We know that pastors shouldn’t be doing it all, but your pastors will elevate your church to new heights by meeting new people if you use them in your social media content and strategy. Here are some practical tips for involving your pastors in content creation.
Highlight Your Pastor’s Personality
Does your pastor have a dramatic side? They may be the strong and steady type. A bit of a joker? It doesn’t matter what their strengths are; what matters is that they were called to use the gifts God knit into them to deliver our Father’s message and lead the congregation. Pick a day of the week or month and ask them to take over your socials! A few ideas for what they can post are:
• Highlighting interesting moments throughout their day
• Revealing their current reading list
• Sharing their thoughts on a chosen topic
• Telling a story about what they did for fun last week
You can show off your pastor’s quirks by using a day of the week to deliver content directly from them to your congregation.
Use Your Pastor’s Words
Some people do not fully appreciate how Jesus spoke in parables (surprise: I used to be one of them!) As my faith has developed, the parables have become one of my favorite parts of the Bible to read. Every time I read one, there’s another lesson or another piece of the story that pops out at me, and I feel the Holy Spirit guiding me to new revelations. Pastors share messages in eloquent and understandable ways that can relate to many or sometimes just to a few. Sharing your pastor’s words on your social channels can provide messages of hope to people as they scroll. You never know what could speak to someone!
Video Your Pastor’s Time
Does your pastor goof around the office? Take a quick video (with permission, of course) and post it to show off their fun side! Maybe your pastor would be interested in providing more context or a retrospective of their sermon from the previous weekend. Sermon follow-up videos give a chance to expand on points they might not have been able to share in their sermon or to share new revelations since preaching. You can also take a quick video of your pastor saying hello and giving a short blessing to the viewers as encouragement for the week. Stories and posts don’t have to look perfect; it’s usually better if they feel authentic and unpolished. Silly bloopers are always a hit, too!
Remind Your Pastor of Their Worth
In my days as a teacher, my colleagues and I would talk about how it wasn’t easy to feel valued. We supported each other as we found ways to connect with students, learning to navigate each of their needs to progress in their goals. Pastors are the spiritual leaders of many people, all with busy, complicated, and over-stimulated lives. While we find our worth as Christians in Jesus Christ, remembering our value can be hard sometimes. Use your content to tell your pastor how much they mean to your church. (And check out these previous blogs “Show Appreciation to Your Pastor” and “5 Ways to Communicate Thank You!” highlighting fun ways to celebrate your pastors and staff!)
