Communication Standards

COMMUNICATION STANDARDS

KEEP IN MIND

The Diverse Audience

  •  We are writing for old, new, and emerging Christians; all age groups; all socioeconomic groups; all political affiliations; and all levels of education.Be mindful to avoid generalizations and stereotypes that may be offensive.

EFFECTIVE WRITING TECHNIQUES

In order to effectively meet the needs of all our readers in such a restricted length, it is necessary to improve reading comprehension by providing a well-structured, easy-to-read, and understandable publication.

  • Assume the reader has little to no experience with a Bible and no real understanding of Christian history.
  • Most readers will be using a mobile device, so even short paragraphs will appear long.
  • Help readers move through the document quicker and with greater understanding by employing these techniques:

ONE well-defined message

  • Do the title, body, scripture reference(s), questions, next steps, and prayer reaffirm that message?

SIMPLE STRUCTURE

  • Opening: introductory paragraph(s) to engage readers or outline the message
  • Middle: series of paragraphs that go into more detail to support the message
  • End: concluding paragraph that draws the points together
  • Short paragraphs
  • Straightforward sentences
  • Simple vocabulary
  • Bullet points
  • Block citations
  • Simple, bold titles
  • Define technical terms/jargon
  • Provide links when applicable/necessary

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

CedarCreek Church is actually Cedar Creek Community Church, but it is never ever marketed as such. This proper name only appears on checks and official documents. If you do some digging, you might find some original logos with this name, but today it is not intended to see the light of day except for the state of history or official matters.

There are no styles developed or logotypes designed for “Cedar Creek Community Church” because it is not to be marketed.

WEBSITE ADDRESS

CedarCreek.tv should always be set in some form of the typeface Montserrat with two capital “C”s, no exceptions. If it appears in a paragraph of copy, make it one or two weights heavier in the family of Montserrat than the rest of the text within the copy. If the address involves a forward slash with a quick link, make the forward slash a weight lighter than the rest of the address. Do not capitalize anything after CedarCreek in web addresses. (Example: CedarCreek.tv/easter)

NUMBERS

Spell Out.

  • Whole numbers below 10 (Example: Nine, not 9)
  • Numbers that begin a sentence (Example: Twelve people accepted Christ, not 12)
  • For large numbers, use a hyphen to connect a word ending in y to another word.
  • Example: Fifty-Five

ADDRESSES

Abbreviate Street, Avenue, and Boulevard only after numbered address.

  • Example: 299 Cowan St.

Never abbreviate drive, highway, place, etc.

  • Example: 123 Perfect Place

Abbreviate Campus directions in numbered addresses.

  • Example: 123 N Perfect Place

Spell out Alaska and Hawaii and states with five or fewer letters.

  • Example: I live in Iowa; I live in FL

For second references, abbreviate all state names.

  • Example: I lived in Nashville, TN

TIME

Always use numbers without st, nd, or th in dates.

  • RIGHT: April 2, 1998
  • WRONG: April 2nd, 1998

When writing about events, use months and dates.

  • Example: April 30, June 5

When referring to a month, day, and year, set off year with commas.

  • June 15, 1991, was when I was born

Abbreviate months when immediately preceding a date.

  • RIGHT: Baptism Sunday is Jan. 5
  • WRONG: Baptism Sunday is in Jan

Abbreviate only if month’s name is six letters or longer.

  • April 30, Oct. 5

Years are never spelled out.

  • RIGHT: 2028
  • WRONG: Twenty-Twenty Eight

Use figures except for noon and midnight.

  • 4:30

List out times in uniform.

  • 10:30am, 1pm

List out times including the last am or pm only.

  • RIGHT: Perrysburg Campus service times are at 5pm and 9 and 11am
  • WRONG: 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM

Do not include periods in am and pm.

  • RIGHT: 1:30pm
  • WRONG: 1:30 p.m.

Don’t include a space between time and am or pm.

  • RIGHT: 9am
  • WRONG: 9:00 AM

Eliminate extra characters when possible without compromising clarity.

  • 9am instead of 9:00am

TITLES

Capitalize “campus,” “team,” or the second portion of a positional title

  • I’m the Groups Director on the Groups Team for the Findlay Campus

PLACES

General compass directions should be lowercase.

  • Serve the City is looking for more projects east of Toledo

Capitalize names of U.S. regions.

  • We’re planning to head Southwest for that conference.

