Social Media

The Importance Of Doing lowercase ministry In An ALL CAPS World

There are a lot of voices yelling at us.

Stop that! Buy this! Do it now!

And it’s all accelerated by the device you’re currently using.

In such a loud, hurried world, it’s tempting to think that the only way to get our message and our ministry heard is to raise our voices above those around us.

It’s tempting to think that the only way to get our message and ministry heard is to raise our voices above the voices around us.
So we yell our message louder, use bigger, bolder colors, and get angrier.

But all that does is make the gospel message appear like part of the problem, not an answer to it.

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9 Common Social Media Tactics That Never Draw Anyone Closer To Jesus

Social media has no moral component to it – except the ones we give it. It’s just a tool.

A very powerful one.

And we’re only beginning to grasp its impact.

When used well, it can connect, inform and entertain us. But when it’s used poorly, as it so often is, it can ruin your mood, your day, your life, and – as a Christian – your testimony.

Christians are not exempt from the dangers of social media. Just like anyone else, we can make mistakes that hurt the cause of the gospel, even while we’re trying to promote the message of Jesus.

Here are 9 common missteps I’ve seen a lot of Christians make. For most, maybe all of them, I can see the good motive behind it. But good intentions are not enough.

These tactics tend to push people away from Christians, the church and – worst of all – Jesus, more than draw them towards him.

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9 Common Social Media Tactics That Never Draw Anyone Closer To Jesus

Social media has no moral component to it – except the ones we give it. It’s just a tool.

A very powerful one.

And we’re only beginning to grasp its impact.

When used well, it can connect, inform and entertain us. But when it’s used poorly, as it so often is, it can ruin your mood, your day, your life, and – as a Christian – your testimony.

Christians are not exempt from the dangers of social media. Just like anyone else, we can make mistakes that hurt the cause of the gospel, even while we’re trying to promote the message of Jesus.

Here are 9 common missteps I’ve seen a lot of Christians make. For most, maybe all of them, I can see the good motive behind it. But good intentions are not enough.

These tactics tend to push people away from Christians, the church and – worst of all – Jesus, more than draw them towards him.

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Sorry Christians, We Can’t Blame the Media Any More

Christians love playing the “blame the media” game.

Not long ago, we might have had a legitimate claim that our reputation was bad because the media was against us. That’s not the case anymore.

Oh sure, the media in general may still think negatively about Christians, if they think about us at all. But the days of blaming someone else for our bad press are gone.

Do you know why Christians have a bad reputation today? It’s not because of CNN. It’s because of our own Facebook pages, Twitter feeds and YouTube videos!

Every day, we confirm people’s worst suspicions about us. There’s no one left to blame but ourselves.

Some Christians really act like jerks.

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Confessions Of A Social Media Lurker: 3 Guidelines For Commenting Constructively Online

So much of the online tone is so mean, confrontational and toxic, it would be a waste of my time and emotional energy to engage in it. And this is in Christian groups. Including ministers’ groups.

I’ve been tempted to opt out entirely. And have done so for short seasons. But with the writing and speaking I do, it’s essential to be aware of what my fellow ministers are saying about the major subjects of the day.

So I’m a lurker. A hoverer. An eavesdropper.

I watch, listen and learn. Occasionally I’ll jump in. But only under very tight guidelines.

I’ve created a set of rules for myself and my engagement in online conversations. Including participation in the Facebook and Twitter comments about this blog.

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8 Arguments Against Social Media – And Why Pastors Must Use It Anyway

If you’re a pastor and you’re not using social media, you’re not pastoring your church as well as you could.

Whenever I say that in a minister’s conference I make some pastors mad.

I’m okay with that. Because I also get looks of relief and whispers of “thank you” from staff members and volunteers. They’ve exhausted themselves trying to convince their lead pastors to get on social media, so they’re grateful when an old coot like me backs them up.

I’m probably safe stating the need for social media here, because the fact that you’re reading my blog means you’re already connected. But if you know of a pastor who isn’t convinced of it yet, email this to them.

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Every Idle Word: Eight Cautions for Ministers On Social Media

Social media has become our face to the world.

When we use it well, it can be a great tool for ministry and relationships.

When it’s done badly it can cause massive, sometimes irreversible harm – to others, ourselves, our churches and the message of the gospel. Some pastors have lost ministry positions because of their negative online behavior.

Here are eight rules that help keep me out of trouble as I produce content and make comments on blog posts, podcasts, Facebook, Twitter and more.

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A Fun, Free Way For Church Members to Invite Friends for Easter (Or Any Time)

For years, we used to spend a lot of time and money to create an Easter invitation flyer. Then we’d spend way too much money to print it and run it in a neighborhood magazine or newspaper. But we received very little benefit from all that work and expense.

With social media, we changed our tactics. We started creating our own flyers and making them available for church members to post on their social media pages. Not only was it free but, since people are always putting stuff like that on social media anyway, it felt less like advertising and more like chatting with friends.

This year, we’re taking it a step further. In addition to creating an Easter flyer for the church, we’re helping everyone at the church create their own personalized invitation. In today’s post, I’ll show you how we’re doing it.

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8 Arguments Against Social Media – And Why Your Church Needs to Use It Anyway

If you’re not using social media, you’re not pastoring your church as well as you could. Whenever I say that in a minister’s conference I make some pastors mad. And I’m OK with that. Because I also get looks of relief and whispers of “thank you” from staff members and volunteers. They’ve exhausted themselves trying to

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