Hey there! I recently spoke with a church staff leader who believes that traditional methods are the only effective ways to grow and nurture their congregation. It was like for every opportunity I presented, they had an argument for why it won't work.

If you're like this leader, you're not alone.

But today, I want to point out some limiting beliefs that I believe are reinforcing that view, and most importantly providing self-fulfilling prophecies for social media and digital outreach failures.

I common thread is that church staff in this camp often view new technologies and platforms, like social media, with skepticism or even disdain. This conservative approach might feel safer but can prevent a church from reaching potential new members, especially younger demographics who are highly active online.

Isn't it time to challenge these outdated views? Let's talk through 3 critical limiting beliefs together:

3 Limiting Beliefs You Must Conquer For Digital Outreach Success

Limiting Belief 1: Social media doesn't really work

Many pastors think that social media is just a place for sharing personal moments or trivial content, not a platform for serious engagement or spiritual growth.

Is it possible they are missing out on a powerful tool?

1. They see few immediate results and dismiss its long-term benefits.
2. They hear about negative experiences and apply specific potential outcomes universally.
3. They overlook and discount success stories from churches that thrive online.

This belief isn’t grounded in the realities of today's digital world.

Start small: optimize your social media profile, share weekly sermons or thoughtful quotes, and interact with responses. But above all, commit to consistent publishing for at least 4-6 months. And make sure to respond to any comments or DM's you get because direct engagement can quickly show the impact and reach of social media.

You shouldn't expect instant results of church visitors and regular attenders, but a church that starts posting sermon snippets on social media, leads to increased website views, which leads to potential plan your visits, to attendance and engagement from those who resonated with the messages shared online.

Are you sure social media won’t work for you?

Taking the first step can open up new opportunities for outreach and community-building. It's important to explore and adapt to new possibilities.

Stay open to new methods; the results might surprise you.

Limiting Belief 2: Social media takes too much time, it is a time suck.

Social media can be efficient if used wisely.

Some believe that maintaining an active social media presence requires constant attention and will detract from other pastoral duties.

Real progress doesn't require 24/7 monitoring.

1. 15 minutes in the morning to post a daily thought or prayer.
2. 20 minutes during lunch to respond to comments and messages.
3. 10 minutes in the evening to plan the next day's posts.

With this simple schedule, social media becomes a manageable part of your daily routine, not a burden.

If you commit for this upcoming season to putting your church's social media activities on the calendar and spending just an 45 min a day for 4 – 6 months, you can double your outreach and help community members feel more connected.

Reflect on your daily schedule. Can you integrate social media without overwhelming yourself? Can you empower someone else on staff, if you don't have to time personally to do it? Someone needs to have it on their calendar for work every day.

Focused, regular updates build a consistent presence that encourages interaction and growth.

Embrace this baseline factor of consistency, and you'll see it’s not just manageable but beneficial.

Limiting Belief 3: It's complicated and so hard to learn and master.

The fear of technological complexity is common among those unfamiliar with digital platforms.

Social media is like any new tool—it seems complex until you use it.

1. Signing up and setting up an optimized profile takes less than an hour.
2. Learning to post and interact can be achieved with a few tutorial videos or live workshops.
3. Regular use solidifies your understanding and efficiency.

You control the pace. Start with the basics and expand your skills over time.

By setting gradual goals, you not only master the basics but also discover creative ways to engage your congregation.

Does the initial learning curve justify avoiding social media altogether?

Tackling this challenge head-on can lead to significant rewards in outreach and engagement.

Now, let’s recap what we’ve covered.

By confronting these three limiting beliefs, you position yourself not only to grow your congregation but also to connect with individuals in a meaningful, modern way.

Move forward with confidence, knowing that the barriers you face are surmountable with small, consistent steps. Your community awaits on the other side of that digital divide.