The document provides an overview of how to use social media in ministry. It discusses the benefits of social media such as communication, collaboration, community and collective intelligence. It then gives practical tips on using various social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Hangouts and listening posts. The document emphasizes that social media is about connecting with people and that pastoral skills are applicable. It also predicts trends like increased mobile and video usage and more interactive engagement.

1. How to use Social Media
in ministry?
Practical applications
By John Roland, MDiv
Social Media Strategist
Twitter: @jaroland74
Email: jaroland74@yahoo.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/johnaroland

2. Social Media Benefits . . .
Four main benefits:
• communication
• collaboration
• community
• collective intelligence opportunities
John Roland, @jaroland74

3. Social Media Revolution 2015

4. John Roland, @jaroland74

5. • Social Media (SM) and the Donut Factor---We can define social
media in terms of donuts, but think of SM more like an appetizer
or dessert in your marketing mix. It’s certainly NOT the main
entrée and won’t fill you up … yet.
John Roland, @jaroland74

6. “We don’t need social media.”
• You may be ignoring social media, but it’s not ignoring you.
• Ignore Social Media at Your Own Risk.
• Churches, Ministries, and the entire community are active
in social media.
• They engage in peer discussion.
• If you don’t engage with them, the conversation continues.
• But, it goes on without you.
John Roland, @jaroland74

7. John Roland, @jaroland74

8. 2014 Pew Research Survey
• The results in this report are based on American
adults who use the internet. Other key findings:
• Multi-platform use is on the rise: 52% of online
adults now use two or more social media sites, a
significant increase from 2013, when it stood at 42%
of internet users.
• For the first time, more than half of all online
adults 65 and older (56%) use Facebook. This
represents 31% of all seniors.
• http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/01/09/social-media-update-2014/#socialmedia
John Roland, @jaroland74

9. How does Social Media relate
to ministry?
• Social media is ALL about the
SOCIAL in the Social Media.
• Media will change, SOCIAL will not. It is ALL about
people. It is a tool to CONNECT to people.
• Sound familiar?
• Are you good at Pastoral Ministry? Social media is for
you!
John Roland, @jaroland74

10. Why Social Media? Think Dale Carnegie
• 1. AROUSE IN THE OTHER PERSON AN EAGER WANT (establish a
problem solver brand)
• 2. BECOME GENUINELY INTERESTED IN OTHER PEOPLE.
• 3. GIVE HONEST, SINCERE APPRECIATION
• 4. BE A GOOD LISTENER. ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO TALK ABOUT
THEMSELVES
• 5. TALK IN TERMS OF THE OTHER PERSON’S INTERESTS
• 6. REMEMBER THAT A PERSON’S NAME IS TO THAT PERSON THE
SWEETEST AND MOST IMPORTANT SOUND IN ANY LANGUAGE
• 7. SMILE (present yourself in a pleasant, happy way)
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/significantly-improve-your-online-marketing-applying-seven-graham?trk=object-title

11. Social media is a super tool!
John Roland, @jaroland74

12. Social media can be
misunderstood
John Roland, @jaroland74

13. Cannot fool all the people . . .
• In the 15 years since Bill Clinton sat in the Oval Office, the Internet overwhelmed
the media "gatekeepers"—the few dozen priestly reporters and editors who
determined what news, opinion, and gossip the public would hear about.
• Today, there are 300 million people equipped to do their own reporting, writing,
and publishing. You can't keep the truth from them. You can't bully them all or
fool them all.
• That is why transparency, authenticity, and accountability are sacred attributes
of any modern leader. Whether you're running a church, a business, or a political
party, leadership is now a lying-free zone.
• http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-elections/hillary-clinton-a-pay-phone-candidate-in-an-iphone-world-
20150310

14. Watch Out, Pastors: Millennials Are Fact-
Checking Your Sermons
• The one-way communication from pulpit to pew is not how Millennials experience
faith.
• By nature of digital connectedness, Millennial life is interactive.
• For many of them, faith is interactive as well—whether their churches are ready
for it or not.
• It's an ongoing conversation, and it's all happening on their computers, tablets
and smart phones.
• What's more, many of them bring their devices with them to church.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2013/october/watch-out-pastors-millennials-are-fact-checking-your-
sermon.html?paging=off

15. Top 4 Ways Millennials are integrating
technology & faith by Barna
https://www.barna.org/barna-update/millennials/640-how-technology-is-changing-millennial-faith#.VQ4rKY7F9yy

16. Watch Out, Pastors: Millennials Are Fact-
Checking Your Sermons
John Roland, @jaroland74

17. One-in-Five Americans Share
Their Faith Online
http://www.pewforum.org/2014/11/06/religion-and-electronic-media/#electronic-forms-of-religious-engagement

