Big Support for Your Church Communications (Valued at $8,000+)

Churches across the Mountain West region are invited to apply for the Equipping Congregations Project, a unique opportunity to strengthen your church’s communications and storytelling in ways that truly connect with today’s world. Through hands-on training, one-on-one coaching with a professional communications consultant, and the creation of high-quality digital media, participating congregations will gain practical tools to share their story with clarity, confidence, and creativity—especially with younger generations and new audiences. The total value of this experience is over $8,000 per church, made possible through grant funding, allowing churches to receive expert support that would otherwise be out of reach. If your church is curious, courageous, and ready to grow its communications capacity, this project offers a meaningful and accessible next step.

Our consultants bring a broad range of communications expertise and will help your church take an honest look at how you’re communicating—both internally and externally. Together, you’ll assess what’s working, what needs strengthening, and where new opportunities exist.

They can support you in areas such as website editing, newsletter layout and strategy, graphic design, and creating effective posts, reels, and ads for social media. More than simply producing content, our consultants focus on equipping your staff and volunteers. Through hands-on training and coaching, they’ll work alongside your team on real projects—building skills, expanding capacity, and strengthening your church’s ability to communicate clearly and authentically with your wider community.

Participating churches should expect to invest approximately 4–5 hours every other week in the project over the course of the year. That said, this is often much more flexible and manageable than people first assume.

This is not typically a single 4–5 hour meeting.

Instead, that time reflects the overall rhythm of participation in the project, which may include:

• Brief Zoom meetings or phone calls with your consultant

• Watching training videos or attending online workshops

• Capturing photos or short smartphone videos during church life

• Brainstorming storytelling ideas with your team

• Posting or editing social media content

• Working on small communications projects at your church

Some weeks may only require an hour or two. Other weeks may involve a bit more time depending on your church’s schedule, events, or goals.

We also understand that churches are busy and that many participants are volunteers or bi-vocational leaders. Meetings can often be scheduled in the evenings, over lunch breaks, or at other flexible times that work for both your church team and your consultant.

Yes. In many cases, churches participate as a small team rather than relying on a single person.

For example, one person might help capture photos or videos, another might assist with social media or writing, and another might participate in meetings with the consultant. The goal is not perfection or professional-level production, but building sustainable storytelling habits that fit naturally within your congregation’s life and capacity.

Our Goal

The purpose of this project is not to overwhelm churches with more work.

The goal is to help congregations feel more confident using storytelling, digital communication, and simple technology tools to share the ministry already happening in their communities.

Over the course of the year, churches build practical skills, confidence, and sustainable practices that can continue long after the project is complete.

The timeline is intentionally flexible and depends on when your congregation feels ready to begin the process.

We currently have availability for churches to start in late summer 2026, though some may choose to begin in early fall or later in the fall depending on their own discernment process and ministry calendar. There is not one fixed launch date for all participating congregations.

Because this is a year-long relationship, we work with each congregation to determine a start timeline that makes sense for their leadership, staff, and ministry rhythms.

This initiative is not a source of operational funding — it does not provide money to cover salaries, honoraria, stipends, or compensation for your church’s staff or volunteers.

It also is not an open marketplace for choosing any outside coach or vendor. Participating congregations are paired with approved Equipping Congregations consultants who have been specifically trained for this project and this scope of work. Churches may not bring in their own selected consultants or substitute external contractors.

Finally, this project is not a quick fix or a “done for you” service — the emphasis is on capacity-building through coaching, training, and collaboration, not on delivering finished media products without your team’s active involvement.

When?
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through Fall 2029. Once accepted, each congregation enters a 12-month partnership with a communications consultant tailored to its context and capacity.

How?
Please fill out the Congregational Interest & Discernment Application