Third Thursdays Webinars
Free monthly educational programs on a wide range of topics
Just as our Publishing Company and Adjunct Company Members have had to adapt to changing technologies, sales channels and reading habits of our customers, PCPA has adapted, too, by launching our Third Thursdays webinar program!
As the name implies, these are 1-hour educational webinars on a wide range of topics of interest to those publishing for Protestant Christians. Generally, the facilitator speaks or offers a PowerPoint or video for 20 to 40 minutes, then the balance of the time is reserved for discussion and Q&A among the participants.
In addition, from time to time, we offer special webinars on timely topics on a day other than the "Third Thursday" of the month. These are also listed below in date order.
Upcoming Webinars
Register to attend these upcoming webinars, which are all FREE for employees of PCPA member companies and are generally available about one week after the event at the PCPA Vimeo channel.
Developing Innovative Projects for Grants
Thursday, January 16, 2025
Please note the slight time change for our January webinar
1:30-2:30 p.m. ET/12:30-1:30 p.m. CT/10:30-11:30 a.m. PT
Webinar leader:
Karen-Marie Yust,
Josiah P. and Anne Wilson Rowe Professor of Christian Education at Union Presbyterian Seminary
In her teaching and research, Karen-Marie focuses on nurturing spirituality and encouraging theological reflection intergenerationally and across the lifespan. Her current research explores the effects of digital culture on spirituality, particularly among children, youth and young adults. She draws from findings in media studies, developmental psychology, and educational theory to describe how online participation shapes personal identity and communal relationships and then reflect theologically on how the Church might respond constructively to the realities of contemporary life.
She is also exploring the changing dynamics of congregational life and asking how these changes offer opportunities to develop new approaches to faith formation and new foci for educational ministries. She is interested in taking Christian education outside traditional programs to other venues, such as online sites and non-religious gathering spaces.
Karen-Marie has a great deal of expertise in grant-writing and grant-awarding and was recommended to PCPA by leaders at the Lilly Endowment.
An experienced pastor and Christian educator, Karen-Marie is ordained with dual standing in the United Church of Christ and Disciples traditions.
Description:
Grantors like to fund projects that reflect innovative ideas and collaborative partnerships. They appreciate contextual awareness and signs that prospective grantees are able to incorporate contemporary psychosocial research and educational frameworks in their work. This webinar will explore what makes a project innovative and how to frame grant proposals that demonstrate your ability to conceptualize, plan, implement, and assess a project that will make a difference. Think of it as an Innovation 101 primer.
Following the webinar, participants will be able to:
• Identify specific features of an innovation idea
• Recognize components of an innovative grant proposal
• Assess ideas/projects they have been considering in terms of their innovative potential
Who should attend:
Publishers, development professionals, editors, marketers, and grant writers
Going Beyond Clicks: Guiding Your Audience from Interest to Action
Thursday, February 20, 2025
1-2 p.m. ET/noon-1 p.m. CT/10-11 a.m. PT
Webinar leader:
Katie Nguyen is the Social & Digital Marketing Director for PCPA Adjunct Member and Silver Workshop Sponsor FrontGate Media.
Katie has over 25 years of sales and marketing experience. She currently works for FrontGate Media helping Faith-Based businesses/non-profits connect with Faith-Based audiences by developing and executing digital marketing strategies and creating content that produce results. Her focus is growing and engaging social audiences, recruiting donors, selling product, and generating leads.
Her approach is unique because she knows successful Digital Marketing is more than just strategy and execution, it focuses on content that invites customers into your vision in a way that adds value to their lives
Description:
In today’s saturated digital marketplace, capturing clicks is just the beginning. This webinar explores actionable strategies to move your faith-based audience from mere engagement to making meaningful purchases. Learn how to align your marketing funnel with Christian values while fostering trust, building relationships, and driving conversions that reflect both purpose and profit.
Outcomes for Attendees:
- Understand the psychology behind audience decision-making in faith-based markets.
- Learn practical strategies to nurture leads and convert them into loyal customers.
- Discover how to align conversion tactics with Christian principles to foster authentic connections.
- Gain insights into optimizing your marketing funnel for long-term impact
Who should attend:
- Marketers and social media managers in Christian organizations.
- Entrepreneurs and business owners serving faith-based communities.
- Content creators, editors, and copywriters crafting messaging for Christian audiences.
- Church leaders, ministry staff, and event planners seeking to promote products or services.
- Designers and developers working on faith-driven campaigns or e-commerce platforms.
Title TBD
Thursday, March 20, 2025
1-2 p.m. ET/noon-1 p.m. CT/10-11 a.m. PT
A webinar to be led by David Hetherington, Vice President-Global Business Development for PCPA Adjunct Member and Platinum Sponsor Books International
New Understandings of Children’s Development
Thursday, May 15, 2025
Please note the slight time change for our May webinar
1:30-2:30 p.m. ET/12:30-1:30 p.m. CT/10:30-11:30 a.m. PT
Webinar leader:
Karen-Marie Yust,
Josiah P. and Anne Wilson Rowe Professor of Christian Education at Union Presbyterian Seminary
In her teaching and research, Karen-Marie focuses on nurturing spirituality and encouraging theological reflection intergenerationally and across the lifespan. Her current research explores the effects of digital culture on spirituality, particularly among children, youth and young adults. She draws from findings in media studies, developmental psychology, and educational theory to describe how online participation shapes personal identity and communal relationships and then reflect theologically on how the Church might respond constructively to the realities of contemporary life.
She is also exploring the changing dynamics of congregational life and asking how these changes offer opportunities to develop new approaches to faith formation and new foci for educational ministries. She is interested in taking Christian education outside traditional programs to other venues, such as online sites and non-religious gathering spaces.
An experienced pastor and Christian educator, Karen-Marie is ordained with dual standing in the United Church of Christ and Disciples traditions.
Description:
New technologies have helped developmental psychologists gain new insights into how children think and learn. That means curriculum writers and church school teachers need to update their understandings as well. This webinar will highlight research findings that move beyond the universal stage theories typically included in ages & stages charts. Together, we will explore the ways that children are much more capable of engaging in their own faith formation than previously believed. We’ll also discuss how this new way of looking at children might affect how we write and teach children’s ministries resources.
Following the webinar, participants will be able to:
• Identify problematic assumptions about children’s development that need to change
• Name several new findings about children’s development
• Recognize the implications of these findings for resource development and teaching
Who should attend:
Publishers, editors, designers, marketers, writers, pastors, church school teachers
Audiobooks: WHAT DO WE DO?
Thursday, July 17, 2025
1-2 p.m. ET/noon-1 p.m. CT/10-11 a.m. PT
Webinar leader:
John Behrens founded Nashville Audio Productions (NAP) in 2017, after years of engineering audiobooks on his own. He has been in Nashville since 2010, having happily left behind his original career in chemical engineering to produce audio.
When the work emails are done he loves being with his two boys and labradoodle, reading, cooking, and devouring history podcasts. Whether in music or audiobooks, he is passionate about drawing out people’s visions and bringing them to life with excellence.
Description:
This webinar aims to educate participants about the world of audiobooks so they can evaluate their company’s approach from a position of grounded knowledge and future-oriented strategy.
NAP has been producing hundreds of audiobooks for more than 6 years, for the likes of Harper-Collins Christian, Crossway, and MacMillan. Our goal is to demystify audiobooks for publishers and equip them to take the approach that best suits their company’s current needs and resources, with an awareness of the critical importance of audiobooks both now and in the years to come.
Who should attend:
C-Suite, operations, editors, rights, marketing, finance, and anyone who wants a clear understanding of the world of audiobooks.
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