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
The internet may be telling us something that we have tended to deny since the beginning of time. What we say, no matter the medium, influences others. Without realizing it we can destroy someone’s, and our own, self-esteem and future. I think King Solomon had a thought or two on this subject.
Our pastor has encouraged us to tweet and use Facebook to share whatever we are impressed to share during our service. It has proven to be very successful. As a minister’s wife, I can say that I have begun to think long and hard about sharing anything that could be perceived as controversial. If it isn’t Biblical or personal, then I hesitate and think long and hard before posting. When I do share something political, I either do so as a link to my blog OR with a “warning” in the beginning of the post. While my husband is a Chaplain and not in direct service of a Church, he will be again someday. He does NOT have a FB page for these very reasons. I would say as a Pastor it is probably a very good idea to not attack anyone for any reason, political or otherwise, on FB or twitter or instagram. Great reminder.
The rule of thumb we use on social media posts is …
We only post things we’d be happy saying, playing or displaying to the congregation in church. (We say congregation to stress the point that a post is not initially a 1 to 1 conversation – it is a 1 to many conversation– as several people are hearing or seeing a post at the same time).
Worth while cautions. There is a value, however, even in words that are foolishly and even hatefully made. Some years ago a Baptist historian wrote an article which was critical of Baptists in the 1700s for the very things mentioned in your article. The basis for his complaints was an account written by an Episcopalian who saw the Baptist clashes over issues troubling them as repugnant to say the least. However, I hastened to point out that while Baptists were acting out of order as they usually seem to do that this was more an indication of the fact that they were free and involved in a creative ferment. While they were fussin’, they were participating in the First and Second Great Awakenings, launching the modern missionary movement, uniting Separate and Regular Baptists, persuading General Baptists who were neither very missionary nor evangelistic to become Regular Baptists (believers in particular redemption or limited atonement as some call it as opposed to the General Baptists and their general or universal atonement) who were both, utilizing both educated and uneducated men in the ministry, creating one of the early anti-slavery societies, helping to launching the greatest nation on earth at that time and since, establishing our education institutions, and more. Freedom often leaves us open to the charge of extremism and even hatefulness, and, sometimes, it is deserved. On the other hand, the fact that such stuff can occur, in spite of its negativity, can indicate that the people doing it are free. Additionally, the nails sticking up get nailed down and rough places smoothed out as peaceful, more harmonious, and Christian conduct begins to prevail in the midst of the wrangles. What we have to watch out for is that we do not allow our desire for being peaceful to keep us from speaking out, even sternly, if the situation warrants it. One of our precursors in the CR was dragged from a SBC platform, when he protested the departure from the truth then becoming manifest in our seminaries. That gentleman had an earned doctorate from Southern, and he showed how in one book he wrote that the very words of John Locke were used in the BFM of ‘1925 and 1963 to describe the perfection of the whole Bible over which we would battle sternly from 1963-1990. I am still mindful of those cases where Conservatives did violate the principles of conduct in their drive to win which did the Bible believers’ cause no good, and I count myself among those who believe the Book.
It is also worth noting that people now often check out church websites as well as social media BEFORE attending your church, so keep an eye on it. A post from someone not thinking might hinder someone from visiting your church.
Good point.
Of course people do it. The website is probably the most important thing for churches to reach people new to an area or people looking for a new church.
Great reminder! I’ve had to go back and further explain a recent FaceBook post because people were left to assume or infer too much because I was too brief in my post. Thankfully it has led to a healthy online discussion but it also showed me to exactly say what you exactly mean as people will fill in the blanks with their own assumptions – not necessarily what you meant. Thanks!!!