on the Mount or other messages Jesus gave during his ministry. The one thing the early church did have, however, was captivating stories worth telling. People couldn’t help but tell their friends and family all that they had seen and heard, and proclaim the redemptive work of Christ and the hope of the gospel. In Jesus’ final words to his disciples, we were all called to go and tell the message of the gospel.” -Tim Schraeder
Tim gave us a few minutes to answer some questions about this book. As church leaders, we thought you would like to hear what he has to say!
Willow Creek Association: Why is communication such a passion for you?
Tim Schraeder: Growing up as a kid in church youth group, I wanted to do something to serve my church. I wasn’t a good singer or musician and didn’t like being up front or on stage, but I’ve always loved to write and design. Fortunately, I had an awesome youth pastor who recognized those gifts in me and gave me the opportunity to serve in our youth group as our “graphic designer.” That early experience made it clear I wanted to give my life to serving the local church. Back then, most churches didn’t have communications directors, but as time has passed churches have recognized the need for people with those giftings and talents. I’ve been fortunate to serve churches in that capacity for the last decade now, helping them leverage new media to communicate and connect people with the message of Gospel. So, what was a hobby ignited into a passion to serve the local church.
WCA: In the introduction you say that, “Christianity is fundamentally a communication event.” How did that statement drive and guide the vision for this book?
TS: The Gospel is a message of redemption and reconciliation. It’s about God desiring to have an individual relationship with each one of us. Throughout the pages of the Bible there were countless examples of how God used ordinary objects and people to speak His extraordinary truth. He eventually sent Christ to be the sacrifice to reconcile our relationship with Him. Christ also showed us how we were meant to live, and in turn charged all believers to carry that message to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8). From the very beginning, the church grew as people shared and told that message. And today, we as believers carry that same calling. We’ve got a message worth sharing and we’ve got to a better job of communicating it.
WCA: Why did you decide to write this book using a network of multiple voices rather than have just 1 author?
TS: I think there’s more wisdom with many voices than with one. And, different churches have a different angle and approach when it comes to how to communicate. The people who are a part of this project, in my opinion, are some of the leading voices that are shaping the way churches around the globe are communicating and they all have great insight and ideas to share that would be beneficial to any church regardless of their size, background, or ministry style. And having multiple contributors made my job easier! 
WCA: What do you hope readers will take-away from reading this content?
TS: More than anything, I hope people, whether they are a senior leader or someone responsible for helping their church communicate, will see the immense opportunity and responsibility the church has with all of the resources available to us today. We’ve never been more resourced to spread the message of the Gospel. We can literally reach people around the globe with a click of a mouse. And I really believe we, as church leaders, will be accountable for how we steward what we have available to us. I hope we’ll all take communication a bit more seriously and realize the great opportunity we have to spread the Gospel.
WCA: What do you think is one of the biggest barriers that churches face
when it comes to effective communication?
TS: I think most churches are afraid. This is foreign territory and not something they teach you about in Bible college or seminary. However, we can’t deny the incredible revolution happening in our culture around communication. The way we communicate, share information, and even develop relationships has changed. Most churches are scared because they either don’t know what to do or because they think they lack the resources or staff to support whatever it is they think they need to do. And that usually stops most churches from doing or trying anything.
WCA: How would you encourage church leaders and communicators to overcome
that barrier?
TS: Don’t be discouraged by what you don’t have or by the size of what it is you think you need to do. The answer for your specific situation isn’t about getting on social media, creating a slick website, or getting a great graphic designer. The end goal is to remove the things that hinder people from hearing the message of the gospel and to clearly define the next steps they can take on their journey. It’s that simple. The solution may be a better website or engaging on social media, but all of that is secondary to clearly communicating the path you want people to follow.
WCA: And just for fun, what’s one of the lessons you learned from Seth Godin this year at the Summit? (We loved your interview with him!)
TS: Well, I thought it was pretty awkward, but one thing he said to me does resonate with this conversation today. Simply put: if something is worth doing, why wait? I believe wholeheatedly that churches who will take the time and do the work of communicating more effectively will see more people connect with Christ. The end goal isn’t a great logo or better signage, it’s lifechange. However, if those things can help someone find their way, why don’t we do it? Why wait?
