Fishhook

Happy Friday, church leaders! As you gear up for the weekend, remember Psalm 55:22: “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”

Take a moment to lay your burdens down and trust that God will sustain you.

Your steadfastness is a blessing to all.

Sometimes you just have so much to celebrate you turn it into a Happy Everything party!

We celebrated , and ’s birthdays!

We celebrated and his 3 years on the Fishhook team!

And we celebrated a new Fishhook team member! Help us welcome ! (Mark is actually returning to our team after an internship he did with us 10 years ago.)

Happy everything! We hope you are celebrating something too!

In this mid-summer season, with people coming and going for vacations, let’s remind ourselves of the steadfast presence of God in our lives.

“The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” - Psalm 121:8

Church leaders, your dedication and love provide a constant source of encouragement and strength to your congregations.

You and your work matter.

While on vacation in the Bahamas, saw some of our clients’ swag out in the wild! We love partnering with our friends at !

We love worshiping with our partner churches! On Sunday, Kyle got to visit the beautiful campus of Tabernacle Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis.

We’re excited to help them take steps forward in communication through a Communication Evaluation. If you’re interested in learning more about a Communication Evaluation, DM us and we will share more about the process!

Eastpoint Christian Church is a thriving ministry in Portland, ME. They want people in their community to know God, find freedom, engage community and share their story as they walk with Jesus.

Through our retainer relationship with Eastpoint, Fishhook has worked on various designs to support their student ministry, all-church gatherings and community outreach events. We have loved being an extension of their ministry team to help them solve problems through design and communication strategy!

As we move into the summer, let’s look back at the past season of ministry and even where you are today to pause, reflect and rejoice! God has moved in ways only he can do. He has used you, as a church leader, and used your people to glorify Him and make Him known.

So whether you are reflecting back on a meaningful sermon series post-Easter, recent baptisms, or you are in the midst of VBS, what are you rejoicing in? What are you grateful for? Then, we pray you can take a deep breath and may your soul be at rest. Ministry is hard and it is good. Let’s pause and rest; and then let’s keep going.

Learn how to build awareness and serve your community during the summer months to connect with people and make a positive impact. Join us in creating meaningful outreach efforts in your church.

We’re sharing all about this on our blog. Read more at the link in our bio. 🔗

The Fishhook team will be attending hosted by in August. Our team loves partnering with them and will be a sponsor at the conference. (Come see us at our booth if you attend!)

Today’s task is packing stickers and Swedish Fish for all the attendees’ conference bags.

Looking forward to August!

As we approach Memorial Day, let’s remember the incredible sacrifices made by so many. As church leaders, let’s honor their legacy by leading with courage and compassion.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” - John 15:13.

Keep inspiring and serving your communities with love and dedication.

Our team loves being onsite with our clients!

This week, , and had a fun visit with our friends at in Sugar Hill, GA.

Our team got in a worship visit and a fun Shark Tank style brainstorming session with their team.

GIVEAWAY!!! Church leaders - As you move into your weekend, we want you to know you are amazing! And we think you deserve a taco for all the awesome stuff you are doing and will continue to do!

Comment on this post to enter yourself to win a $50 gift card for tacos at your favorite place! To get yourself additional entries, tag another church leader that deserves a taco (that will get them an entry too!) and share this post.

Winner announced Monday afternoon!!!

Hospitality isn’t just a nicety — it’s a crucial aspect of church ministry, rooted in the very essence of Christ’s love and community. Hebrews 13:2 reminds us, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” 

At Fishhook, we understand the importance of intentional hospitality in church ministry. That’s why we’re committed to helping churches create welcoming environments where every guest feels valued, supported and inspired both in person and online.

Through our worship experiences over the years with our church clients, we’ve witnessed firsthand the profound impact that hospitality can have on first-time guests. It’s not just about making them feel welcomed; it’s about creating an environment where they feel comfortable, valued and eager to return.

We’re sharing all about this on our blog. Read more at the link in our bio.

Choosing the Right Website Content Management System for Your Church

When it comes to building a strong online presence for your church, selecting the right website content management system (CMS) is so important.

With a whole host of options available, it can be overwhelming to determine which platform best suits your church’s needs.

To help guide you through the decision-making process, we’ve outlined three popular CMS options tailored specifically for churches that our Fishhook team suggests over and over again.

Read more: https://www.fishhook.us/articles/choosing-the-right-website-content-management-system-for-your-church

Park Chapel Christian Church is a neighborhood church with a heart for the world. Located just east of Indianapolis in Greenfield, IN. Park Chapel is more than a church—it’s a community of Christ-like compassion. They’re passionate about seeing and meeting the needs of those around them. They extend love, care and practical support to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others.

Our Fishhook team was honored to walk alongside them to launch a new brand that tells their story. One of helping others see the “Good news that is bigger than us.”

We love adding to our team! And we’re looking for a couple new pals to help us bring value to churches and ministries!

We’re currently hiring for two roles:
Account Director/Marketing Manager
Digital Specialist
�Could it be you?

Apply at Fishhook.us/jobs

This week, our full Fishhook team came together in person for Team Week, reminding us of the power of community and shared purpose.

Let’s prioritize time together, encouraging and supporting one another as we serve in God’s kingdom.

A fun launch weekend for new branding this weekend!

At Cornerstone Christian, they want to Notice. Name. Know. each other and Jesus. They aim to Notice the Unnoticed, Name them as friends and Know them like Family - as they Notice Jesus, Name him as Lord and truly Know him.

We’re grateful to have been a part of it!

As church leaders, let’s lead with joy and enthusiasm, inspiring our staff and congregation to embrace the abundant life in Christ.

