You are serving a Christian congregation in North America. It’s obvious now that some level of “official” activity in online social media is necessary. Even if you don’t understand all of it, presence on sites like Twitter and Facebook have become as required as your website address was a decade ago. You understand the importance of this direction, but what should you keep in mind as you begin the social media journey.  Here are a few tips. 

Be transparent. Share both good and bad. Don’t allow social media to be an antiseptic and shallow representation of your church body. If you are not transparent, those who participate will perceive this and will have no aversion to being transparent for you. Tell the truth, even if the truth isn’t very pretty.  Sometimes for our own church, that means admitting, “We failed here,” or “We should have caught on to that and been able to minister more effectively.”

Be yourself. You can’t rely completely on pre-programmed updates written in the third person to connect with people.  Post updates as if you were talking to others one-on-one, and answer people personally and politely.  People want to connect with real people, not with packaged contents.


Don't breach the social contract by doing nothing but promoting.
This realm is primarily for conversation, which goes both ways. It’s not a broadcast forum like television where people just consume and don’t talk back. You must allow for this, and in fact encourage it. “What do you think?” or “How can you help?” are great questions in the social media arena. There is an unwritten but important “social contract” at work in this arena which must not be violated. Do not consider your activities here to be “on your own turf” as is indicative of a website. Instead, consider your comments in this area to be on public territory, and subject to scrutiny, even disagreement.

Take interest in others and share valuable information, even if it doesn't benefit you directly. Quotes from God’s Word, from your Pastor and links to ministry opportunities of interest outside your church can enhance your standing in social media circles. Avoid pursuing just what benefits your church and ministries, but instead broaden your work to include that which benefits any and all listeners, regardless of the source.

Listen. If you are entering this realm experimentally, then you must take time to listen to what is being spoken of and passed about within the social media realm. You can learn much through observation and listening that can be applied to your social media presence.

Be patient and let things grow organically.
 Organic growth is slow, methodical and takes diligence. You have to water and tend plants for days, even weeks, before even the first sprouts rise from the ground. Social media likewise takes time and energy to grow. Committing to it means being ready to consistently keep it up, day by day, without much initial return. Do not expect the world to beat a path to your door on day one, or day even day 100. It may take much, much longer.

Don’t expect viral outbreaks.  Viral campaigns can and do work, but they are the exception to the rule. Don’t think your first “viral video” or appeal to “pass this on to 20 friends” is going much of anywhere. They honestly seldom do. Careful not to spend time initially on gimmicks and shortcuts before a consistent and valuable presence for your church has been established. Warning: that value can take many months, even a year or more, to build.

About the Author. Eugene L. Mason has more than two decades of experience in ministry communications and technologies. More...