Bearing Witness Using “Like” and “Share”

Now that the preponderance of adults on Facebook is chasing away teens, while Twitter doubles with that demographic, perhaps we’ll see a shift in the social media landscape. Those in my age range (I turned 50 last week and so might be as qualified to write about leaving Facebook as the demographic ages as my colleague Rudy is able to write about 80s New Wave Music) will hang on much longer as we now have the CB radio of the new millineum at our disposal and this time you can share photos of the grandkids and cute cat videos. I’ve also been talking with priests about how we are seeing people sharing their faith on Facebook in a form of evangelism as natural as recommending a book or a restaurant.

Here is how it works. You post a status update, a photo, or video from a church event on Facebook. Then members of the congregation begin to  select “like” or they make a comment or even better they select “share” and add the photo to their own timeline. In the process, friends near and far who never knew that this member of your church is an Episcopalian see what is going on in your congregation. (at left, St. George’s Savannah shares a photo of their youngest lay reader)

I know this works because I follow with interest the life of (among others) a Primitive Baptist congregation whose elder I know, two Presbyterian churches where I know the pastors, and First Baptist in Statesboro as a friend and former co-worker takes pictures for them. I enjoy the glimpse into another way of being a follower of Jesus here in south Georgia and because of the “likes” and comments I get on my own photos, I know that friends of mine who may never attend an Episcopal Church also enjoy this peak at what goes on in our churches.

Here are few key things to know:

Create a Page or Group for your Church
 There is a difference to how pages and groups function on the social media site and each can work well. Facebook pages are always visible to all on the internet, while groups offer privacy options. As a group is created, the administrator sets where approval is requited to join, whether it is invitation only or whether the group is publicly available to all who wish to join. With either pages or groups, new posts on the page or by the group will be added to the news feeds of members. Most churches will want a page, while groups within the church, such as the choir or Daughter’s of the King, may be better served by forming a group. (Above, St. Paul’s Albany shares the news of Deacon Jim Purks being honored for his service to Phoebe Putney Hospital)

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Facebook permits anyone with administrator privileges (a task that can and should be shared among a trusted few) can post statuses and photos as the group. Then the administrator can select whether to comment, like or share as the church or as an individual. In general, as no one person should be allowed to speak for the church (that is something the rectors, wardens and vestry can do), commenting as yourself when serving as an administrator keeps things personal.

Practical Concerns
Vestries should select who will be the gatekeepers, posting on behalf of the church. Vestries should also set workable policies, such as not listing whole names for children and not tagging people in photos, but letting them elect to do this if desired. (at left, a butterfly release at Christ Church, Valdosta)

But don’t let fear of what could go wrong keep you from giving your members an easy way to bear witness to the faith that is in them and to share their love of your church. For if your congregation does not have and regularly update a Facebook page, you are missing out on this low impact way to bear witness to how God is manifest in the midst of your church’s common life.

The Rev. Frank Logue
Canon to the Ordinary

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