I believe that the social media movement is one of the most important technological, sociological and spiritual opportunities the world has ever seen. Never has the individual human voice had the potential range, influence and connection to other people than now through tools like blogging, podcasting, social networks, and the mass collaboration possible through sites like wikipedia.
Now consider the role and responsibility of the Church and how perfectly it matches up with these new tools being built, and that are free to use. I commented to a friend recently that these tools are building a movement of connection, sharing, relationship and communication that is the church with out the Christians. That the world is so hungry for connection to people of like affinity, to share their story and to learn that it has built the tools to do so in a way that match the mission and movement of the church perfectly.
That said, most churches I have interacted with, even the mega churches with thousands of people in weekly attendance are just now catching up to using the internet like the rest of the world did 5 years ago. Most churches still use the web as a digital web brochure, a place to sign up for events, maybe online giving and the popular / author pastors are putting their sermons on podcasts. And yet if a regular local church were to embrace social media and start interacting in that space the conversation and relational opportunities would be explosive.
- What if your staff were able to keep up with the lives, questions and happenings of your church through social networks?
- What if the conversation between you and your church was everyday instead of once a week?
- What if you were able to send out announcements to your whole church instantly through new technologies (RSS, SMS) and current technologies (email), but you don’t have to manage the database?
- What if you could do away with the trifold weekly bulletin and the constant tangle in figuring out how to fit more information in there was replaced with a simple postcard for visitors with your web address where they can get timely and relevant updates?
- Isn’t it time that your website stop being so painfully embarrassing?
- What if you were able to send out alerts for sudden or random needs in a way that would mobilize your church into action?
- What if you could produce small group videos that your small group leaders automatically receive on their computers and can play for their groups?
Well, that is why Contagious Solutions is here to help. We are experts the social media space when it comes to what works in churches and what doesn’t. The services we offer range from consulting on communication and web strategies to actually building, training and supporting a social media strategy. We love the church, and we love providing effective solutions for the church to become more effective at reaching people with the good news of Jesus. We would love to help you take your church into the biggest opportunity for connection, teaching and relationship is has ever known.
