Activity: Artifact Critique

Every communication tells a story about what matters to a church. It could be a sermon slide, email, bulletin, Instagram post, etc. In this assignment, you will collect real communication examples from a church or ministry setting and analyze how effectively they reflect the church’s mission, values, and leadership voice.

1. Collect 3–5 communication artifacts from a real church or ministry (your own or another). These can include:
• A worship bulletin or program
• An all-church email or announcement
• A slide or image from a sermon or teaching
• A church social media post
• A printed flyer or event handout
• A section of the church website
• A welcome script or newsletter
2. For each artifact, write a short analysis (150–200 words):
   Address the following:
• What was the goal of the communication?
  (e.g., inform, inspire, mobilize, welcome, instruct)
• Was the message clear and compelling?
  Consider tone, language, structure, and design.
• Was it aligned with the church’s mission and values? Does it reflect shared values, a sense of community, or clear theological priorities?
• What worked well, and what could have been stronger? Offer constructive observations – not just critique, but suggestions for improvement.
3. Final Reflection (300 words):
   Step back and reflect on the set of communications as a whole:
• What do they reveal about the church’s communication style, tone, and values?
• Do they build community, clarity, and energy—or confusion and disconnection?
• What patterns did you notice in how the church expresses vision, gratitude, or encouragement?
• How do these examples illustrate or fall short of the leadership habits described by Kouzes and Posner—especially “Model the Way,” “Encourage the Heart,” and “Inspire a Shared Vision”?