If you are a church and/or Christian leader on social media, please heed the following warnings. This information is pertinent whether you are paid or volunteer, serving in a church or some other Christian organization.
Those of you who read my blog or listen to my podcasts know I am a strong proponent of Christian leaders utilizing social media. I have seen so many good things take place on the various platforms available. I have seen the gospel clearly shared and embraced on social media.
But social media is a two-edged sword. It can be used for good or great harm. And it can harm the ministries of those in Christian leadership. So, whether your platform is a blog, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google Plus, or many others, please note these seven warnings. Indeed, it is my prayer that you will heed these seven warnings.
- Consider anything you say on social media to be permanent. Yes, you can delete or scrub regretful things you have said on social media but, more times than not, the information can still be retrieved. And countless people take screen shots the moment they see something unwisely posted.
- You can be misunderstood often on social media. The readers or viewers usually cannot see your body language. They don’t know your humor or sarcasm. If you have any question about something you will post, don’t post it.
- Emoticons are not sufficient to soften what you have posted. In fact, emoticons are so ubiquitous now that many readers ignore them.
- Attacks on other people’s character or positions are considered cowardly by many. The reader or the viewer typically sees the person writing the information as one who hides behind a keyboard or microphone. They wonder if the writer would have the courage to say the same things in person.
- Too many Christian leaders are posting on social media in the heat of emotional moments. If you are angry or otherwise agitated, take a 24-hour break from social media. If not, you may regret it later.
- Churches and other Christian organizations are checking social media of Christian leaders. It has become more commonplace for churches and Christian organizations to do a social media background check of potential candidates. And I recently conversed with a pastor who was fired from his church because of something he posted on Facebook. And remember, at the risk of being redundant, most of the words or photos or videos you have posted are permanently recorded.
- The non-Christian world is watching Christians attack each other on social media. Our Christian witness is compromised again and again by our social media actions. When we say or write scathing attacks on others, non-believers see us as hypocritical, inconsistent, and unworthy of emulating.
You might be surprised how many people are watching you on social media. And you might be surprised how many people have been hurt and angered by Christian leaders on social media. You might also be surprised how many gospel-sharing opportunities have been forfeited by unwise things posted on social media.
Be wise. Be gracious. Be kind. And be Christ-like.
Let me hear what you think of this issue.
Posted on August 4, 2014
With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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100 Comments
A leading family left my church over an inappropriate Facebook status by another leader in my church. It was meant as a joke but wasn’t funny to them. Good information.
Thanks Doctor Rainer.
You are welcome!
So true. Jokes are not jokes to everyone.
Great words for pastors, staff, and churches! I know of pastors and staff members who have either been fired or were severely reprimanded for posts on social media sites! I am going to share this with staff and church members as well! Thanks Dr. Rainer!
Thanks Buddy.
As usual, you are on point! Thanks and I am going to share this with my staff and congregation.
Thank you, Robert.
Excellent insight Dr Rainer. It breaks my heart when a pastor or leader becomes a pulpit-bully, much less a cyber-bully. Yet so many other pastors spread “grace and truth” through these emerging channels of communication.
Shame on us if we ignore or abuse our influence on social media.
Love these practical blogs – blog on!
Thanks Mark.
Great points! My pastor has unfortunately abused social media so much it has led to much division in the church and his eventual resignation. It’s been a hard, painful process. Social media is a great resource and can be used well…then again it can be used to do great harm. Churches must carefully monitor their pastor’s social media accounts. If there are concerns they must be addressed firmly and quickly before it gets out of control. As we’re finding out, the testimony of the church can be greatly damaged
So sad.
I think one of the saddest consequences is the way careless or angry posts interfere with the discipleship pastors and others are trying to do. Conflict is an opportunity for discipleship and consequent growth. But venting frustration in the meantime just gins up everybody’s emotions and makes level-headed response less likely.
So true.
Wise and timely counsel Thom!! Thanks for your contributions to Christian thinking, in a day when it is sorely lacking. BTW, being a fellow RTR fan, your football/church list was very convicting. I shared it with our Grace family last week, but of course I had to instruct them to replace the word “football” with basketball for it to be culturally relevant here in KY!!
That’s funny and true!
Also beware of posting links to sites with undiscerning advertisements. I posted a link to a secular article which had okay ads. When I returned to the article several days later the ad had been changed to one that was practically pornographic.
Rather cut and paste the relevant quote and give the source rather than paste the link.
Wow. Thanks for the heads up.