Remember 1 Thessalonians 5:16: ‘Rejoice always.’ Let’s cultivate an atmosphere of joy, gratitude and celebration as we serve together in God’s kingdom!

You and your work matter.

We don’t know about you, but one of the hardest things about ministry is when you’re running hard, but not seeing results quickly.

Spiritual growth is not something that happens overnight, and in fact, it may seem like it takes years to see any progress at all! I don’t think we’ve ever talked to a ministry leader who doesn’t share this feeling and it can be defeating without a fuller perspective.

We’ve been thinking about how prioritizing a digital strategy can feel this way for communications leaders, because you don’t see the results of it in a couple days, a couple weeks or even a couple months. Developing and implementing a great digital strategy will be something that requires you to keep the long-play in mind. It’s in the steadily consistent experimenting and adapting that you begin to see progress over time.

At Fishhook, we love a great digital strategy. A digital strategy has to do with the ways you’re choosing and using your digital tools (website, social media, email, etc.) to engage with people in the digital world we live in.

We’re diving into this on our blog. Link in bio. 🔗

In the world of leadership, guidance often comes from unexpected sources. For Shayla, a pivotal piece of advice came in a twist of a quote from the movie Elf.

You know the scene in the film Elf, the main character Buddy, played by Will Ferrell, admits to his boss, the department store manager where he works, that “smiling is his favorite.” The manager then responds, “Make work your favorite.”

For our leadership at Fishhook, she was told by Fishhook’s founder to “make people your favorite,” a phrase that has profoundly influenced her approach to leading a team.

🔗 Read her full sharing on Fishhook’s blog.

https://www.fishhook.us/articles/make-people-your-favorite-a-leadership-lesson-from-elf

Do you genuinely care about others? Do you look for ways to serve your team? Do you actively encourage others to move forward together?

Motivating others begins in your own heart whatever your role is on your team. Every leader and every team member plays a role! 

So how do you motivate employees to go the extra mile … it starts with mindset.

For , Fishhook’s Managing Partner, encouraging our team is a top priority in her daily rhythm. She loves the full team and she prays for each person and their family. It’s not always easy and she says she can even get discouraged.

Yet she (and we) aim for empathy, aim for trusting relationships, and aim for growth and progress together.

Read more on our blog. Link in bio. 🔗

It was an honor to receive the Seamless Roofing LLC Impact Through Employee Engagement Award at the annual Nexus event.

It’s special because we do care so much about our team and the impact we hope we are making in the work that we do.

Thank you, Nexus Impact Center! We're honored!

🏆 Help us congratulate Adam on winning Fishhook’s bracket competition for the NCAA tournament. His prize - a pizza party his whole family can enjoy! 🍕

Adam said he worked hard on making his picks this year using a full two minutes of time. Glad the hard work paid off! 😆

Church leader - The work of ministry is hard, laborious, hard to see, usually takes longer than we want, etc.

BUT, God is faithful.

He is working behind the scenes in ways we can’t see and may never see to restore, revive and reconcile things that are not as they should be.

Be encouraged to keep at it. You and your work matter.

The Seven Deadly Sins ☠️ and Seven Noble Virtues of Church Communications 🙏

No matter the denomination, size or setting, each church faces the challenge of communicating effectively with its congregation and community.

At Fishhook, we are often invited to “open up the hood” of a church’s communications efforts to assess how things are going. Then, we create a roadmap for improvement. We strive to understand how communications works internally with a church’s staff and leaders and as they communicate with their congregation and communities. We find unique things at each church, but there are often overlapping communications issues or themes that many churches are working to overcome.

And just as the Seven Deadly Sins have been considered “gateway sins” leading to other sins, communication missteps within a church can open the door to a host of problems. Therefore, we want to call out a few of these missteps with the aim that the local church can more effectively connect and encourage others as they share the hope and love of Jesus.

Then, we’ll also add a positive perspective—the Seven Noble Virtues. By living out these virtues, churches can cultivate a communication strategy that encourages connection, understanding and ministry growth.

Read the full blog post as we unpack each sin and virtue and follow Fishhook on Instagram for our video series.

https://www.fishhook.us/articles/seven-deadly-sins-and-noble-virtues-of-church-communications

Is there anything we can learn from crazes like Tayvis (Taylor + Travis) that may point to something deeper that people are longing for?

On the blog we’re sharing how ministry leaders should pay attention to the news and culture to lead more effectively.

Read the blog here: https://www.fishhook.us/articles/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-and-the-longing-for-more

Happy Easter from all your friends at Fishhook!

May this Sunday day be filled with hope, love and the joy of the resurrection.

Crucified With Christ: The Way of the Cross

Day 10 - The Death of Jesus
God’s presence is brightest in darkest times.

Reflect on the significance of this moment. In the darkest hour of history, the presence of God breaks through as the temple curtain is torn in two.

Are you weary, overwhelmed, or at the end of yourself? Jesus invites you to find rest in him. He is near to the brokenhearted, your shelter, and refuge.

Let’s thank God for his victorious light in the darkest times. May we remain with him, trust in his presence, and seek him in every moment of our lives.

Read the full devo: https://www.fishhook.us/articles/crucified-with-christ-the-way-of-the-cross

Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

As we enter into Easter weekend, let’s take a moment to pause and reflect on the significance of Good Friday.

On this day, we remember the ultimate sacrifice made by our Savior, Jesus Christ. His selfless act of love on the cross is a reminder of God’s incredible grace and redemption.

Church leaders, as you prepare to lead your congregations through this Easter weekend, may you find strength and inspiration in the message of Good Friday. Let’s embrace the opportunity to share the transformative power of Christ’s sacrifice with our communities.

You and your work matter.

https://www.fishhook.us/articles/the-unhurried-easter-season