Five Things I’ve Noticed on Church Social Media that Need to Change Today

I’m not trying to be a critic. I love the church, which by the way is composed of people, not buildings or services. The church is people. I’m making this ecclesiastical distinction because in social media, people are attracted not so much to your place, but what is happening to people at your place. If you want to get people’s attention on social media, then share with them how people are being changed. Share with them why people are coming to your events and what they are doing. Tell them what’s in it for them.

This is a lot of work. But it is worth it. Your online presence (not just social media) is as important as your worship team. Let me state it this way, in 2022 your online team is as important as your worship team. What! We’re supposed to have an online team? Exactly.

You would never think of holding worship services without worship planning. You plan for prayers, messages, music, how the offering is taken, when and where to do communion, etc. With social media being so important in the lives of virtually (pun alert!) everyone under 80 years old all over the planet, why would you allow your church to be in it haphazard?

For most churches it is haphazard. No need to defend it. I’m going to list five things I’ve noticed on church social media pages that need to change, and I know you have noticed these as well.

1. Inconsistent posting

At the time of this writing, we are entering the middle of February, the last posting on a church’s social media page was the cancelling of the Christmas program back in early December due to Covid-19. Has nothing else gone on since then? Is this going to make anyone want to come to services there? Maybe they have not met since Christmas? Who knows?

Inconsistent posting is not just frequency but also regularity. It doesn’t need to be daily. In fact, daily could be too much. Post at least weekly and post something that would be interesting to people in your church and include something that is interesting in general. Brag about a church member. Share a birthday wish. Offer a prayer. Let your imagination run wild, but post frequently and consistently.

2. Just Preaching or Announcements

Your church has good preaching. It could be said that your church has great preaching but preaching alone is not what engages and keeps people coming back on social media. Yes, post the service. But also post other things. Post pictures of people coming into the building smiling and happy. Post take-a-ways of the day.

Perhaps there was a time when just announcements were okay on social media. I don’t know when that was, but that time is over. If you want someone gone from your Facebook page faster than a hair piece in a hurricane, then just post preaching and announcements.

3. Lack of Vital Church Information

Some churches don’t have a website, so they use a Facebook page as their website. If this is your church, make sure that the service times, small group/Sunday School times are on the page. Put the church’s phone number on the page as well. If your church does not have an answering system that will tell people when services and events are going to be and who to contact in an emergency, then just leave the number off.

If your church has a website, I suggest you make sure that the service times and phone numbers are the same between your social media pages and your website. I write this because I personally have been confused at when to show up at a church because of this very thing.

By the way, how serious is a church about reaching people with the love of Jesus when a person visits their social media page and website and cannot find the service times? It is not a good look and easy to fix.

4. Not Enough Pictures of Happy People

It’s all about the visual. That is the day we are in. Even this blog starts out with an engaging picture. Sometimes that is the hardest and most fun part. Do you know what gets the attention of just about 100% of people? Babies. Pictures of babies sleeping or with puppies. If they are doing something cute, then that gets a share. Now you know why I chose my lead picture!

I’m not saying to take pictures of your babies and post them. There could be issues with the parents on that! But what I am saying is that attending your church should be a wonderful experience. You want it to be. So have someone take pictures of people being happy. Get your people to take selfies and post them, tagging your page and hashtag your church. Many churches enlist a photographer as a volunteer to take pictures at every event. They could be part of your online team.

5. No Apparent Plan

So, I’ve hinted at this throughout my blog. If you’re still reading, you realize by now that to have a winning online presence, you need a plan. It’s not just a plan that you need, you need help. You need other people who feel the call to make the new front door of the church, your online presence, as inviting as possible.

Most of what I see could be called a plan, but not a good one. It’s a haphazard plan of, every now and then, posting something, or using social media as just another phone tree or email chain for passing on insider information. It’s time to get beyond that.

Creating a Positive Change

There are times in people’s lives when they feel stuck. This may have been going on for a while, but something happened to bring this feeling to a realization. It could be a situation that is making them unhappy, however they are lacking the motivation or the extra push they need to help them create positive change in their life.

Sometimes people aren’t even sure what it is that they want. For example, I was talking to a new friend who said he needed a change but wasn’t sure what that change should be. So, I started going down the basic options; but until I found the right one, he basically would say, “I don’t know the change I need but I know it’s not that one.”

If a person is unclear as to what their goal is, like my friend, they can consider each major area of their life. Those areas may include family, friends, physical and emotional health, spiritual life, career, finances, physical location, hobbies, and their love relationships. They can begin by determining on a scale of one to ten (ten being best) how they feel about each of those areas of their life. After they determine which area has the lowest number, they can then think about what they can do to move that area up to a “ten”.

In my coaching practice, I often have a client use the Wheel of life.

You can download a PDF of my Wheel of Life here.

Completing an exercise such as this may raise their awareness of an unconscious life issue. This will allow a person to plan change that will be more satisfying because they know the area(s) of their life that need a positive change.

Having a coach to walk through the Wheel of Life can be a bonus. They will ask you questions about each area and help to navigate where to focus on your next steps. Sometimes the hardest thing about making a positive change is deciding where to start.

