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How does Your Church or Ministry Engage People Online?
Posted on March 30th, 2009 in Church Life, Faith by Fred McKinnon
Social Networking Online for Churches
I’ve recently agreed to take on the role of online social networking/media for our church. We already have a website (which is about to be overhauled and redesigned from top to bottom). We recently started using Twitter (@sscc) and frequently upload videos from our worship services to places like YouTube or Vimeo.
Several of our staff blog. The lead pastor has a blog, but doesn’t update it. (that will change)
I was reading an article today called “Facebook’s Popularity and Your Church’s Social Media Strategy“ (thanks for the link, Travis) and realized our need to utilize FaceBook as well.
We’ve played around with online networking but it’s not been organized or serious. It will become my job to oversee that. (I won the award for having more free time than the other staffers, and for leveraging online networking and community the most with my own endeavors.)
I need to create a written vision and strategy.
Does your church have an online communications strategy? How is your church or ministry utilizing it? I’d love for you to comment, tweet, retweet, and spread the word – I’d like to get as much feedback from you all as possible.
For the Kingdom,
Fred
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15 Responses to “How does Your Church or Ministry Engage People Online?”
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New blog post: How does Your Church or Ministry Engage People Online? http://tinyurl.com/cd2vkg
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We’ve been using FB and Twitter strategically for several months with success. To me, the best reason to be on FB is that people are already there. Saves a lot of time trying to herd everyone back to our main website. Much like the “water cooler,” a significant number of our members are already there.
I’ve started referring to our primary website as “The Mothership.” That’s where all of our content resides in full detail. But it currently has two audiences: 1)those looking for a church home, and 2) those that attend regularly. That’s a pretty challenging smash-up. Soon, I see our site moving primarily towards those looking for a church home.
So we use a Facebook page and Twitter as “probes” (rounding out my “Space” theme) to go where our folks are, and drive them back to the website where the detailed information (about classes, events, service opportunities) lives.
Our pastor uses Twitter to tease sermon content and steer the flock. As a church, we are doing the Daily Walk Bible this year and our pastor Tweets daily to peak interest in that day’s reading. Helps him stay “personal” with folks in a growing congregation.
I’ve even begun using my FB for my Sunday Setlist post and have encouraged our members to give me feedback on songs, etc.
Creating, Relating & Modulating,
Greg
I’ve just recently started to think about how our church might use these tools. I admit I don’t have much to offer on this subject, but I’m writing this so I can click on the little “followup” comments checkbox and be notified when other people post! Sorry!
Fred,
I will also be carrying on the same task as you have described over. Organizing and seriously undertaking our churches Social Networking strategies.
At Renaissance Road Church we are currently using MySpace and Facebook, however with minimal effort being expended. We have a Twitter account for our church, but only 3 ppl in our church Tweet (and they are all staff).
I would love to work with you to create a written strategy by which a church can effectively utilize the tools of social networking to expand their influence in the local communities and beyond.
@MrJaceBreeback
We currently have a FB page, a website, a forum and while the church HAS a twitter acct, I’m the only member that also has an acct (as far as I know). Myself and another staff member have blogs, but at times we are both sporadic (I’m trying to do better).
I’m sharing this role with another person, and we are still trying to see if a little church in the country-side CAN utilize social networking to reach people. We are hopeful though!
I’m looking forward to reading the comments you get as well – I think we can all use the info!
I forgot to add that the current site is a placeholder with some info, but the full site should be up in the next month or so. Complete re-working. The current one went up last August when the church was planted to give people a place to get info on where the service would be held, etc.
The new site will have bios of the staff & elders, small group info, ministry info, statement of faith, etc. Any thoughts on what all needs to be included?
I just want to say I believe in online social networking. I don’t even know if this will even help you but myspace connected me again with my friend from the 4th grade who was praying me to the Lord. It worked and she would better explain her emotions than me
But maybe like survery the church with a card, sort of like y’all did with finding out about everybodys e-mail and such, but this time with identifying their needs that you can help meet online? Like someone who has lost their job may need a link to an encouraging website with God’s word or devotional?, or some people may need to know where they can exercise to take care of their physical health too?, so you could have a link to that, or maybe someone needs prayer and you could have a prayer link, but not only that have someone from the staff or church send out a personal encouraging post card letting them know they have been prayed for and y’all are thinking of them and available for more prayer or etc…
I have ideas, can you tell? I think online can be an amazing way to meet the needs of the church.
Error correction: I meant “survey” the needs of the church, not survery.
BLOG SURVEY – how does your church or ministry engage people online w/ social media/networking? http://bit.ly/OPUtj
I’m the Tech Director at my church. We’re a fairly large congregation (3500+) but we’re pretty behind on the times when it comes to online ministry. There are only 3 of us on staff who blog and I’m getting more and more people to tweet. I set up our church with a twitter account (@oslc) and I’m still working on strategically using it. I was in a meeting last week with my senior pastor and he mentioned that he would be open to starting a blog! I’m really excited about this! I’ve worked @oslc for 5 years and just started “full-time” in June of 2008. I’m trying to persuade the church that we need to make online ministry a vital part of our overall strategy and that I should be the person to head it up.
I’d love to see your written vision and strategy once it’s complete!
@gbrenna
How do YOU rock your church online?!?! –> http://is.gd/qxKt (thanks to @fmckinnon) #fb
We’ve been using things like Myspace and Facebook to reach out to our youth and stay connected. Just recently I’ve started my blogs to keep connected with them. And Twitter. that’s always a fun way.
I’d like to start posting services on youtube. but i don’t know if i’m ready for all the critique!
haha
a website should be a given for a church. We have a facebook & myspace page. The facebook one is the more productive one. Most of our staff is twittering, but no “church” one. All of our staff is on facebook, and we have them linked on the staff page. I’m the only real blogger on staff. A couple others have blogs but don’t post, but maybe every 3-4 months or less.
[...] How does Your Church or Ministry Engage People Online? – This is EXACTLY what I’m trying to do @OSLC!!! [...]