RethinkChurch.org Writer Guidelines

This page offers useful information to help bring your story idea to fruition for RethinkChurch.org. Noteworthy stories could turn into any number of online formats and appear in any number of rotation content slots.

REQUIRED! You must be at least 18 years old to submit a story idea to RethinkChurch.org. You must have a complete IRS W9 form on file.

Advocacy & Engagement

RethinkChurch.org seeks to be a social catalyst and, to meet this goal, all content is developed to help move readers and members toward advocacy or engagement on a United Methodist initiative, whether local or global.

RethinkChurch.org is always open to personal faith perspectives, however the majority of our content seeks to offer a broad United Methodist perspective on current advertising themes and trending national topics. The stories we publish promote the mission of RethinkChurch.org in ways that create a distinct and immersive experience. We seek out dynamic storytelling, a unique angle, strong characters, and a visual narrative approach that entertains, fosters better understanding and inspires us to explore The United Methodist Church and care about our world through our faith.

We cover a broad range of faith-based topics focused by a compelling story arc. What's the reader's take-away? We look for a journey, a quest, a mystery. We strive to present multiple perspectives -- churched and unchurched -- across issues relevant to 18-34-year olds.
Topics include:

• everyday faith in everyday life
• faith insights and faith exploration
• faith-based stewardship and responsibility
• media reviews with faith aspects
• world cultures, contemporary subcultures, trending secular issues

If you have a blog series idea, we want to hear from you.

What Is Unique About RethinkChurch.org?

Strategically, RethinkChurch.org is the United Methodist engagement point with the 18-34-year old 'seeker' target audience.
Based on primary research findings, RethinkChurch.org is been positioned to fulfill a primary ‘advocacy’ and ‘engagement’ role. In understanding its target audience, RethinkChurch.org seeks to be proactive:

· By anticipating potential barriers with its target audience by being unexpected. Thinking unexpected gives RethinkChurch.org a unique lens to seek many perspectives and expressions of everyday faith of everyday people.

· By thinking like its target audience and being very social-centric. Thinking socially focuses RethinkChurch.org encouraging dialogue wherever the target audience is, and the need to be a United Methodist voice in the secular social landscape.

· By understanding its target audience and being relevant. Thinking relevance guides RethinkChurch.org in how it shapes its messaging – not just in style and tone, but always offering leading examples of how The United Methodist Church continues to live out its inclusiveness and faith-in-action nature – both in the moment and going forward.

Engagement on RethinkChurch.org framed by these three influences:

· Rethink advertising flights

· Major denominational initiatives

· Trending secular issues

Content and social messaging on RethinkChurch.org seeks to answer these questions in the minds of our target audience:

1.  What is the state of this issue today?

2.   What does The United Methodist Church say on this issue?

3.   What are UM successes/hope for this issue?

4.   What can [you] do to help?

Social Immediacy

Rethink looks to its writers for more than feature content. Rethink has a broad social landscape and, if our social listening posts show a trending issue that represent an excellent opportunity for RethinkChurch.org perspectives, we need to know which writers can help us plan immediate/intermediate/follow-up responses.
Terms:

1. Rethink will consider your submission only at your request and only with your assurance that to the best of your knowledge you are the sole originator of the idea and that you have the legal right to submit it to Rethink for its evaluation.
2. You acknowledge that Rethink may disclose the idea to its employees, and possibly to others, to determine the idea’s value to Rethink. It is understood that no confidential relationship is entered into by any reason of the consideration of your submission to Rethink or by reason of any oral discussions between Rethink and you.
3. Rethink and its employees develop many ideas of their own for the development of programs, some of which may be similar to yours. An idea that is new to you may be old to Rethink, or similar or identical ideas may be conceived independently. Accordingly, you hereby waive any claim that Rethink misappropriated any ideas in or portions of your submission in any activities in which Rethink may engage in the future.
4. Any consideration of the submitted idea(s) or negotiations to purchase it (or them) does not waive Rethink’s right to contest the validity of your copyrights, trademark, or other intellectual property rights in such submissions.
5. No agreement for compensation shall be implied from Rethink’s consideration or review of your submitted idea. However, should Rethink elect to use any portion of your idea that is legally protectable, you and Rethink will negotiate appropriate compensation to you in good faith.
6. All writers submitting an unsolicited story idea agree to the Terms of Use for RethinkChurch.org.