Baptist Communicators Association

Welcome to the BCA Website

This website was created by and for the members of the Baptist Communicators Association to enhance their professional knowledge and to serve as a networking tool among its members.

BCA is a national professional organization of persons who serve in editorial, public relations, electronic media, photography, management, marketing and graphic design positions principally within Baptist agencies and institutions.

The organization exists to inspire, inform and educate its more than 250 members who serve in these communications roles.

Each year, a BCA-sponsored workshop offers professional development and networking opportunities for Baptist communicators. In 2009, that workshop will be held April 15-18 in Nashville, Tenn., with a theme “Finding Your Voice.”

A national awards competition held annually encourages professional excellence among association members and recognizes members who have done exemplary work.

And this BCA Website provides a forum for members to share ideas and inspiration as members share case studies, resources and examples of good work. It also serves as an avenue for members to network and communicate with their counterparts across the nation.

Because this is your Website, look through it, consider your own work and see how you can plug into BCA.


Welcome to the BCA Website This website was created by and for the members of the Baptist Communicators Association to enhance their professional knowledge and to serve as a networking tool among its members. BCA is a national professional organization of persons who serve in editorial, public relations, electronic media, photography, management, marketing and graphic design positions principally within Baptist agencies and institutions. The organization exists to inspire, inform and educate its more than 250 members who serve in these communications roles. Each year, a BCA-sponsored workshop offers professional development and networking opportunities for Baptist communicators. In 2009, that workshop will be held April 15-18 in Nashville, Tenn., with a theme “Finding Your Voice.” A national awards competition held annually encourages professional excellence among association members and recognizes members who have done exemplary work. And this BCA Website provides a forum for members to share ideas and inspiration as members share case studies, resources and examples of good work. It also serves as an avenue for members to network and communicate with their counterparts across the nation. Because this is your Website, look through it, consider your own work and see how you can plug into BCA.	Recent News	The BCA Blog	Editorial Electronic Media Graphic Design Management Marketing Photography Public Relations
	Renew or Join Today! Do you want to . . . . Stay on top of emerging communication trends and Baptist news? Extend your Baptist network while increasing your communication knowledge? Strengthen your career in Baptist communications? If so, then get on the inside track to a bright future by becoming a new member or renewing your membership in the Baptist Communicators Association today! Chicago BCA/RCC Conference Wrap-up Take the Post-Workshop Survey! 2010 Wilmer C. Fields Award Winners (.pdf) Conference Resources: How To Not "Stink" - Lessons from the folks behind the popular blog "Church Marketing "Stinks" (.mp3) Presenters: Brad Abare, Michael Buckingham Great Commission Resurgence Report (.mp3) - Ronnie Floyd There's an App for That: Getting the Most Out of Your Smart Phone (.pdf) - Chris Mills, Lauren Rodriguez Keith Beene Educational Endowment Update How do you honor the memory of a friend and colleague who died an unexpected and untimely death? Saddened from the sudden death in November 2007 of longtime friend and BCA administrator Keith Beene, BCA members voted in April 2009 to establish an educational endowment in his memory. Earnings from the resulting endowment will subsidize the annual scholarships awarded by BCA. The fund was established at the initiative of BCA member Kim Quinn through the Missouri Baptist Foundation, which will retain the funds and manage the account. The Foundation has pledged a matching $5,000 grant... READ MORE BCA Members 'Embrace Change' in Chicago Close to 60 Baptist communicators joined religious communicators from throughout the world for RCCongress 2010 in Chicago. BCA held its annual workshop in conjunction with the once-a-decade event. The theme for the event was Embracing Change: Communicating Faith in Today's World. Gathering from 14 states, BCA members kicked off the annual workshop on Tuesday evening, April 6, with an authentic Chicago-style hot dog dinner and a trolley tour of the Windy City. The rest of the week was packed with workshops, business sessions, forums and idea-sharing. One new feature this year was... READ MORE Awards Competition A much-anticipated aspect of BCA's annual workshop is the Wilmer C. Fields Awards Competition where Baptist communicators are recognized for exceptional achievement. This year, renowned musician Ken Medema provided entertainment for the awards banquet. Seven BCA members were recognized as grand prize winners: Norman Jameson, Biblical Recorder, the Frank Burkhalter award for significant achievement in religious news writing; Phyllis Evans and Institutional Advancement Team, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, the Arthur S. Davenport ... READ MORE Mission Project Also this year participants made financial donations and gathered toiletry items for Circle of Love, a ministry in Chicago that helps homeless women and children. Tanya Vargas, founder of the ministry, shared the purpose and background of the ministry and accepted donations of $507 and a bag of toiletries. BCA members who would still like to contribute can: Give financially. Make checks payable to Armitage Baptist Church; in the memo section write, Circle of Love. Give gift cards to large retail stores and drug stores, such as Wal-Mart or Walgreens. Give toiletr... READ MORE Officers 2010-11 The organization, more than 50 years old and about 250 members strong, also elected new officers for 2010-11. They are: President: Bill Bangham, International Mission Board, bbangham@imb.org President-Elect: Julie McGowan, Oklahoma Baptist University, julie.mcgowan@okbu.edu Program Co-Chairs: Tim Yarbrough, North American Mission Board, tyarbrough@namb.net; Mike Ebert, North American Mission Board, mebert@namb.net Program Chair-Elect: Rand Jenkins, Baptist General Convention of Texas,... READ MORE MORE NEWS	DANNAH PRATHER, MEMBER Memorial Golf Tournament The Northern Kentucky Baptist Association is hosting a golf outing June 24 in memory of Cavella Robbins, a member of BCA who died Feb. 16. Cavella served the association as facilitator of communications. Her husband, Rick, is director of missions. Proceeds from the golf outing will support children's ministries in the Northern Kentucky area. BCA members who live outside the area but would l... READ MORE DEANNE CARTER, MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR Reasons to Stream Video on Your Website Since the earthquake in Haiti recently, I have lost count of how many video images of the destruction I have seen. During the past few weeks, in an effort to keep up with the unfolding events, I discovered that, like many other people, I am watching the news when it is most convenient for me - during a lunch break, in between classes, or catching up after a very busy week. I am also watching the... READ MORE STACEY HAMBY, MISSIONS VICE PRESIDENT Connecting Missionaries' Communications Needs with Communications Specialists We all know God has given us each different gifts with which to serve Him while we're passing through this life. Sometimes, though, I'm learning my gifts could be used for so much more than what I'm already doing. As communicators, we use our gifts every day to advance the kingdom. We are behind the scenes mostly, but nonetheless, we are using the gifts God gave us. I love knowing that something I... READ MORE KELLY DURHAM HOPKINS, COMMUNICATIONS VICE PRESIDENT Which medium works best for you? According to a popular church marketing website they found nearly half the audience of a web site doesn't get their content on the web site. Up next was the 24% who turn to RSS. After that comes social media with 14% enjoying @cmsucks on Twitter and 8% partaking on Facebook. Take our poll: Which medium do you think best works for you for your BCA news and relationships? Right ... READ MORE MARGARET DEMPSEY-COLSON, ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR Continuing Education Conferences Traffic. Economy. Time. Budget cuts. Schedule. Workload. It can be tough these days to attend a continuing education conference - especially if it's out of town! Good news - we're all in the same boat. You're not floating out there alone. Your BCA officers met recently and considered some great ideas to help our members with this issue. While we're still in the early planning stages, potent... READ MORE MORE BLOGS
© 2009 Baptist Communicators Association