The 4 Laws of Announcements

If you have ever been to many Christian events, you have likely been through agony during announcements. As a result, some don't do them....but how do those there know what you want and need them to know. Announcements are like medicine; you have to know when and how to give them and be careful not to over-dose.

The 4 Laws of Announcements:

1. Make no more than 4 announcements!
The more you make...the less people hear. If one announcement is THE key announcement, do it at a different
And separate time.

2. The person making the announcements needs to know and understand what they are announcing.
All of us have heard someone read announcements off a sheet in the worlds worst monotone. Or, we have
Heard someone "promoting" an event that obviously didn't have a clue what it was.

3. The announcements should be such that a first time attendee understands what is being announced.
Often, the announcements seem to be in "insider code". Only a few in the crowd understand what it is
about. It adds to the discomfort and the "maybe I don't belong here feeling".

4. The announcements should not become the main event.
Sometimes in our attempt to make the announcements palatable, they get out of control and take over
the program. Several years ago, I was speaking for a weekend collegiate event on a campus. They had
decided to have me come and speak on Thursday night at their large group event with the hopes that would
attract more to the weekend. We had a provocative title that had been widely promoted. The place was
packed with lots of new people present. Their new "Announcement Team" got up to do a skit that had
the announcements in it. They went on for 20 plus minutes. After it, the Campus Minister got up
and said the program would run an extra 30 minutes long that night in order for them to hear me speak.