Smart Pastor

In spite of the fact that a few people are giving it up an opportunity to idendify with the suffering of Jesus during Lent, Facebook is taking the computing world by storm.

If you are like I was a few months ago, you may we wondering how you can use it to your ministries advantage.  Last weekend I read an article about how one small town church is leveraging it for their good.  From the story…

Jamie Auton, pastor of King Spring Baptist in Smyrna, has been pleasantly surprised at social media’s impact on his church. “Facebook has actually strengthened us relationally,” he says. “More conversation is taking place between the church body than just what occurs on Sunday morning. It allows those relationships to be built consistently.”

“A pastor’s Facebook profile gives people a chance to see him differently,” adds Forbes. “One pastor told me of his college ministry leader announcing an event on Facebook. When he arrived he had never seen more than half the people there.”

The point is raised, though: Aren’t these pseudo-relationships? Are the people on that list really your friends?

“I walked into the bank yesterday and before I arrived at the counter someone I didn’t know said they had seen a picture of me on Facebook,” recollects Auton. “She was friends with someone that I was ‘tagged’ with on a photo. It allowed me to enter into a conversation with her about the church because we had a common connection with that individual … and she had initiated the conversation!”

“Relationships online are real,” Forbes contests. “Some pastors say they don’t have time for that, but I imagine sometime back in the 1900s someone puts a phone on a pastor’s desk and he complains about having to answer it every time it rings.

“Social media isn’t going away. It’s poised to reshape the Internet.” (Source)

I would argue it HAS reshaped the Internet.  I am seeing this in my church. More and more folks are on and connecting through the week. If you are not on, I would encourage you to create a profile, find a few friends from college, and take it for a spin. I was one who thought it was a waste of time…now I see it as a valuable part of my ministry toolbox.

Also, if you would really like to know more about how you might use Facebook as a pastor or ministry leader, you can check out a free e-book from MinistryMarketingCoach.

Finally, if you have any interest in connecting with me on Facebook, you can do so here.