"Influencing Like Jesus"
Thursday, October 14, 2021 — noon to 4 p.m. EDT
Friday, October 15, 2021 — noon to 4 p.m. EDT
Virtual Conference
It's been a hard 18 months for communicators.
During the pandemic (which seems to go on and on) we've needed to do more communicating than usual—often on the fly, sometimes without enough resources, frequently without a clear sense of the future, all the while developing new ways to connect with people as we respond to new pandemic-related circumstances.
Through it all, one thing has been the same: The need to communicate in a way that is clear and catches attention, and that helps people understand, in non-threatening ways, the things we are trying to say so they can continue to give, volunteer, register, attend or pray.
The Jesus way of communicating, you might say.
But how to do that today? And how can we do that while maintaining our own Christ-like spirit and attitude in our work?
Join with other members of Anabaptist Communicators for our 2021 Conference (Lite), noon to 4 p.m. EDT on Oct. 14-15 for information and inspiration to help you communicate and influence like Jesus (without losing your mind).
The keynote speaker is Michael Zigarelli, a professor at Messiah University and author of the book Influencing Like Jesus: 15 Principles of Persuasion.
There will be three panels with presentations from members of Anabaptist Communicators—people with experience on the ground.
Influencing Like Jesus To Reach Constituents and Supporters. Across Canada and the U.S., attendance and membership in congregations is falling. Circulation of church publications is declining, too. At the same time, there is so much information vying for everyone's attention. How do we connect with people we want to reach? How can we capture their attention and be heard?
Influencing Like Jesus Through Social Media. Social media is our friend—and also our challenge. It brings people together and forces them apart. Even when a platform like Facebook is working well, it only reaches a fraction of those who follow our pages. What things should we know about how to use social media well? How can we avoid some of its pitfalls?
Influencing Like Jesus as We Come Back Together. We’ve been apart a long time! And even as we look forward to getting together again more regularly, some are worried and anxious about gathering with groups or crowds. How do we plan for a return to “normal?” What lessons has our time apart taught us? What messages do we need to send?
Along with the keynote and panels, there will also be an affinity group meeting—a chance to connect with people doing similar work over the conference theme.
The schedule for the two days includes:
Oct. 14 (all times ET)
Noon-1 PM: Keynote #1 with Michael Zigarelli, Q&A
1-1:15 PM: Break
1:15-2:15 PM: Panel - Influencing like Jesus as we come back together
2:15-2:30 PM: Break
2:30-3:30 PM: Panel - Influencing like Jesus when using social media
3:30-3:45 PM: Break
3:45-4:30 PM: Anabaptist Communicators Annual Meeting
Oct. 15 (all times ET)
Noon-1 PM: Affinity Groups
1-2:15 PM: Keynote #2 with Michael Zigarelli, Q&A
2:15-2:30 PM: Break
2:30-3:30 PM: Panel - Influencing like Jesus to reach constituents and supporters
3:30-4:00 PM: Wrap-up
During the pandemic (which seems to go on and on) we've needed to do more communicating than usual—often on the fly, sometimes without enough resources, frequently without a clear sense of the future, all the while developing new ways to connect with people as we respond to new pandemic-related circumstances.
Through it all, one thing has been the same: The need to communicate in a way that is clear and catches attention, and that helps people understand, in non-threatening ways, the things we are trying to say so they can continue to give, volunteer, register, attend or pray.
The Jesus way of communicating, you might say.
But how to do that today? And how can we do that while maintaining our own Christ-like spirit and attitude in our work?
Join with other members of Anabaptist Communicators for our 2021 Conference (Lite), noon to 4 p.m. EDT on Oct. 14-15 for information and inspiration to help you communicate and influence like Jesus (without losing your mind).
The keynote speaker is Michael Zigarelli, a professor at Messiah University and author of the book Influencing Like Jesus: 15 Principles of Persuasion.
There will be three panels with presentations from members of Anabaptist Communicators—people with experience on the ground.
Influencing Like Jesus To Reach Constituents and Supporters. Across Canada and the U.S., attendance and membership in congregations is falling. Circulation of church publications is declining, too. At the same time, there is so much information vying for everyone's attention. How do we connect with people we want to reach? How can we capture their attention and be heard?
Influencing Like Jesus Through Social Media. Social media is our friend—and also our challenge. It brings people together and forces them apart. Even when a platform like Facebook is working well, it only reaches a fraction of those who follow our pages. What things should we know about how to use social media well? How can we avoid some of its pitfalls?
Influencing Like Jesus as We Come Back Together. We’ve been apart a long time! And even as we look forward to getting together again more regularly, some are worried and anxious about gathering with groups or crowds. How do we plan for a return to “normal?” What lessons has our time apart taught us? What messages do we need to send?
Along with the keynote and panels, there will also be an affinity group meeting—a chance to connect with people doing similar work over the conference theme.
The schedule for the two days includes:
Oct. 14 (all times ET)
Noon-1 PM: Keynote #1 with Michael Zigarelli, Q&A
1-1:15 PM: Break
1:15-2:15 PM: Panel - Influencing like Jesus as we come back together
2:15-2:30 PM: Break
2:30-3:30 PM: Panel - Influencing like Jesus when using social media
3:30-3:45 PM: Break
3:45-4:30 PM: Anabaptist Communicators Annual Meeting
Oct. 15 (all times ET)
Noon-1 PM: Affinity Groups
1-2:15 PM: Keynote #2 with Michael Zigarelli, Q&A
2:15-2:30 PM: Break
2:30-3:30 PM: Panel - Influencing like Jesus to reach constituents and supporters
3:30-4:00 PM: Wrap-up
Cost is $25 USD for Anabaptist Communicators members, $50 USD for non-members, students in communications or journalism programs are free.
AC Members, check your email or visit the Membership Portal for your $25 off discount code! | Students, email us to receive a free conference registration!
Thank you to this year's conference sponsors!
MWC Assembly Indonesia 2022 will be in person and online. Join us for this worldwide family reunion.
AC's annual conferences provide a rare, valuable opportunity for people working in the faith-based communications space to share ideas, challenges, questions and keep up to date with trends and best practices within Anabaptist organizations across North America."
–Mike Strathdee, MEDA
Anabaptist Communicators Conferences Include:
Affinity GroupsConnect with people who really understand the work you do. Share your successes, challenges, and projects you're working on during meet-up times! Groups include:
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