Trying to stay one step ahead in a
hectic world makes it difficult to create time for the things we should be
doing to keep ourselves well rounded and healthy. Working out, eating right,
taking a daily vitamin, and even going to church seem to be a nuisance and
unofficial after thought in our chaotic lives. And although I do not have a lot
of advice and motivational speak to get you up and going at the gym…I have
noticed that churches and pastors are using social media more and more to
engage their congregation and get the general public running towards the church.
I spent
much of the fall and spring on the road and found that even if I could not make
a Sunday service at my home church that I could literally watch the sermon
online or “listen in” as my church live tweeted the service. And from the
comfort of a crowded airport I often found myself trying to make sense of the
points and scripture presented in the Tweets. Although it is not my ideal
Sunday morning service, it was definitely better than nothing and made me feel
connected to my church while I was hundreds of miles from the altar. But
sometimes I wonder is this what the Bible meant when it instructs believers to
come together and encourage one another.
Did
you ever think you would see a day when a Pastor has as many Twitter followers
as your average celebrity? Joel Osteen
is well on his way to 2 million (I became his 1,645,637th) and Bishop TD Jakes
of the Potters House Church in Dallas is hovering at the 1 million mark. Now multitudes
of people are turning to social media for scripture to study, inspirational
thoughts, as well as information on church activities. Do you think there is a
line that can be crossed by churches and pastors looking to gain members or do
you think that social media marketing presents the ultimate marketing platform
for the Gospel of Jesus Christ? I am sure that there are many people that are
torn on what qualifies as a legitimate use of social media in spiritual matters,
but I definitely plan on enjoying my Live
Tweet Sermons whenever I can't make it to a service. LIVE TWEETS FOR JESUS!!!
An excellent post, Maria, and one it's an area that more for-profits should pay attention to.
ReplyDeleteI work for a Christian nonprofit, and I manage the social media accounts, among other things.
A couple of cool things with this:
1. Religious accounts (ones that don't suck) tend to have a much higher engagement level than celebrities or businesses. The good ones are excellent at starting conversations and breaking down walls. We think it's hard for people to believe the sincerity of businesses; it's nothing compared to the microscope on famous ministers.
In a way, I think it's an appropriate response to the capabilities of today's technology. If the ministry (or individual) really believes that the content it provides enriches lives, then it's irresponsible to stay away from social networks.
We send out Daily Devotions, TV and Radio links, inspiring articles, Bible verses, and awesome one-liners. The response is remarkable, actually. We have higher PTAT stats than a lot of major corporations on Facebook, for example.
With this presence comes A LOT of risk, particularly with regard to private messages and counseling. When you're spreading "the good news" to people, they will respond with deep issues. The last time I checked, I don't think Home Depot has had to respond to many Fb messages about suicide.
BTW, an excellent person to follow on Twitter is @claire . She works for Twitter, and her entire job is work with nonprofits. Great insights.
Maria, I love this post! I also follow my church & pastor on Twitter and truly appreciate being able to get updates about what the sermon topic is for the week before I get to church, find out about events that are happening that I may not have known about, and see the "real life" and day to day side of both my church and pastor. It makes me feel more connected, and many of the tweets are great reinforcements and reminders of my faith throughout the week. I definitely see a huge value in this space of "tweeting for Jesus"!
ReplyDeleteAnd AJ - awesome insight. I hadn't thought about the risk that is involved, particularly with people responding with private messages and seeking counseling. I also just looked up @claire and am now following her. (And timely enough, she recently tweeted a link to this blog article that she wrote about "how to start a blog" - I am stealing some of her tips!) http://clairediazortiz.com/howtstartablog/
Ahhh I love this! I didn't think we would see the day, but I am so glad we did. I really like the thought of pastors tweeting and sending messages to their flock throughout the day. I plan on adding some to my twitter stream (I think this what you call it) so I can get some inspiration in the middle of the day! In today's busy world I think a lot of churches have had to figure out ways to stay connected with their members and up on the times by using social media. What better way to reach a lot of people at once than by having someone repost something good on twitter or Facebook! Great post Maria!
ReplyDelete