The stretch from fall to Christmas can feel like a blur for church leaders. Between planning events, promoting services, recruiting volunteers, and keeping everyone in the loop, communications can quickly turn into a whirlwind of announcements and emails. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
That’s why we designed our latest Healthy Church Summit around the theme “Season to Shine.” This free online event was designed to help ministries make the most of these final months of the year with clarity and confidence. Leaders from across the country joined us to discover practical strategies they can use in discipleship, technology, leadership, outreach, and more.
One of those voices was Mark MacDonald – a trusted church branding strategist who has helped thousands of pastors and churches clarify their message and communicate with greater impact. In his main session talk, Mark shared a wealth of practical advice for simplifying church communications during the holidays. In this blog post, we'll recap five of his top insights from his talk, and there is even more waiting in the full on-demand recording.
About Mark MacDonald
With 4 decades of expertise in Branding, Advertising, and Marketing, Mark MacDonald is a trusted brand strategist specializing in helping pastors and churches communicate effectively. Mark is a bestselling author, engaging speaker, coach, and founder of BeKnownforSomething.com, a national church branding company. As an ordained communication Pastor, he influences 1000’s of churches with practical strategies for branding, communication strategies, content, and tools.
Here are five key takeaways from this session that will help your church bring clarity and impact to holiday communication:
1. Start With a Plan That Focuses on the Right Things
“It all starts with a plan that focuses on the right things, not everything.”
Instead of trying to promote every detail, build a plan that prioritizes what matters most. Mark recommends filtering every message through your church’s brand thread — the big idea you want to be known for. This keeps communication clear, consistent, and centered around your mission rather than scattered announcements.
A simple, focused plan helps avoid the panic that comes with last-minute announcements and competing priorities. By narrowing your communications to the events and messages that align most with your church’s mission, you give people clarity instead of clutter. The result is less stress for your team and a more unified experience for your congregation.
2. Lead With Desire, Not Details
“People don’t get excited about dates and times. They respond to why it matters for them.”
One of the most common mistakes churches make is starting with logistics. Instead, begin with an emotional hook — why the event matters and how it connects to people’s lives. Once you’ve captured attention, point people to a trusted central source (like your website) for the details. Inspire first, inform second.
Think about what people really care about in December — hope, peace, family, and meaning. If your promotions highlight those desires first, your congregation will naturally lean in. Once their hearts are captured, they’ll be motivated to look for the details, which can easily be found in your central communication hub.
3. Apply the 80/20 Rule to Event Promotion
“20% of your events will probably drive about 80% of all the engagement.”
Not every event needs the same stage time. Identify your tier-one events — the ones that will have the biggest impact for the whole church — and give them priority in your communications. Smaller events can still be listed, but don’t let them steal attention from what matters most.
When every event gets equal billing, nothing stands out. Instead, give the most visibility to the gatherings that will reach the largest portion of your church family. By filtering announcements through this lens, you’ll avoid overwhelming people while ensuring the most important opportunities rise to the top.
4. Create One Central Source of Truth
“You need to create one central source of truth… a clear, up-to-date landing page or calendar.”
Keep your congregation, volunteers, and community aligned by pointing everyone to one trusted hub for information. Whether it’s a dedicated Christmas landing page or a filterable calendar, make sure it’s accurate, easy to find, and updated regularly. Bonus: keeping the page live all year to gain SEO benefits and give visitors a place to see what your church is about.
Confusion happens when details are scattered across bulletins, emails, and social media posts. Having a single, reliable hub eliminates the guesswork for your congregation and keeps your staff aligned too. Whether it’s a holiday landing page or a digital calendar, the key is consistency — one place, always updated.
5. Make Everything Shareable for Word of Mouth
When somebody's asked why they attend an event it's almost always through word of mouth.
Word of mouth is still the number one reason people show up to church events. Make it easy by equipping your congregation with ready-to-share resources like short invite texts, social graphics, and quick videos. Think beyond your members — what will resonate with their friends, neighbors, and co-workers who may not attend church?
Your congregation is more likely to invite friends if you make it simple for them. Providing ready-made resources empowers members to spread the word without hesitation. When you lower the barrier to sharing, you multiply the reach of your holiday events far beyond what the church can do on its own.
Final Encouragement
Remember, holiday communication doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With a clear plan, simple priorities, and consistent messaging, your church can bring focus and confidence to a season that often feels chaotic.
The five insights shared here are just the beginning. In his full talk at the Healthy Church Summit, Mark dives even deeper into practical strategies that will help your church engage your congregation, empower volunteers, and reach your community with clarity this Christmas season.
Ready to hear the full conversation with Mark?
You can watch the entire Main Session and much more by accessing The Healthy Church Summit on-demand now.
