ChurchSafety

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By definition, a crisis could be anything that disrupts church life. It could be something internal—such as a budget shortfall—that only needs to be communicated to those within the church. Or it could be something as serious as a public scandal or allegations against the church, which will require dealing with the media—and, at times, responding to negative media coverage.

Here are some basic tips for each of those three types of crisis communication.

Understand who is communicating the message. Whatever the situation may be, clear communication is the best tool for addressing it. Nothing is more detrimental than multiple voices offering conflicting information. As a leadership team, determine who will communicate the message, then work together to determine what needs to be said and who needs to hear it.

Understand how the message is being communicated. Maybe you will choose to address the crisis from the pulpit. If it only affects a portion of the church—for example, nursery workers and those with children in the nursery—then a special meeting might be a better option. But whenever and however you choose to address the crisis, don't respond to emails or voicemails asking about the matter prior to the meeting. Doing so will start the rumor mill, and much like the game of telephone, it won't be long before the message is garbled.

Email—if you have to. Unlike a meeting, email communication doesn't allow for those impacted to ask questions and process the information as a group. This also robs the leaders of the opportunity to gauge response and assuage the fears of those affected. But the upside to email is that it's quick; nothing is going to get the message out faster. If you need to communicate quickly, email is a viable option, but you should still consider scheduling a follow-up meeting with time for discussion.

Call your lawyer first. If the crisis is serious enough to attract media attention, then it's significant—and the last thing you want to do is make it worse by saying something ill-advised. Your lawyer can counsel you on issues about liability and he can also help you construct an appropriate and timely public statement.

Make a statement. Choose a spokesperson, and have him read the public statement (which your lawyer helped you create). Make sure you communicate that you are aware of the crisis (whatever it may be) and you are taking appropriate steps. The statement doesn't need to be (nor should it be) too specific. Save the specifics for those directly involved.

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