Well, maybe Sarah didn’t teach her pastor these things, but he certainly learned them as a result of the swoon of journalists who have covered the former Alaskan Governor after hitting the national spotlight during the 2008 Presidential Campaign.  Rev. Larry Kroon of Wasilla Bible Church is the pastor at the home church of Gov. Palin.

In summary, Pastor Kroon learned 7 important ingredients to dealing with the media (my summaries):

1. CHECK – Confirm the reporter’s credentials – (unfortunately you can’t simply trust who they say they are)
2. INFORM – Educate reporters on the laws surrounding privacy between clergy and the faithful
3. PROTECT – Don’t put your elders’ and church leaders’ contact information (phone #s and emails) on the website unless you know they can handle the media
4. INQUIRE – Find out what you can as far as the reporter’s angle on the story.  Do they want a factual representation or a simple juicy quote?
5. INFORM – Develop a well-worded, information-rich Q&A section on your website so that reporters can gather information about your church without making stuff up or bothering you with petty details about your brand of church
6. MANAGE – Know how to give an interview so as to help ensure the story gets covered like you want- and understand what a soundbite is and what they are looking for (hint: they are not looking for long answers!)
7. DOCUMENT – Record the interview yourself – for accountability and protection (don’t just let the reporter record it!)

Perhaps your local media may not be as aggressive as some of the national media, but it is nevertheless important to know how to communicate with the media to maximize YOUR side of the story (they have their own idea of what they are going to do with the information).

Unfortunately, sometimes it is the church scandal or crisis that brings media knocking at your door . . . do you have any plan in place for how you might handle them when they come?  “No comment” rarely communicates anything but guilt and often just leads to more suspicion and speculation. Look at this article and notice the section “Know What to Say to the Media” – good stuff to consider.  As recommended, seek professional help or counsel in advance to help your church prepare proactively.

Every now and then positive efforts by your church will get noticed – are you positioned to proactively tell your story, share your message and provide the media the information in a manner in which they can actually use it?  This is a strategic way of maximizing your communication!

If you have had significant experience in dealing with media in your church, we’d love to schedule a conversation with you about an upcoming podcast on the issue of churches and dealing with the media.

Check out the full above-mentioned article entitled, “Palin’s Pastor Meets the Press.”