Social Media

If you aren't already familiar with TED Talks, you'll want to pause and take some time to delve into this incredible resource. TED Talks are to non-believers as sermons are to Christians. The popularity of online education via video and podcasts haven't seen their full potential of growth yet as people continue to seek entertainment, education, and thought-provoking stimuli in the form of short video lectures, usually given at various TED Talks around the world.

Instagram has proven it's one of the top social networks in the world and it isn't going anywhere. Whether your church uses Instagram in its social media messaging and communication plans largely depends on your audience; churches with older members tend not to utilize Instagram as much as churches that serve younger people. That said, it is good to know what networks are out there and why they are popular. What are their positive qualities and how can they be used to further your church's message as well as the Gospel?

Offering complimentary wi-fi to members during services is just one way churches are engaging with millennials. However, without properly securing your wi-fi and other organization-owned devices, you could be exposing your church to cyber attacks from outside intruders. With security threats to churches on the rise, cybersecurity is quickly becoming a top priority for religious organizations across the country.

With Lent less than two weeks away, I often find myself approaching the practice of Lent a little differently each year. For those, like myself, who did not grow up following the liturgical calendar, Lent may be a foreign thing. In short, Lent is the season of the Christian Year where we focus on simple living, prayer, and fasting to grow closer to God.

As a parent, you are concerned for your child's safety on the Internet. Teens and even young children as young as one are using mobile technology on a regular basis. Because technology changes so fast, it's helpful to have a sense of some of the concerns we all face. By being aware, and taking appropriate steps to safeguard our children, we can be aware of the dangers and teach our families how to move about the web safely.

We all want to keep up with communication trends so that we can reach our world. We remind ourselves that the Apostle Paul said “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:22,23a). Though we work hard to do that, we also need to be realistic as we work to apply what is currently useful in the secular communication world and how that will work out in the crucible of church culture.

If you're overwhelmed by the number of social media services and tools to manage said social media services, you're not alone. It seems like new solutions crop up almost daily. It's a changing landscape for sure. While we've blogged about many social media tools for church communicators, it's great to share this infographic published originally by Kenny Jahng and team to give you a sense of what social media tools communications within the church are using.

As we head into the busiest season for churches, now is the time to wrap your head around Facebook as your new best friend for church event outreach. It's one of the best (and least expensive) ways to share your event, be it a Fall Festival, Trunk or Treat, Harvest Party, or holiday event, getting your church message seen on Facebook is becoming more challenging every day.