Local churches reach out via social media

By Stephanie Ward
NDG Special Contributor

Social media has made its way into the local pulpits with pastors twittering, friending, posting and blogging. Some see Facebook and other social media sites as the new mission field while others look on with guarded optimism saying that it could get in the way of authentic relationships.

Larry Williams, pastor of Dallas Avenue Church of Christ, is new to social media but can see where the possibilities are limitless. So far, he spends about one hour a week managing his 90-friend Facebook page.

“When I started, I thought that social media would be an avenue that the Lord would approve of.” Currently, most of the people on his Facebook page are members of his small south Dallas congregation. He uses social media to share information to members who do not attend church regularly.

“I hope this is another way they can get a glimpse of God,” Rev. Williams adds.

According to recent study completed by LifeWay Research nearly half (47 percent) of churches surveyed use social media and social networking as tools of engagement and interaction. Facebook is the most popular among all social media sites.

Bishop DA Davis, of the Intersection Church in DeSoto also uses social media tools: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. In addition, he uses e-mails and teleconferencing to connect with his congregation and others nationwide.

“We use social media to broadcast seminars and workshops. This is a part of our strategy to attract others to our church. We hope that as they interact with us, they will be more inclined to come and visit our church,” Bishop Davis shares.

Pastor Fred L. Jones of Christian Chapel “Temple of Faith” CME Church in north Dallas agrees and says social media has improved the quality of ministry and help move the church’s objectives forward by enhancing communication, connecting, and directing the call to action.

“We use it to reaching all of our members and sending our review of Bible study and message from Sunday sermon out. We also post events,” he said. The Temple of Faith post sermon notes and other information on Facebook for members unavailable to attend Sunday service.

Pastor Jones says his church did a feasibility study and found that 70 percent of their members where either on internet, using social media or had a smart phone.

“We use it to keep people involved and to extend our reach by creating a virtual fellowship.”

While many churches have found ways to use Facebook, and Twitter as the virtual missions’ field, some pastors say there are drawbacks.

“It eliminates the personal touch or contact that has been so successful in reaching souls,” says Bishop Davis. “The ministry of evangelism is personal touch and interaction, and has been the auspices of what churches do in the ministry of evangelism. The personal touch is what has made the difference in church grow.”

In addition, he says, church growth stats prove that an existing relationship creates a warm market. However with social media that personal contact is missing in physical form but it still can reach a person a least indirectly.

“The church counts on the direct approach,” Pastor Jones said.

Pastor Jones indicated his older members are often left out of the move to social media. Some of their older members are not technologically literate. But he laughs about a 100 year-old member that has seven numbers in her cell phone and his being one of them.

“She calls me every day,” he said. “We still have to consider our older members in whatever we do.”

One of the drawbacks to a Facebook fan page is the inability to control the flow of the conversation, according to Pastor Jones. If you allow comments from all fans of the page, you cannot filter who can comment or be a part of conversation. However if deemed inappropriate page administrators can delete offensive content.

Overall, pastors are encouraged by the opportunities that Facebook, Twitter and other sites offer. They see social media as a way to connected with members amidst busy schedules and spread the gospel easy and effortless. An additional advantage is the fact it does take much money or manpower to implement or use it these tools

“People will go to your web site or Facebook page before they enter your doors. Social media has changed the way people look at church business,” said Pastor Jones.