A friend of mine has often joked over the years to me that newspapers have been causing problems since Jesus walked upon the earth. He attempts to prove his point with the passage in Luke 19 about Zaccheus which says, “And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press.”

The “press,” or more specificially the local newspaper, can be an excellent means for churches to tell their communities about programs, projects, successes and mission endeavors. But too often the local newspaper is the last thing on the mind of church leaders. That is unfortunate because the newspaper, in many cases, could be a wonderful ally to influence someone to drop in to see just what is going on at that church that they may have read about in the newspaper.

The travails of the major market newspapers have been well documented these days, including declining circulation and migration of advertisers to other media, such as the Internet. On the other hand, community newspapers are thriving. That’s because their franchise is local news; their mantra is the more local the news, the better.

In many cases, all it takes is to nurture a relationship with the local media, then follow up by being a helpful information source to the newspaper. Here are a few ideas for church leaders to consider:

• Newspapers are more concerned with people stories than sermons. Provide your local newspaper with information about people in your congregation and what they are doing. Perhaps a member has gone through a great trial and now has an inspiring story to tell about it. Let the newspaper know the basics and offer to arrange for a reporter to talk with the person or family involved. If you enter into a building program, let the newspaper know about it. If you begin a new ministry, give the newspaper all the pertinent details. When your church calls a new staff member, provide a picture and bio of that person.
  
  
• Do not become discouraged if you offer a suggestion to the newspaper and the story idea does not make it into print. Keep communicating with the paper and ask for advice. And be sure to give the newspaper sufficient notice about an upcoming event—do not make it appear as though the newspaper is an afterthought.
  
  
• Whenever possible, take pictures of activities you believe the general public would find interesting and offer those photos to the newspaper. Digital cameras are inexpensive and are capable of taking pictures suitable for newspaper use. Find out who to submit the photos to and be sure to provide information about the photos, especially identifying those people who are pictured. If you are recognizing a staff member for longevity of service, take a photo and submit it to the paper.
  
  
• In many situations, churches want newspaper publicity, but there is no one to spearhead that effort. Staff members find they often do not have the time. So identify someone in the congregation who is gifted in that area and ask for that person’s help.
  
  
• Send a copy of your church newsletter to the local newspaper. Many times, the newspaper staff will see a story idea that you might not have thought about.
  
  
• Finally, take advantage of letters to the editor as a way of taking biblical stands on moral issues in the community. But be sure to follow the advice of our Founding Fathers, many of whom argued both from the biblical and the secular perspectives.

Chip Hutcheson is publisher of the Princeton Times Leader and a member of Southside Baptist Church in Princeton