CAMPUSES

Primary

  • CedarCreek Perrysburg
  • CedarCreek Findlay
  • CedarCreek Oregon
  • CedarCreek South Toledo
  • CedarCreek West Toledo
  • CedarCreek Whitehouse

Secondary

  • Perrysburg Campus
  • Findlay Campus
  • Oregon Campus
  • South Toledo Campus
  • West Toledo Campus
  • Whitehouse Campus

Not Used

“CC” or “CCC” as an abbreviation to any ministry or Campus.

Examples:

  • RIGHT: CedarCreek Church
  • RIGHT: CedarCreek Perrysburg
  • WRONG: CC Perrysburg

PREFERRED LANGUAGE AND SPELLING

General

  • CedarCreek (one word, capitalize Cedar and Creek)
  • GrowthTrack (one word, capitalize Growth and Track)
  • NextSteps (one word, capitalize Next and Steps)
  • DreamTeam (one word, capitalize Dream and Team)
  • LivingItOut (one word, capitalize Living, It, and Out)
  • Capitalize Groups when referring to “life groups”
  • Auditorium (not worship center)
  • Give (not take offering)
  • Any reference to God should not be capitalized (he, him)
  • Do not add an s after the apostrophe when referring to Jesus in the possessive
    • Right: Jesus’ disciples
    • Wrong: Jesus’s disciples
  • Spelling
    • Life-changing (not life changing)
    • Afterward (no “s” at the end)
    • Toward (no “s” at the end)
    • Judgment (no E)
    • Canceled (no double L)

CAPITALIZATION

Utilize the typical capitalization rules; however, there are some capitalization preferences that we take a stand on simply to maintain consistency. Here are some specific capitalization rules

CAPITALIZE

  • God
  • Father
  • Son of God, Son (when referring to Jesus)
  • Holy Spirit, Spirit (when referring to the Holy Spirit)
  • Savior (when referring to Jesus/God)
  • Bible
  • Kingdom
  • Kingdom of Heaven—NLT capitalizes it, NIV does not. We will follow NLT because that is the version we use the most.
  • Kingdom of God—same reason as above
  • Temple—when referring the one in Jerusalem (Mk 11:15)
  • Gospel of Matthew/Mark/etc.—only when referring to the actual book
  • Scripture(s)—only when used as a substitute for “the Bible”
  • Word—only when used as a substitute for “the Bible”
  • Good News—NLT capitalizes it (Acts 13:32)
  • Communion—when referring to the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
  • the Almighty/God Almighty—capitalized because it is a name for God
  • The Beloved Apostle—used as a title for John
  • Ten Commandments
  • Sabbath – when referring to the day itself
  • LivingItOut Bible Study
  • GrowthTrack—one word
  • Groups—when referring to Groups at CedarCreek
  • DreamTeam—one word, term for the serving teams at CedarCreek

DO NOT CAPITALIZE

  • all pronouns for God—he, him, his, you, your
  • heaven
  • amen—unless it’s an imperative sentence: “Amen.”
  • biblical—used as an adjective
  • gospel—when referring to the Good News/gospel of Christ
  • scriptural—adjective
  • almighty God—here, “almighty” is used as an adjective and not capitalized
  • heavenly Father—same reason as above
  • word of God—when not referring to the Bible per se (i.e. when the word of God is given to the prophets)
  • scripture—when referencing specific passage(s):
  • “Scripture says you ought to read your favorite scriptures in the Scriptures day and night.”
  • the apostles—not capitalized in NLT
  • apostle Paul, Paul the apostle, the apostolic—all adjectives

Capitalization With Quotes

  • Capitalize the first word of the quote when the quoted material is a complete sentence, regardless of its placement within the sentence.
  • Lead Pastor Ben Synder said, “Sometimes you have to walk through the mess to walk into your miracle.”
  • Don’t capitalize the first word of quotes that are partial sentences or sentence fragments, unless the quoted material is the first word of the main sentence.
  • When it comes to messes, Lead Pastor Ben Snyder says it’s necessary to “walk through” them.
  • “Walk through” your messes—that’s what Lead Pastor Ben Snyder says must be done, so that you can “walk into your miracle.”
  • Do not capitalize the first word of quotes that flow directly from the surrounding text, even if it’s a complete sentence.
  • Lead Pastor Ben Snyder says that “you need to walk through the mess to walk into your miracle.”

