Hey there, fellow pastors! I get it—our schedules are packed. We’re juggling sermons, meetings, and all the behind-the-scenes work that keeps our churches running.
It often feels like 10% of the people are doing 90% of the work, and time is always in short supply.
But let’s take a moment to talk about something that might be flying under your radar: social media. You might be thinking, “We livestream our services, and that’s enough.”
But here’s the thing—social media isn’t just a trend; it’s the top place where people are paying attention. Yet, many of us are missing out on this golden opportunity.
How Social Media Can Transform Your Outreach Efforts
Now, you might say, “We’re doing fine with our livestream.” And you might be—except, here’s the reality: a lot of churches are just dipping their toes into social media.
Some use AI to post sermon clips on Instagram, but with so many churches doing the same, these clips can become just another drop in the ocean.
Here’s a quick story to illustrate the power of social media:
I recently had a chat with a friend about his TikTok videos. He hadn’t posted in weeks, even though one of his videos had 2000 views. I said to him…those are 2000 real people you know?
How Social Media Can Transform Your Outreach Efforts
I shared a Twitter post I made that took me ten seconds to create. I thought it would hit 100,000 views.
Guess what? It’s now at 162,000 views and counting. More than 1,500 people engaged with the gospel message in the comments.
That’s mind-blowing! Imagine how many of those 162,000 people might have had their thoughts turned towards God in just an instant. Many of those people might have not given a thought to God this year.
Here’s the kicker: I preach to a congregation of 30 every Sunday. I love it and wouldn’t change a thing. But with just ten seconds of effort, I reached 162,000 people in one day.
So, let’s rethink our outreach and evangelism strategies. In my small church, we focus on one-on-one evangelism, and I’m currently leading a six-week evangelism training. But we also need to meet people where they are—and today, most are online.
Creating a Social Media Strategy: Tips for Busy Pastors
Here’s a suggestion: if you’re too busy to handle social media yourself, consider creating a staff position dedicated to this ministry.
If the budget is tight, enlist someone from your congregation who is already active on social media. Your lay leaders are probably spending several hours a day online—ask God to guide you to the right person for this role.
I won’t sugarcoat it: building a meaningful social media presence takes time and effort. It took me two years of daily engagement on Twitter X to reach this point.
But it’s absolutely achievable with consistent effort. We need to engage in thoughtful dialogue online, or else people will only see fake news and inappropriate content.
I know many of you prefer face-to-face interactions, and I agree that they are vital. But don’t miss the chance to connect with people who might reach out to you for one-on-one conversations once you’ve built their trust online.
There’s no commandment that says you have to be on social media. But with discernment and wisdom, you might find yourself becoming the salt and light online to more people than you ever imagined. It’s a tremendous opportunity to spread the message of Christ.
Let’s make the most of it!