Have you considered pivoting your ministry in some way throughout this pandemic? Are you finding noticeably less and less interaction online?
While we had 5 awesome digital ministers share their stories, there are still many more out there worth getting to know.
Rev. Natalie Hill is a chaplain working in campus ministry. Below she tells us about a pivot her ministry experienced when the pandemic first started.
Rev. Natalie Hill: TikTok: @revnat.thecircuit
I’m a campus minister and when all the students were sent home at the start of the pandemic, we tried to continue our existing programs on platforms like Zoom, but it quickly became clear that students didn’t want to spend any more time than they had to on that kind of platform.
In response, we decided to develop a multifaceted ministry that was entirely digital. I tried “old” social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Instagram but found that I wasn’t reaching students and young adults. Then I tried TikTok.
I was able to reach way more people right away, and although there was a learning curve, I’ve been able to grow followers and through TikTok live, we’ve almost doubled our weekly worship. There’s a lot more opportunity for authenticity and direct engagement.
I’ve also discovered that there’s a real need and hunger for progressive Christianity in parts of the country where it’s less prevalent than it is here in Boston, meaning my witness is making a real difference in people’s spiritual lives on this platform.
I’m really grateful for the community I’ve found and I can’t wait to see how it grows!
Our 2 Favorite Things That Rev. Natalie Said:
- She acknowledges that moving to TikTok was hard, but they did it anyway.
New social media platforms are rough for everyone to adjust to at first. You need some time to figure out what is going on before you’re going to be “good” at it.
Give it time. Stay patient. It does get easier and it is worth it.
2. We love that her ministry was listening.
They were open to the fact that they might have gotten it wrong with their outreach efforts. They were willing to change their path ahead.
They tried Zoom and it didn’t work. They tried other platforms and it wasn’t right. So what did they do?
They kept trying. They found a new way of being Church online and their attendance doubled.
Keep moving forward, Church.
Real true community is always worth it.
Thank you, Rev. Natalie and the Circuit! We’re so grateful you shared your story with us.
If you are just getting started online, be sure to download our FREE guide for 7 posts your church should be making online TODAY.