BULLETIN COVERS THAT AID WORSHIP

"Many churches display their building on their worship folders," I heard another pastor comment in a course on church management, "but the church is so much more than a building."

His comment unearthed my buried dissatisfaction with most church bulletins: They don't lead people to worship.

My own church had been purchasing mass-produced bulletin covers that seldom pertained to either the particular Sunday's theme or the needs of the people. I began dreaming of relevant, worship-inspiring bulletin covers.

To the drawing board

Immediately the practical concerns hit. Even if I could dream up a new format for our worship folders, how would I get the idea produced?

"Talk to Ike Austin," a friend advised. "He's a print genius."

Over breakfast each week for the next three months, Ike—a photographer, artist, and designer—and I brainstormed ideas. We talked of depicting musical themes or reproducing religious drawings, but finally settled on using Scripture ...