2021 is on the horizon.

Finally, right?

As we leave 2020 in the past for once and for all, we need to leave along with it many of the bad habits we’ve developed over the years in our ministries.

Just because these 6 church trends have been popular, doesn’t mean they are positive.

Click here for the video version of this blog post!

• Doing Everything Yourself

Church leaders often struggle with delegating, but it can be especially overwhelming in terms of your church’s digital ministry presence.

You need a team.

You need support.

You may even need to outsource.

No, not every community will have the people for building a thriving digital ministry team. And no, not every church will be able to afford outsourcing their graphic creation or posting. 

But that should not mean you don’t try to make it happen.

You need to give creating an effective digital ministry team your best shot before automatically assuming failure. Ask widely within your congregation; ask directly within your congregation.

A willingness to learn and ability to adapt is all you need.

Start with our article or video on How To Get Started with Digital Ministry and develop a plan for which steps you need to implement first.

If you find that outsourcing is best, we still have our Advent + Christmas Social Media Image Pack available for purchase with over 50+ Facebook images and 50+ Instagram images. 

That means no creating, no planning, no searching… we’ll get you started.

From there, work as a team and look out for one another.

One of your volunteers may make a post that simply doesn’t align with your church’s beliefs… No, it’s not ideal, but it could happen. Use it as a teaching moment, acknowledge it as necessary, and move on.

Alternatively, your volunteers might catch you posting in a way that does not work with the platform you used. Again, use it as a teaching moment, acknowledge it appropriately, and move on.

These teaching moments are important, because this is not just one singular person’s social media profile… this is what those outside of your community will base their perspective of your church on.

Every post you make is a new first impression.

It won’t always be perfect, but as you work together you will become more and more effective over time.

• Considering Online Efforts Something “Extra”

While the rise of Covid-19 has certainly helped many leaders realize the necessity of an online presence, there is still a belief of some that digital ministry is an extra sprinkle on top of the actual ministry.

News flash: Digital ministry IS ministry.

Digital ministry is not going away when a covid-19 vaccine arrives.

Do not treat this new era of ministry as a phase that will soon be transitioned out of. In reality, we are adapting to a new way of being as church leaders.
This reality may feel overwhelming when absorbed all at once, but don’t neglect the beauty in the chaos: Many congregations have seen increased numbers during this time as it becomes easier and easier to fully participate in a community from across the country or world.

“Church is not a building” is a phrase church leaders love to throw around to encourage a focus on people over places… but what if that “building” that we are so enamored with is not necessary at all?

What if someone from Massachusetts can fully participate in a community of believers in California, each and every week?

With effective digital ministry practices, they absolutely can.

May this message reignite your online efforts anew. May this reminder encourage a focus on building online community engagement, rather than whatever “extra” energy you may have that day.

Playing It Safe

Sticking to what you know how to do online is easy.

It also might be necessary. Sometimes we don’t have the bandwidth for more than that.

Unfortunately, the old and easy methods of digital ministry are not usually the most engaging ones. Without engagement and quality reach, you are not truly reaching people where they are… you are just going through the motions.

Stepping out of your comfort zone is usually one of the best ways to actually reach people online. Is it easy to tell people about your social media platform, post a photo or video of your face, or interact on stories? No way!

Will people pay attention to these things far more than they might a static graphic image?

100%

Now, don’t get us wrong. We love a good image post! In fact, we created a whole pack full of Advent + Christmas images for church leaders to post on their social media pages.

We also regularly post graphics with text or pictures on our Digivangelism social media accounts.

But that’s not all. And, truly, that can’t be all.

Step out of your comfort zone and play a little.

Even months into our global pandemic, we’re all figuring out this as we go. There will be much grace and understanding as you try, potentially fail a few times, and then try again anew.

Move beyond what you know. 

Beyond the image posts beautifully crafted in Canva.
Beyond the features that you can navigate with certainty.

Beyond the sermon posts, neatly packaged and presented with practice.

Show up regularly and authentically.

Seek out the features your people are using and dive in. 

Smile – showcasing the faces of any and all who are willing to represent your community.

• Hiding

Hide it under a bushel – NO! 

Remember that song? We were taught with vigor to let our lights shine bright, never letting them be covered away, hidden from view.

So why do we still come across so many active church social media accounts who clearly have not even told their own people they exist?

Why can you never tell who is behind the screen or what matters to them?

Your people don’t just want your presence online, they want your authenticity. They want your clarity. They need to know your purpose.

First, spread the word about your accounts actively and repeatedly.

Announce your accounts to the people in your church: online and offline.

Encourage them to share your accounts with local friends and family.

Add these account links to your email signature, website, and cross-posted on your other social media accounts.

Make sure your accounts are set up to clearly share who your church is. Your mission should be visible in every bio, description, or “about us” section. If you’re not sure of your mission, check out Your Church’s Biggest Digital Ministry Downfall for some advice.

Now, live out your mission on these accounts. 

Digital ministry isn’t just for telling people about ministry.

Digital ministry IS ministry.

So live out your mission.

Engage your people.

Be Church Online.

• Not Adjusting Your Online Alternatives

Everyone has needed to adapt to our new covid-19 reality.

It is just as important that your weekly church plans and activities adapt too.

You do not need to meet for the same amount of time online as you would offline.

You do not need to do the same things you would do online as you did offline.

In fact, you probably shouldn’t (and we don’t use that word a lot!).

Attention spans are going to be shorter online than in-person. Distractions may be exponentially larger too.

Do your best to keep your activities to a necessary amount of time, making space for folks to engage longer if they are craving extra socialization but not requiring it.

Keep your online meetings, worship times, and activities as interactive as possible. People are going to need a little extra stimulation to make it through, so actively engage them as much as possible.

There are many ways to encourage movement, conversation, and interaction. 

Don’t just stick with the same old, same old. 

This is not the same old… 

Adjust your online alternatives. Your people will thank you.

• Ignoring Insights

Social media insights and website analytics can be intimidating.

But behind the facts and figures is your best bet for creating content that engages your people: the actual preferences of your people.

Insights tell you what your people prefer to see by showing you what they have interacted with.

No, churches are not marketing companies, but if you are trying to reach people where they are (much like a marketing professional might), you have a lot to learn from people who do this professionally.

Pay close attention to what is working.

Even a check in every 3 months so you can consciously notice what people are engaging with the most can make a huge difference in your digital ministry effectiveness.

That’s it for today, friends.

If this article was helpful, be sure to subscribe to our email list so that you don’t miss a single article or announcement of the digital ministry goodness to come.

Today, we brought the knowledge.

Now it’s your turn to put it into action.