How Church Leaders Should Use Lists on Facebook
One of the most overlooked features on Facebook are “lists”. Some of you right now are scrambling through your last Facebook Webinar notes and saying “Lists? I thought there were just Groups and Pages. Now Lists?”. Let us simplify it for you and show you how church leaders should be using lists within Facebook to connect better to members and to continue building ministry relationships through Facebook.
First off, we recommend watching this video that Donny did on How to Create A List in Facebook. Now that you know how to create the list, what lists should you create? Depending on your role at your church, your lists may be different than the pastor down the hall or the shepherd sitting at home. Here are a few suggestions to help get you started:
- Children’s Ministry Volunteers: Once you’ve created this list, you can scan the list quickly (from home or on your mobile device) as you check in with all of the teachers and volunteers before, during or after church. In most churches, teachers are volunteers so the more “love” you can show them by being interested in their lives, the better chance you have at keeping them in the rotation come the next “Children’s Ministry Volunteers Needed” announcement.
- Staff Members: Again, you’ve created this list already so now you are in the know on everyone who works at your church who has posted something recently on Facebook. You no longer walk into another pastor’s office and say “So, how ya been?” – you already know the struggles he’s having this week with his aging parent back in his hometown. Or you walk to the Finance office with a box of goodies from the vending machine because you just read on Sarah’s status that since its that time of the month to get all of the mission donation reports to your financial accountability partners, she hasn’t had the chance to even have lunch. Another great connection.
NOTE: With staff members, some churches may have established “accountability boundaries” between staff members of the opposite sex so know your church’s position on building relationships through Facebook.
- Church Members: Ok, this is a no-brainer for any pastor, pulpit minister, youth minister, elder, deacon … you get the idea. Even if you are not a big user of Facebook, we’d encourage your ministry leaders to create a list of church members. Now, instead of greeting them in the foyer with “So, how are you?” – you are able to immediately connect with them by saying, “So, how are you feeling today after having your tonsils out on Thursday?” Or what a great conversation starter as you stroll through the elementary hallway and you see Bob dropping his child off at class. “Hey Bob, just wanted you to know I was praying for your upcoming job search.” Nuff said. Bobby is less likely to tell you he lost his job compared to his often open book on Facebook. We know churches like Western Hills Church of Christ in Temple, Texas who are employing this strategy under the leadership of Senior Minister Scott Meyer.
That’s just a start. We can think of probably 5-10 other list uses on Facebook. What lists can you create as a church leader? Let us know. Make a comment or send a note on Twitter.
Is your church declining?
I enjoy Tony Morgan – church strategist and ministry leadership consultant.
Tony shares some interesting insights into what a declining church looks like:
5 Attributes of a Church in Decline
Church Marketing: Why A Million-Dollar Budget is Not Out of the Question
If you are concerned about church communications and marketing strategy, a million-dollar budget should be part of your conversation.
But you shouldn’t spend a million dollars on marketing. That’d be stupid.
As a matter of fact, your church could budget $0.
When you take full advantage of the vast interactive marketing toolbox, you can easily cut your marketing budget significantly. Sitting at Starbucks this past week with Scott Meyer of the Westover Hills church in Temple, he told me how they had slashed their advertising budget by investing their time, energy and understanding into social media tools such as Facebook. But I know Scott embraces a “high-tech as well as high-touch” kind of communication strategy. So look for ways to connect with people face-to-face as well as online.
Here are 3 simple things you can do today to maximize your marketing message (none of this costs much at all, if anything!)
- No one refers boring churches – this is a Seth Godin thought about businesses (although I’m running too late today to look for the link) – your church will not be on the tip of the tongue of your members if they find it boring. That’s not meant to say you have to snaz up Jesus with bells and whistles. That means you have to show how the glory of God is alive and active in people’s lives. That’s worth talking about!
- Authentic caring is essential – marketing is NOT and should never be about hyping Jesus to the community. And we all know about the billboards and postcards that flood our mailboxes every week (and certainly around every holiday) – do these people care about me, or do they just care about getting bigger. Be relevant, not just in style, but in what you offer people.
- Communicate in ways that make it easy for your church members to share – if Facebook is indeed growing to over 500 million users, it is likely that a large portion of your congregation is among them. Facebook offers so many options for “sharing” and “liking” that it seems like a no-brainer that your church should have a Fan Page. Post pictures, insights, articles, and other helpful resources that make it easy to share about how your church is more than just a building of pews. Don’t just self-promote about your church either – post things going on in your community, or pass on helpful links to articles and blog posts. When you make it easy for members to click on “Share” – you’ve got yourself word-of-mouth going on.