Pr0n is in the eye of the beholder
The Internet advertizing market is based, in theory, on targetted marketing. Specifucally, the web searches that are made, the content of visited sites, posted comments, and the like. As such, the theory goes, only adds based on the viewers specific interests are seen. Consequently, if pr0n in adds pops up, it is because of visits to sites that feature that content. In practice, the add agencies will throw out whatever they deem acceptable, and of interest to you.
If you watch on sermon on Exodus 34:15-16, advertisers will show adds for houses of ill repute, because of the content of those verses. By their (the advertiser’s) logic, you are a user of such services. If lucky, it will be a still image of the undraped female form. If unlucky, it will depict Numbers 25:1-3, in living colour and sound, with no way to turn anything off.
The best defence against pr0n in adds, is to block _all_ adds, and eliminate as many trackers as possible. Ideally, this is done at the router/dns lookup level.
I’m a 50+ woman that does not watch porn and goes to the trouble wipe cookies ect. occasionally.
I have seen plenty of ads for other stories on newspaper sites, that while not technically porn, are bad enough it keeps me from posting the link.
Only some ads are directed based on surfing habits, not all.
Two things
1. I would also add that leaders shouldn’t try to be sly and have a second online presence. It will get found out.
2. I’m a straight women with 3 kids and am the only user of my devices, yet many adds i get are for singles dating services with local girls. I don’t thing ads are as frequently targeted as some may think, at least not yet. It’s still a problem and good advice not to link if you’re not positive of the ad content.
Number four is something I wish more pastors would understand. I wish pastors would realize that the person they are calling out (typically a mega church pastor or politician) is never going to actually read their blog. All it does is undermine the respect your congregation has for you. Social Media is read by all make sure it is edifying.
Good word, Joshua.
Also don’t assume that when you say hurtful things in an effort to be humorous, that it won’t be seen by the person, especially celebrities. Always write with the thinking that the person is reading it. That is if you do believe in reaching unbelievers with the love of the Gospel.
This past year while discussing human trafficking on twitter Natalie Grant’s name was mentioned. Something was said about it seeming too trendy since she gave voice. None of us followed her and she wasn’t tagged or the subject matter. Suddenly she showed up in the conversation to clarify some things. She was completely gracious and lovely. And even though we hadn’t said anything bad technically, it still had that uncomfortable feeling of discussing someone and realizing they were standing behind you the whole time.
Good word, Melody.
With all due respect, pastors are commanded to refute those who contradict (Titus 1:9) and protect their flocks from wolves (Acts 20:28-30). Calling out false teachers such as Joel Osteen and T.D. Jakes is a necessary and important aspect of pastoral ministry, far too often neglected for pragmatic reasons, ultimately to the detriment of the congregation.
With equally due respect Josh, the trouble is that many (church leaders included) either rebuke with a mean spirit, fail to perform due diligence by first looking into the Word of God, or fail to quote God’s Word in the rebuke. My point is that we are not God. We are not the Christ. Anything we say should come from His Word in order to have any authority.
What a truthful post. As always thanks bro. Thom for constantly getting truth into our hands and minds.
Thanks so much, Doug.
IT CAN GET YOU FIRED. It has gotten pastors fired. There is sometimes a divide between what is said in church and that said on social media. At times, this is understandable. The problems faced by younger people and the problems faced by older people can be significantly different. Pastors may want to be moderate and help the younger generations through social media and answer questions and yet have to remain conservative and/or toe the denominational line in church to please their donors and bosses. This attempt to reach younger people can appear to the older people/leadership to be a lie.
However, I put some of the blame for the need for a two-pronged approach on church leadership and/or denominational policy. If leadership were to be accepting of different opinions and admit that the younger people had different types of questions and problems then there would not be so many problems with pastors talking on social media. The leadership should work to get the older people/donors on board so that they are aware of what is going on and not threaten to withhold donations when they find about the pastor’s efforts on social media. This discovery is what can lead to the pastor being fired.
Good points, Mark.
Social media content can also be used to eliminate candidates for positions in the church.
Sometimes for the right reasons and sometimes for wrong reasons.
Very wise counsel. I have read too many posts filled with self-righteous wrath, others with questionable photographs, yet others with strange doctrinal positions, and angry political positions. Does it pass the Christian purity test, the Christian kindness test, the Christian citizenship test? And, “Am I having to justify or otherwise rationalize what I said?” Thank you, Thom Rainer, for this post.
Thank you, Rich.