In the corporate world, designers often work very closely with the CEO or executive leadership, depending on the size of the organization. Similarly, creators will most likely be working very closely with you, the senior pastor, and key church leadership. It is because of this that it is important to understand some things when working with these peculiar people.
Having a graphic designer, or someone with the tools and skills to create, for your church can be a huge blessing to a ministry. However, like any relationship, if you do not understand how to communicate and work with them, it can turn that blessing into a nightmare.
So whether you are fortunate enough to have a designer as part of your congregation, or you have the resources to hire someone to help you create your material, here are a few things for pastors and church leaders to keep in mind as you set out on your next project.
It is a relationship; invest into it.
You would not treat an assistant pastor or music pastor as simply a tool. You work at building a relationship that gives you an understanding of that person, thereby building a strong team to accomplish what you have set out to do.
Purpose in your actions to build a personal, strong relationship with the designers you are working with. It will go a long way with the respect that you give them in doing so, and, like in any good friendship, you will start to understand how the other person thinks. You will begin to just “get” them when they are expressing their thoughts. This is where the magic happens and working together can be something to look forward to instead of something to run away from. However, do not be fooled into thinking that this “getting” will happen by osmosis. It will take work and will come with time and effort on both parts.
Give us problems, not solutions.
The primary task of a graphic designer can be summed up in two words: Problem Solver. Once a designer stops solving problems, they become a problem.
One of the most common mistakes I observe is when leadership has an idea of the solutions to a given project, when what we are craving is simply the clearly defined problem and the desired outcome. Let us figure out how to solve it visually—it is what we love to do, it drives us.
So instead of saying “make it blue,” describe your desired result: Make it calm, cool and refreshing.
Watch your language.
As designers, we can be awfully sensitive at times. (We know, we’re working on it.)
That said, be careful not to unnecessarily step on toes with some common pet peeves in the words you use. Some simple ones to avoid at all costs are as follows:
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“Make it pop!”
Truth: What does that even mean?? -
“Just use placeholder text.”
Truth: Content drives design. -
“I’ll know it when I see it.”
Truth: No one has time for this sort of shooting in the dark methodology. -
“Too much white space.”
Truth: Less is more, and white space can be a great design element (plus it’s all the rage right now, in case that matters). -
“We need more text; it feels empty.”
Truth: Chances are, there is plenty.
Trust me
It can be a hard thing to empower someone else with something as important as all of your forward-facing communication. Oftentimes, the designer will be communicating visually on your and your church’s behalf.
It is, however, paramount that you have trust and confidence to be able to define a project and let them run with it. You can guarantee that the fastest way to extinguish someone’s creativity is to not place trust in them to do what they are good at doing.
These are just a few specific areas to watch out for when ministering with creatives. While it certainly is not an exhaustive list, just keep in mind that it is a relationship like any other. It will have its bumps and its victories. The key is to keep everyone’s eyes on God and His Glory while keeping our hearts open and willing to understand each other.
Have you felt the difficult tension with your creative volunteers?
