Pastors, Ministry Heads to Get In-The-Spotlight Media Training to Avoid 'Disastrous Communications Gap'
Christian Leadership Alliance intensive will prepare leaders to handle both positive and adversarial TV, radio and print interviews
DALLAS, April 3, 2017 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Church and ministry leaders will get hands-on media training on how to bridge the potentially "disastrous communications gap" that puts their work at risk, at a national Christian leadership conference tomorrow.
They will hear how a gift for speaking from the pulpit or in other public settings does not automatically equip them to handle the media well--with potentially damaging results—and what they need to do when thrust into the hot media spotlight.
"Media Relations: Mastering Your Message" is a day-long intensive at The Outcomes Conference to be hosted in Dallas, April 4-6, by the Christian Leadership Alliance (CLA), a national alliance of 6,000 leaders of churches, nonprofit ministries, educational institutions and businesses. Participants will be instructed and led through practical exercises by presenters from InChrist Communications (
www.InChristCommunications.com), one of the country's leading Christian communications agencies.
"Speaking well is one thing, but there's a world of difference between preaching and handling a potentially hostile journalist's questions," said ICC founder and President Palmer Holt. "And if you are not prepared, the results may be disappointing or even disastrous. You can end up missing an opportunity to positively advance your message, or worse, cause a great deal of damage."
An award-winning communications professional with more than 25 years' experience in journalism, corporate and agency public relations, marketing and advertising, Holt will train participants along with Lynn Scarborough, founder of EmPowerCom. Scarborough is a broadcasting coach and communications expert who has worked with more than 200 television news organizations, including on-air personalities, such as Deborah Norville, Paula Zahn and Judge Catherine Crier, along with corporate and ministry clients.
Between them, the communications professionals will outline effective media strategies, including how to craft effective press releases and be prepared for broadcast interviews, from identifying key talking points to what to wear and the importance of body language. The intensive will include mock broadcast interviews and feedback critique sessions.
"Charisma alone isn't enough when dealing with the media," said Holt. "You have to understand how journalists work and what they are looking for, so you can represent yourself and your organization effectively. These are skills that can be learned and make all the difference. A positive media experience can pay dividends, while a poor one may prove very costly."
The InChrist Communications presentation at The Outcome Conference—one of eight main tracks that also tackle tax and legal issues, board governance, and Internet and technology—is just one way the company is resourcing leaders. It has also produced a free new checklist: "The Media Is On Its Way! Are You Ready?," which can be accessed at
www.inchristcommunications.com/media.
"Media Relations: Mastering Your Message" will be presented at The Outcomes Conference on Tuesday, Apr. 4, starting at 9.45 a.m.
Founded in 2002, InChrist Communications has served a broad range of ministries, businesses and individuals, including The JESUS Film Project, The Gideons International, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), Mission Aviation Fellowship, SIM USA, Open Doors, Voice of the Martyrs, Gospel for Asia, SAT-7, Wycliffe Associates and Outreach Inc.
InChrist Communications (www.InChristCommunications.com) is a dynamic national, full-service communications agency primarily serving faith-based organizations, churches, businesses and individuals seeking to reach the Christian market. Core services include branding, marketing, media relations/publicity, social media, crisis communications, advertising, creative services and special events.