CITING SCRIPTURE

Always include the abbreviated name of the Bible translation being used, unless an exception is included in the document (Example: “All references are NLT unless otherwise stated”)

NLT is our preferred translation, but other translations can be used as needed

Block Quotations: Use italics for all block Scripture quotations, song lyrics, etc. not incorporated in the paragraph with text and for the prayers at the end. Quotation marks are only necessary for block quotations if there is spoken text within the quote. Scripture verses (in superscript) should be included if the quote contains more than one verse.

  •  John 14:1-3
    1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
  • John 14:8 (NIV)
    Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
  • John 19:16-17 (emphasis added)
    16 Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus away. 17 Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull.
  • Prayer:
    God, I admit that I am a sinner saved by grace. I believe that Jesus is your Son, whom you sent to take my place on the cross, and whom you raised from the dead. I want to confess that I am placing my faith in you, trusting you with my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
  • “You Say” by Lauren Daigle
    You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
    You say I am strong when I think I am weak
    And you say I am held when I am falling short
    And when I don’t belong, oh You say I am Yours
    And I believe, oh I believe
    What you say of me

QUOTATIONS WITHIN PARAGRAPHS

Do not use italics for quotations incorporated into paragraphs. Scripture verses do not need to be included in the quote. The Scripture book(s) and verse(es) should be identified within the paragraph/sentence or with a citation at the end of the sentence.

  • In John 14:6-7, we learn that Jesus is the way to the Father: “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!’”
  • In the Book of John, we learn that Jesus is the way to the Father: “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!’” (John 14:6-7).
  • Lead Pastor Ben Snyder asked, “Do you believe that Jesus is your way, your truth, and your life?”
  • Do you believe that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life”?

PUNCTUATION WITH QUOTATION MARKS

When other punctuation marks are used with quotation marks, correct placement depends on the context. Typically, single marks (. ,) go inside quotation marks, double marks (; 🙂 go outside, and exclamation points and question marks (! ?) will vary according to context.

  • Periods and commas usually go inside a closing quotation mark.
  • Colons and semicolons are usually placed outside.
  • Question marks and exclamation points usually go inside closing quotation marks, although they may go outside if the sentence structure calls for it. (See above and below examples.)
  • Citations following a quote are always located outside of the closing quotation mark and followed by punctuation. If the quote ends in a period, remove it from the quote, and place it after the citation. If the quote ends in an exclamation point or question mark, keep it within the quote and place a period after the citation.
  • Punctuation Examples: (Also see Quotations Within Paragraphs.)
  • As he read the creed, he hesitated before saying, “… the quick and the dead”; a more modern translation would read, “… the living and the dead.”
  • “‘Why were you searching for me?’ he asked. ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’” (Luke 2:49). (The questions are located inside the quotes.)
  • Why did he refer to the 1560 Geneva Bible as the “Breeches Bible”? (The question is located outside the quotes.)
  • “May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace” (1 Corinthians 1:3).

PUNCTUATION

Ellipses

An Ellipsis is a set of three periods. Chicago Style indicates to put a single space on either side of each period ( . . . ), and AP Style indicates to treat it like a three-letter word—a space on each end and no spaces between the periods ( … ). In both styles, a space is not necessary on the end of the ellipsis that is adjacent to a quotation mark (“… ). We will follow AP Style since it seems to be more widely used for ellipses.

  • Informal Writing—ellipses are used to indicate a trailing off of thought, hesitation, or suspense.
  • I absolutely will not go … well maybe … ok, fine. Let’s go.
  • Quotations—AP and Chicago styles vary on the use of ellipses in quotations. Since LIO is a more informal publication, we’ll use the following guidelines:
  • For quotes incorporated into paragraphs, do not use ellipses before or after the quoted material, even if a portion of the quoted sentence was omitted.
  • For quotes incorporated into paragraphs, use ellipses in the middle of the quote when the quote is presented as a single sentence made up of material from the original text.
  • For block quotes, use ellipses to indicate the omission of text from the beginning, middle, and/or end of the original quote.
  • Use ellipses for omitted material within a single quoted sentence by eliminating any punctuation on either side of the ellipsis, unless the punctuation is necessary to make the shortened quote grammatically correct.
  • When quoted material is comprised of multiple sentences:
  • Use four (4) dots for omissions between original sentences—keep the original period/punctuation plus an ellipsis. There is no space between the original sentence and the first dot/period/other punctuation.
  • Use three (3) dots for omissions within a single original sentence.
  • Use three (3) dots for a single sentence made up of material from two or more original sentences.
  • Examples:
    • In the account of creation, God said, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). (Quote within a paragraph.)
    • According to the book of Genesis, “In the beginning … the earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters.” (Quote within a paragraph.)
    • Genesis 1:1-3 (block quote)
      • In the beginning … the earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. … Then God said, “Let there be light.”