One of my favorite strategists, Tony Morgan, shares “10 ways to improve marketing without spending any money.” Definitely worth a read.
Oh, as far as the million dollars . . . thing BIG and think about spending it on ministry, missions and helping people in need all over the world.
-Randy
Jesus Would Have Blogged, Tweeted and Used Facebook
Jesus was a communicator – and he was all about building relationships. While he did offer an occasional monologue, we see repeatedly Jesus interacting in crowds, with Pharisees and even gathering his own disciples to deeper conversation. And Jesus certainly encounters the sick and the hurting with engaging questions.
That’s why I think Jesus would have loved blogging. And I think it’s a great tool in the hands of pastors and preachers.
Twitter remains an conundrum to many in church leadership – how to use it without finding yourself on the side of narcissism. Here’s a great example of how Twitter brought some not-so-traditional folks to church – all by tweeting. Yes, I think Jesus would have applauded the disciples for using a tool like this to advance and grow the Kingdom of God!
With Facebook, Jesus would have likely had his own personal profile, joined hundreds of groups, and there would have been a growing number of people who “Liked” Jesus, but then again, there might be an equal number of backsliders who would have turned away and defriended him. That happened alot. Nevertheless, I think every church in North America will soon die if they don’t use Facebook.
Maybe Jesus would have created viral videos, too, or wrote articles online that addressed some of the core values of the Kingdom. It’s hard to know. Jesus communicated in both traditional venues (synagogues, at the homes of people, etc), but Jesus rarely missed an opportunity to talk profoundly and listen intently standing in a boat or hovered over a dead body. Yes, I do think Jesus would have blogged, tweeted and used Facebook. Because Jesus thrived on communicating and that’s what social media should be about. He believed in establishing relationships and nurturing them.
Here’s one of the better arguments for churches using Facebook, by friend David Tonen: “Why Every Church Leader Should Be on Facebook“
-Randy
Image Source: ReverendFun.com
Your Church Will Die Without Facebook
Back in March, Dr. Richard Beck offered his provocative thesis, “How Facebook Killed the Church” – it’s certainly been one of the most tweeted and shared articles I’ve seen in a long time about social media and the church. The premise is of great importance to your local congregation – understanding the powerful role social media to Millennials (particularly Beck makes the case for Facebook’s influence!)
Mobile social computing has replaced the main draw of the traditional church: Social connection and affiliation.
So could your church see its death if you don’t engage in Facebook? Some people scoff at such a claim, but when you consider how social media communication permeates our lives, it’s not far from reality. Scott Williams, Campus Pastor for the Northwest Oklahoma City Campus of LifeChurch.tv, offers this tantalizing article, “Twitter & Facebook are Shutting Down!“
The bottom line is this, not only are Twitter and Facebook not a fad, they have become the fabric of our lives. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a social media enthusiast, a casual observer or a non-user. Twitter and Facebook affect the way we think, the way that we do business and the way we live our lives.
There’s even a book called, “The Church of Facebook“.
Do you think Facebook has a role to play? Depending on your location, your demographics, and your unique church culture, it’s hard to say what that is. But from conversations we’re having with churches in rural communities (yes, even churches of 75 members or less) to larger metro areas, Facebook is a growing phenomenon in how our world communicates. We had some missionaries from Rwanda over for dinner the other night and they admitted that Facebook was playing a significant role in keeping them connected to people back home, but also allowing people back home a glimpse into their world overseas. When my family lived in West Africa, we were just beginning to see the impact of having a blog. Wow, I can only imagine what impact Facebook would have had (although our poor internet connection might have hindered our ability to stay connected 24/7).
If you’re still looking for some valid reasoning, one of the better articles is “Why Should Your Church Invest in Social Media” over at MinistryBestPractices.com. They offer 3 simple reasons for investing in social media:
1. Communication
2. Connecting
3. Call to Action
Read the article to learn more about each one of those reasons – good stuff.
Do you agree with those 3 reasons? Are there more important ones? Or are we overthinking the impact of Facebook?