Once a person has determined what their goal (or dream) is, they can then begin to focus on it by determining what steps they need to take to get there.

One thing to consider is that even though one may not be happy with their current situation, it was that situation that launched their dream. So, it is important to appreciate where a person is in their life, which helps to create a positive mental attitude. This attitude can help to move them in the right direction more quickly. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:28, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” One of the truths we can draw from this Scripture is that for those who are followers of Christ, God will use even the things we see as bad in our lives to help shape us to become who God intended us to be. I’m not stating that horrible events are good or that God makes them happen. What I am saying is that even in the worst situations, God is working to bring good out of it for you.

Besides seeking to reframe one’s mindset, it is a good idea for a person to surround themselves with other people who have similar goals. This support system can add more motivation and can provide even more ideas which will help them to reach their goal. Determination is very important, because the person who did not reach their goal is usually the one who gave up before they reached the “finish line”. (Consider that Thomas Edison tried 700 times before inventing the light bulb.)

Sometimes, a person simply needs to keep trying and not give up. For someone who could use some extra motivation, a personal life coach can help them to find out what they want and can help inspire them to get there. One thing is for sure, we need others. Who can you get involved to help you in your positive change? Who can you help in their journey?

Seven Steps to Achievable Goals

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Luke 14:28-30, ESV

Some have given up on setting goals. I can certainly understand that. With the pandemic it may seem futile to plan. If this is where you are, let me encourage you not to stop setting goals but instead to set achievable goals. The key word is “achievable.”

We shouldn’t do goal setting for goal-setting sake. We should set goals because we want to get somewhere specific. We want to establish a sense of purpose and direction that, when all is said and done, we can know if we said what we wanted said and did what we wanted done.

Without goals we won’t really know how we’re doing. By the way if we don’t set goals, we still have goals they’re just unarticulated. Every merchant wants to have more revenue come in this year than last. Every pastor would like to have his church more loving, giving and going this year than last. These are unarticulated goals. But if these goals are not articulated and specific action steps are not developed, more revenue for a business and growth for a church is just a hope. Hope is not a plan.

I’ve hosted and lead planning retreats for church staff and non-profits. As I ask them to review the past goals and how they ended up, it is surprising that many of the goals are lost during the regular urgency of everyday life.

It may come as no surprise to you to learn there is a lot more to success than just setting goals.

I want to show you why many people fail to achieve their goals. I also want to help you be successful with whatever it is that you want to achieve in your life, work, and ministry. The first step for this is to start at the beginning.

Step 1: Have a proper definition of “goal”

A goal is a target which is achievable in measurable attainable steps. It is more than just a desire or a need and has an existence of its own. A desire or a wish is less tangible and often just fleeting. Who doesn't desire or wish to be in better physical shape? A goal is a desire, wish or need achievable by actions you can take. It is more than a mere wish or desire.

Step 2: Understand how to set a goal

Setting a goal is a process which starts with an achievable need or desire. First you must decide on the following:

• What do you want?

• Where do you want to be?

• Where are you now?

• How does it relate to your status, career, or qualifications?

A goal can relate to any desire, wish, or need achievable by actions you can take. You then break down the goal into small individual steps or actions.

Achievable goals are goals where you can influence their realization and measure your progress towards them. Achieving long term life changing goals is a process of achieving, step by step, short- and medium-term actions.

Step 3: Determine the actions

Goals require action on your part. You first need to decide what action is required to achieve the goal. Your first action is always to always write your goals down. Putting pen to paper, and this is one time when a real pen and paper are required, gives your goals an existence of their own.

Writing a plan is an essential step in achieving your goals - without it you will, over time, amend the long-term goal to fit your reality. You will eventually reduce the goal to a wish and wishes only would come true by chance. Integrate the actions into the calendar and budget. Make sure someone is responsible for follow-through, even if it is you. You may discover in planning that you are personally taking on too much. This is the only way your action plans will have real traction.

Step 4: Analyze the results

You then need to analyze and work out in detail how you are going to accomplish each individual goal. This means writing a detailed plan of what tangible actions are required to achieve each individual goal.

These actions then become smaller shorter-term goals leading to major longer-term goals.

Step 5: Choose the steps you need to take today

Every day ask yourself "What steps do I need to take today?". By now it should be all planned, so check your plan and make sure you take each step every day. If you discover additional steps are needed add them to the plan.

Step 6: Review your achievements every week and month

Every week review your progress for the week. Check what you've done and what you may have missed. Adjust your plan for the next week or month.

Your plan should always consider what you will do today, tomorrow, this week, next week before the end of the month, in the next 3 months, 6 months...? Always write down your results.

Step 7: When things don’t go as planned

Goals are difficult because they move you outside your comfort zone to do things differently. To be successful you must face your own fear of failure and take risks. There will be setbacks, expect them, they are part of the process.

When things don’t go as planned, make updates in the appropriate actions, and even adjust the goals if necessary. Adjusting is part of life. Make them and keep moving.

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

- Philippians 3:14, ESV