This post is a part of the “One Thing” series. Often we feel like we have to take drastic steps in our life or church to see significant change, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes the small things create the biggest impact. In this series, we’ll focus on “One Thing” you can do that will get you and your church moving in the right direction.

Despite the rise in social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, email remains the best online tool for communicating with a larger audience.

Now, I’m assuming all of you reading this know how to use email, but does your church have an email newsletter? If not, you should, and here are a few reasons why.

1. It saves time and looks more professional than regular email.
2. It can encourage people to take next steps, such as reading their Bible, praying with their kids, or signing up to begin serving.
3. It can increase traffic to your church website or social media accounts.
4. It can increase church attendance by giving a preview of what’s to come the following week.
5. It’s free and easy to get started.

There are several different email newsletter services you can use including AWeber, Constant Contact, and Mailchimp, just to name a few.

I highly recommend Mailchimp. It’s easy to use and free up to 2,000 subscribers. Here’s what you’ll need to do to get started.

Step One

Go online to mailchimp.com, and click “Sign Up Free.” Type in your email, choose a username and password, and click “Create My Account.” It takes less than 30 seconds.

Step Two

Check your inbox for an email from Mailchimp. Open the email and click “Activate Account.” Confirm you’re not a robot, and you’re ready to go. On the next page, you’ll need to enter all the information about yourself and your organization.

Pay careful attention to the question, “Do you have a list of emails to import into Mailchimp?” Hopefully, you’ve been using a connection card on Sunday mornings, so you already have a list of emails ready to import. If not, start using a connection card as soon as possible so you can collect this type of information.

Don’t forget to check the box beside, “Subscribe to Mailchimp Getting Started Emails.” Those emails will come in handy. Ok, you should be ready to click “Save and Get Started.”

Step Three

Real quick, go back to your inbox and look for the Welcome to Mailchimp email. This email will walk you through importing your list, creating campaigns, running reports and more.

Alright, at this point, you should be good to go. All you need to do is decide on your content. You can use your newsletters to tell your congregation about upcoming series, send them devotionals, or spotlight a volunteer. The opportunities are endless. I can’t wait to hear about how you connect.

If you have any questions about setting up Mailchimp or just have a comment, please let me know. I’d love to serve you better.