Acronyms

When introducing an acronym, spell it out the first time with the acronym in parentheses, and any subsequent reference should be the acronym.

  • I read the LivingItOut Bible Study (LIO) every day. The LIO helps the Bible come to life for me.

Commas

Commas are arguably the most difficult and most contested punctuation mark. There is quite a bit of subjectivity in its usage. In this guide, we will only address the most troublesome comma usage errors. See The Punctuation Guide for more details.

  • List Commas
    • The Oxford Comma (or Serial Comma) is the final comma in a list of three or more things. This helps to delineate between separate items or ideas. To avoid confusing our readers, we will always use the Oxford Comma.
    • CORRECT: “I had toast, eggs, and orange juice for breakfast.”
    • INCORRECT: “I love my siblings, Michael Keaton and coffee.” This sentence could lead the reader to think the siblings are named Michael Keaton and coffee.
  • Commas After Geographical References and Dates
    • The mayor of Perrysburg, Ohio, walks at the park frequently.
    • The meeting on April 17, 2020, was cancelled.
    • The meeting is scheduled sometime in April, 2020.
    • The April 17, 2020 meeting was cancelled. (When dates are adjectives, the comma can be omitted.)
  • Commas in Compound Sentences Linked by And, But, and Or

A compound sentence joins two or more independent clauses using a coordinating conjunction (and, but, and or; sometimes nor, yet, so, and for). Independent clauses are stand-alone sentences. A comma is placed before the conjunction.

  • She barely made it to school, but she forgot her homework.
  • She barely made it to school but forgot her homework.
  • You love chocolate cake, and I love chocolate ice cream.
  • You love chocolate cake and want me to love it too.

“Because” and Other Subordinating Conjunctions

Commas are necessary for compound sentences using coordinating conjunctions. “Because” is a subordinating conjunction that links a dependent clause to an independent clause (so are: since, only, so, that, though, unless, after, before, until, whenever). Most of the time, commas should not proceed “because” or other subordinating conjunctions.

  • CORRECT: I bought the sweater because my mom said I could.
  • INCORRECT: I bought the sweater, because my mom said I could.
  • CORRECT: I purchased the sweater before my mom said I could.
  • CORRECT: I purchased the sweater though I didn’t really like it.

Exception for negative statements—If a sentence begins with a negative statement, you may want to add a comma to clarify the causation

  • I didn’t make your favorite sandwich because we were out of peanut butter. I ran out of time.
  • I didn’t make your favorite sandwich, because we were out of peanut butter. I’ll go to the store after work.
  • “So” vs. “So That”

So can be either a coordinating conjunction or a subordinating conjunction. If you can replace “so” with “so that,” it’s a subordinating conjunction and doesn’t require a comma.

  • CORRECT: He was late to work, so he was fired.
  • INCORRECT: He studied hard, so he wouldn’t fail.
  • CORRECT: He studied hard so that he wouldn’t fail.

Commas and Names

  • Direct address
    • Please go to church,
    • Maria.Mateo, go to church.
  • Use commas to identify a unique person or thing
    • Baseball’s home run leader, Barry Bonds, is eligible for the Hall of Fame. (There’s only one.)
    • My son, Spencer, is graduating from highschool. (If you have just one son.)
    • My son Andre is graduating from highschool. (If you have more than one son.)
    • Best-selling author J.K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter book series. (There’s more than one best-selling author.)
  • Use a comma to separate a job title after a name, NOT before
    • Lead Pastor Ben Snyder is a great speaker.
    • Ben Snyder, lead pastor, is scheduled to give the sermon this Sunday.
    • CedarCreek Church’s Lead Pastor, Ben Snyder, is a great speaker. (He’s the one and only, so a comma is needed.)

Colons

Colons are used in the following ways: to introduce a list, to separate between independent clauses when the second explains or illustrates the first, and to show emphasis.

  • List—The bookstore specializes in three subjects: art, architecture, and graphic design.
  • Do not, however, use a colon when the listed items are incorporated into the flow of the sentence.
    • CORRECT: The bookstore specializes in art, architecture, and graphic design.
    • INCORRECT: The bookstore specializes in: art, architecture, and graphic design.
  • Separation—I have very little time to learn the language: my newjob starts in five weeks.
    • A college degree is still worth something: a recent survey revealed that college graduates earned roughly 60% more than those with only a high school diploma.
    • All three of their children are involved in the arts: Richard is a sculptor, Diane is a pianist, and Julie is a theatre director.
  • Emphasis—After three weeks of deliberation, the jury finally reached a verdict: guilty.
    • Five continents, three dozen countries, over a hundred cities: this was the trip of a lifetime.