-Randy
Image Source: liveintentionally.org (I think they are poking fun at some churches and their outreach strategies via their church sign)
No More Ugly Duckling Church Marketing
The folks at Communicate Jesus share this interesting article:
New Church Planting & Marketing
I was talking with a friend the other day about marketing, the church and church planting movements. We were having a discussion on whether or not traditional, more established churches are more resistent to marketing than are new church launches, church plants or less traditional models. While the more traditional church may often have more resources, it is often the limber, flexible and committee-less new church plant that is more likely to embrace the idea of marketing. What do you think? CMS also offers a good helping of articles on word of mouth marketing for churches.
Speaking of church plants, those who have done it (or are currently in one of life’s most stressful yet exhilrating jobs), your peer Shaun King offers up 10 church planting mistakes. Shaun’s authentic examination of his experience is refreshing and revealing.
Image Source: Breakthroughchurch.com
If you build it, they will come. That’s what the movie tells us.
If you build it, they will come. That’s what the movie tells us.
Tony Morgan, strategist and coach, after a recent trip to West Africa, asks an interesting question to us American church leaders:
Does the Church Need a Building?
On a related subject, the guys at CMS a few months ago invited its readers to talk about about church buildings. See the results below:
Speaking of buildings and planning, does your church have a marketing plan. According to this church, here’s why you need one:
- To fulfill your church’s God-designed calling and purpose.
- To prosper and grow in the areas where God has uniquely gifted your church.
- To improve how you communicate with and impact the people you want to reach for the Kingdom.
- To be good stewards of church resources (time, energy, money, people, facilities), ensuring they are working together for your church to be most effective
What are your thoughts on building buildings or building marketing plans?
Are We Moving At The Speed of God?
We know God is big. Bigger than big. Indescribably big (thanks Louie G!)
But is God so very big that we can’t really keep with all that He is doing? Well the question is answered soberly, “yes, God is bigger than we can keep up with!” So why then does it appear that the internet world is producing so much, so fast, that it almost appears to be trying to keep up with God?
Or maybe because God is so big, it would just be natural that the activity of His Kingdom would be overwhelming. How do we keep up? What is the speed of God?
To help you at least stay up with some of what is happening on the web, there are a few tools to highlight:
- Latest News – RSS aggregators like Google Reader or Bloglines allow you to click on that little RSS button on the homepage of most blogs. That assembles all your content in a way in which you don’t have to look through individual blogs all the time. Simply go to your aggregator and Google Reader will feed all of your information to you in one place.
- Magazine Rack – Guy Kawasaki has produced a category-specific reservoir of information that is worth checking out. All kinds of topics, including CHURCH and CHRISTIANITY. Of course, there are less spiritual topics, as well, like POP CULTURE and TWINS (guess we oughta submit something, huh?)
- Christianity’s Best – Thomas Nelson President and prolific blogger, Michael Hyatt, mentions ZoeCity in a blog post telling Christian leaders how to stay up-to-date. Check it out!
So the next time you hear a colleague ask you, “how do you stay so informed?” – well…just smile and tell them that you’re really, really smart.
-Randy
6 Reasons to Podcast Your Sermon
Would it be strange to still say, “Happy New Year”? I can’t believe the month of January is virtually gone and this is our first post of 2010. We’ve been busy over at our other small business marketing site, but we’ve neglected adding any content here.
I came across this post about the importance of capturing your sermons into a podcast. While many churches reading our blog have likely been at this for a while, it should be mentioned anyway. To summarize, the author mentions 6 reasons to make your sermons available via podcast:
- For those who missed the service, they can still listen to the sermon. Perfect for shut-ins or people who are simply sick or out of town one week.
- Having a podcast affords you promotional content – your members can link to it in emails to their friends, tweet about it on Twitter or pass on their link to their huge network of friends on Facebook.
- Easy distribution eliminates (or cuts down) the effort and cost of making CDs and having to mail those out – some folks will still want the traditional method, but you can significantly cut down on costs by moving toward digital delivery.
- A second-time around is best – perhaps your message is so profound someone wants to listen to it again. Or a small group may want to listen to a segment to enhance their discussion during the following week.
- While we know there is alot to our congregations besides the preacher, many visitors count the weekly message as a significant factor in their online search. Making your sermon available in full (or better, an abbreviated snippet), you give visitors a touch point and open the door for their visit.
- Historical archiving establishes a reservoir of content that can be repurposed by members of the church for group study, promotion, or even the preacher himself to use in his blog (you are blogging, aren’t you?)
Although I spent 10 years doing church-planting missionary work in French-speaking, Benin, West Africa, I don’t have a sermon podcast – but you can subscribe to our podcast about ministry marketing and church communication.
-Randy
image source: podcastmysermons.com