Communication is essential on a ministry team.  Email is a blessing, but it can be counter productive if used poorly.  Please remember these tips when emailing, especially in the church office:

1.  Make your primary communication method verbal and in person.  Make healthy relationships a high priority.  Talk with coworkers in person.

2.  Never use email when you are upset to “let someone have it.”  If you cannot share emotional information with someone face to face, wait, collect your thoughts, pray, and set up a time to meet.

3.  Be extremely careful with sarcasm and joking.  Without seeing nonverbals, and context of the message, something that was meant to be funny could backfire in a huge way.

4.  Remember, once you hit the send button, it is out there.  What you meant to be private or restricted, even with disclaimers, can’t really be retrieved.

In a day of Instant Messaging, and emails, use them for great benefit, but don’t neglect personal face to face relationships.