Facebook and Ministry

A number of people have posed the question, should a pastor or church be on Facebook? 

While many view Facebook as either a source of temptation or a total waste of time, there are, in fact, a number of very good reasons for churches and ministries to be on Facebook. 

There are currently over 1 billion people on Facebook today. Digital technology has empowered  people to engage online, and they are doing so at an increasing pace. Online social interaction is growing so rapidly that it's difficult for demographers to even keep track of it. Facebook has emerged as the world's #1 social networking platform, and people are on it 24/7!

Having a presence on Facebook provides a great opportunity for pastors and churches to connect with the very people they are trying to reach. Chances are, many of their church members are already on FB - posting status updates, 'liking', commenting on posts, and generally engaging with others online.

Facebook is a great way for pastors to stay connected with their congregations beyond the sermon on Sunday. And since Facebook is interactive, it also gives members access to their pastors that they might not ordinarily have. 

FB gives pastors a real opportunity to be 'online shepherds'. In addition, Facebook is a great way for pastors to introduce people to their churches and ministries. And in fact, for many people, Facebook has replaced the 'Yellow Pages' as their primary means of finding churches in new communities!

Outstanding examples of churches on Facebook include Bishop T. D. Jakes Ministries and The United Methodist Church. 

In my recent book, SOCIAL MEDIA AND MINISTRY Sharing the Gospel in the Digital Age (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iTunes), I point out '100 Ways to Use Facebook to Help Grow a Ministry'.  

Finally, having a positive presence on Facebook is a great way to help fulfill the Great Commission, Jesus' final instructions to the disciples while he was still physically here!

For more examples of how churches are using Facebook to share the gospel see the following:

List of Most Popular Facebook Pages of Churches and Ministries - djchuang.com

Stay on top of all things 'church social media' daily at SOCIAL MEDIA and MINISTRY NEWS! 

How is your church using Facebook to creatively share the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Until next time,

Be Blessed!

Kenneth Lillard

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