18. http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/08/05/72-of-online-adults-are-social-networking-site-users/

19. Humor break—Just go outside!
John Roland, @jaroland74

20. Who are your followers??
• NASCAR driver tweeted a picture of a crash at
the Dayton 500 race while inside his car and
added 100,000 new followers in under 2 hours.
John Roland, @jaroland74

21. Who are your followers??
• To truly take advantage of the benefits, we need to
know who is in our network or “tribe.”
• Seth Godin defines a tribe as “a group of people
connected to one another, connected to a leader,
and connected to an idea. For millions of years,
human beings have been part of one tribe or another.
A group needs only two things to be a tribe: a shared
interest and a way to communicate.”
John Roland, @jaroland74

22. Tribes—we need you to lead us
John Roland, @jaroland74

23. What do you want to POST?
•P: People (Who do you want to reach?)
•O: Objective (What do you want them to
do?)
•S: Strategy (How to do it?)
•T: Technology (Implementing
Technology)
John Roland, @jaroland74

25. Pick 5 Social Media channels and stick
with them.
John Roland, @jaroland74

26. 4 minute overview on How to
Use Twitter & Tweeting
John Roland, @jaroland74

27. John Roland, @jaroland74

28. Great use of Twitter in
ministry by Matt Chandler
post sermon Q&A via #AskTVC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSQBGXHS5tc

29. Comments on Google Hangouts
• FREE—just need a webcam and a gmail account.
• Love watching Scott Smith’s GBC Evangelism
Google Hangouts.
• Focus on authenticity rather than flashy
videography.
• 10 people are allowed on camera at a time.
• Q&A via Twitter or Google+
• Posts on YouTube channel automatically.

30. 2 minute example—
Great use of Google Hangouts
by Pastor Greg Surrat
http://www.gregsurratt.org/hangouts/

31. 2 minute explanation of
LinkedIn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myGxNhGO4x0&index=7&list=PLEkF__EZwFZKYfGAqPtFWa_oz2geAfucE

32. • Create a living resume (professional picture a must)
with active recommendations, connections, and links.
• Actively request recommendations from people who
have seen your work. Link them to your profile.
• LinkedIn is a massive networking opportunity for
professionals and contributing to the group discussions
will present you as a thought leader in your industry.
• You should target the right groups and start
conversations related to your areas of expertise.
John Roland, @jaroland74

33. • Tremendous opportunity to encourage
Georgia Baptist people.
• Endorse people, recommend them in their
areas of excellence.
• Wonderful tool to connect and support
people where they are.
John Roland, @jaroland74

34. Listen to the voices . . .
• What is being said about you in Social Media?
• Set up Google Alerts that notifies you when someone
mentions you on the internet.
• Set up a listening station. Great example on how to do it:
www.zephyrmarketing.net
• Social Mention* searches across multiple channels for
mentions of you or your ministry in real time
John Roland, @jaroland74

35. Tools to manage Social Media
• Hootsuite.com
• Buffer.com
• Both FREE sites allow you to schedule
your posts and bring some balance to
your social media activities!

36. How GBC employees can use
social media?
• Thank people by name using their Twitter account
handle. Make heroes out of them.
• Encourage by endorsing and recommending pastors
and volunteers on LinkedIn.
• Include as many pictures & videos (with permission) of
people and volunteers in your posts as possible.
• Create authentic online connections (Google
Hangouts) to thought leaders for GBC pastors.

37. How GBC employees can use
social media?

38. Future of
Social Media?
John Roland, @jaroland74

39. Future of Social Media?
• Everything is going to mobile devices.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRiwUCXPo8U&list=PLEkF__EZwFZKYfGAqPtFWa_oz2geAfucE&index=9

40. Future of Social Media?
• It is all about short, quick video.
• Posts are viewed exponentially more
when a picture or video is attached.
• Meerkat, Vine, Instagram, & Snapchat
are expected to grow tremendously.
John Roland, @jaroland74

41. Future of Social Media in
ministry?
• Live streaming video of services.
• Interactive sermons (live tweets, texting).
• People taking selfies of them living out the
theme of the message.
• Continuous dialogue with ministry leaders is
expected. No more gatekeepers.
• More video conferencing for conventions.
John Roland, @jaroland74

42. Do not be afraid!
• Social media is ALL about the
SOCIAL in the Social Media.
• Media will change, SOCIAL will not. It is ALL about
people. It is a tool to CONNECT to people.
• Sound familiar?
• Are you good at Pastoral Ministry? Social media is for
you!
John Roland, @jaroland74

43. John Roland, @jaroland74