Semicolons

A semicolon joins two independent clauses with no conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) and is used for greater separation than a comma but less than a period.

  • The upperclassmen are permitted off-campus lunch; the underclassmen must remain on campus. 

A semicolon is also used between independent clauses linked by a transitional expression (accordingly, consequently, therefore, for example, nevertheless, however, thus).

  • Heavy snow continues to fall at the airport; consequently, all flights have been grounded.
  • Hyperinflation makes it extremely difficult to keep track of prices; thus, a quart of milk might cost $10 in the morning and $200 in the afternoon.

The semicolon can also be used in lists with internal commas. In this usage, the semicolon acts as a sort of super-comma.

  • The new store will have groceries on the lower level; luggage, housewares, and electronics on the ground floor; men’s and women’s clothing on the second floor; and books, music, and stationery on the third floor.

EM Dashes

The em dash is perhaps the most versatile punctuation mark. Depending on the context, the em dash can take the place of commas, parentheses, or colons—in each case to slightly different effect. Notwithstanding its versatility, the em dash is best limited to two appearances per sentence. Otherwise, confusion rather than clarity is likely to result. Do not mistake the em dash (—) for the slightly narrower en dash (–) or the even narrower hyphen (-). Those marks serve different purposes.

  • In place of a comma—A pair of em dashes can be used in place of commas to enhance readability. Note, however, that dashes are always more emphatic than commas.
    • And yet, when the car was finally delivered—nearly three months after it was ordered—she decided she no longer wanted it, leaving the dealer with an oddly equipped car that would be difficult to sell.
  • In place of parentheses—A pair of em dashes can replace a pair of parentheses. Dashes are considered less formal than parentheses; they are also more intrusive. If you want to draw attention to the parenthetical content, use dashes. If you want to include the parenthetical content more subtly, use parentheses. Note that when dashes are used in place of parentheses, surrounding punctuation should be omitted. Compare the following examples.
    • Upon discovering the errors (all 124 of them), the publisher immediately recalled the books.
    • Upon discovering the errors—all 124 of them—the publisher immediately recalled the books.
  • In place of a colon—The em dash can be used in place of a colon when you want to emphasize the conclusion of your sentence. The dash is less formal than the colon.
    • After months of deliberation, the jurors reached a unanimous verdict—guilty.
    • The white sand, the warm water, the sparkling sun—this is what brought them to Hawaii

Emphasis of Single Words/Quotation Marks

In general, if a word needs to be emphasized and is not being quoted, you should avoid using quotation marks around it. Italics, or bolded text for extra emphasis, should be used instead.

  • CORRECT: Jesus is the reason for the season.
  • INCORRECT: “Jesus” is the reason for the season. (Could imply sarcasm.)

Examples of when quotation marks should be used:

  • Use quotation marks around a word/expression to offset it from the other text. The package is marked “ready for delivery.”
  • Use quotes around a word/letter/number when you are referring to the actual word/letter/number: “They’re,” “their,” and “there” are often confused. My name begins with an “A.”
  • Quotes can be used around translations: Gracias means “thank you” in Spanish.
  • Quotation marks around a word imply sarcasm: Is this what you call “clean”?!
  • Use quotes to introduce a new/difficult/foreign/coined word—but only for the first use: Ancient Romans described “philia” as the kind of love that occurs between lifelong friends. Philia is a pure, platonic love.

Buzz-Phrases

These are phrases that we try not to use for multiple reasons, usually because they do not fit with our current church culture:

  • “Believer”/“Non-believer”
    • Instead, we will use phrases like “followers of Christ” or “Christ followers”

Titles of Works

  • Use italics when referencing the titles of works that stand alone:
    • Books, movies, magazines, newspapers, albums, plays
    • LivingItOut
    • Sermon series: I Need a Miracle, The Struggle is Real
  • Use quotation marks when referring to the titles of works that are part of a stand-alone work:
    • Articles, poems, short stories, songs
    • “Ready, Set, GO!” is the April 3, 2020 post of LivingItOut.

MISCELLANEOUS

Check out The Punctuation Guide for a comprehensive, online guide to American punctuation. All style guide recommendations not unique to CedarCreek are from The Punctuation Guide’s author, Jordan Penn.

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