Extend Your Ministry Through the Internet
Social networking sites, including Facebook and Twitter, offer ease of communication. Like any tool, these sites can be misused. So while, using Facebook may help you find and reconnect to friends from your college days, abuse of this tool has led to more than one teen suicide. It is worth stopping to think through how a church and its ordained ministers and laity can navigate this new connected landscape.
Harness the Connective Power of the Internet
Many of your congregation are online every day. A congregation’s presence online can help extend your connection to its members. While at King of Peace, the daily Irenic Thoughts blog got more than double the daily visits than a typical Sunday attendance of 140. Posts on that site kept the conversation about the faith going seven days a week. King of Peace’s YouTube Channel was another important way to share events (such as this Vacation Bible School music video) and much more. Likewise, using the 140-character limit of Twitter or the convenience of a Facebook group helps many congregations stay connected during the week. I previously wrote on Finding the Kingdom of God on Facebook.
Web 2.0
What I am discussing is making the move to Web 2.0. The first version of the world wide web involved creating static content for people to view online. Web 2.0 means creating an interactive environment in which visitors do not just view the site, but can leave comments as well. Most churches have made the move to the web (and if not, contact me and the Diocese of Georgia will get your congregation online for free). Many congregations have not, however, made the move to Web 2.0 with interactivity such as that offered by blogs, Twitter, Facebook and many other social media sites available for your use at no cost.
The Incarnation was not virtual reality. Christian community will always involve people getting together in real time and space. That does not mean that the internet can’t help extend that connectedness we have on Sunday through the week. Yes, there is a possible downside as with any tool, but don’t let that frighten you away from the benefits of extending your ministry online. The benefits outweigh the negatives. That said, some precautions are in order:
Be Consistent with Your ‘Friends”
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A priest or youth leader is in a position of power over the laity in the congregation or youth in the youth group. This power dynamic comes into play when a preist or youth leader sends a “friend request” to a parishioner on Facebook. It is difficult for the person to turn down such a request. For this reason, it is better for clergy to only respond to requests sent. In deciding whether to accept such a request, being consistent is essential to avoid virtually shunning one person while bringing another into an inner circle. Consistency could include refusing all online connections to those under 18. Consistency could also mean accepting all requests from those from church. Whatever you set as your personal policy should be clear, understandable and follow without exception whether one is a lay person in charge of a group, a deacon, priest or bishop. In all cases, any group which youth in the church can join should also be open to their parents who may wish to observe their child’s online activity.
Assume Everything is Public
No matter who you friend or follow or include in your social network, assume that all online communications from Twitter and Facebook, to a blog and email, are as private as something shouted out in church on Sunday. So, for example, a youth minister who is friends with every teen in the church must remember that audience for everything shared online.
Safe Church Guidelines
The Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut has created Safe Church Guidelines for social media. Your diocesan staff is considering how we might draft a briefer, meaningful statement to help us navigate these still murky waters. If you have thoughts on what needs saying, send me an email at flogue@gaepiscopal.org
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue
Canon for Congregational Ministries
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