The internet is a dangerous place for churches. Scandals often start and end online. This article is not to encourage you to follow these types of stories. Nor is it meant to fan their flames. Be cautious with how you conduct your church business online and how you respond to scandals. Religion is often a scapegoat for inflammatory situations. Keep your cool, follow these steps, and rely on scripture for your inspiration.
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6 Ways to Turn Conferences into Meaningful Content
Training conferences are a great way to learn the latest trends and network with other professionals. They can also be a big investment for any church budget. No matter who attends, there are ways to turn that conference into great digital content. Here are 6 ideas for anyone attending a conference to create great content afterward.
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The news is rife with stories of high-profile people abusing positions of authority. A recent story close to my heart is sex abuse scandals in my home state of Pennsylvania. How does the church react to such accusations and scandal? How we react on our digital platforms is closely scrutinized. Here is my playbook for what to do if a scandal hits your area or church.
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Stop Bullying Users
The benefit of digital ministry is that you can track every click. Remember that those numbers are people. This article explores practices you need to avoid. Shaming and bullying should not be in your digital toolbox. Pushing up numbers can be at the expense of a good experience. The easiest way to see them is through real-world examples.
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The design decisions you make can have life-altering repercussions. We like to think that our actions are always good and will bring someone closer to God. Yet our digital worlds are very connected. Not everyone is ready to broadcast they are a Christian. How you design your campaigns and features impact your users. This article explores are few digital privacy pitfalls, and how to avoid them.
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Many churches have a presence on social media. But how do you start something new? Or what is more common, how do you revive an old account? The feeling of hopelessness may be overwhelming. Here are some tips to combat that and jump start a new or old social media property.
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Can Your Content be Weaponized?
Words and images can hurt. Those originating by our friends and family can hurt more. And those that have the supposed backing of religion can be devastating. Curate your digital ministry’s content to prevent these kinds of scars. This article goes into various ways your well-meaning content can lead to pain.
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Finding the Tipping Point for Digital Ministries
The concept of “going viral” is not new to the Internet. Many news stories, videos, and images have all enjoyed their few moments of online fame. Yet how do you do the same for your digital ministries? In this article I will summarize one aspect of how things become popular; the people involved.
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Avoid the Summer Slump with Digital
Summers are typically seasons where ministries languish. A steady stream of distractions keep congregations away from regular church services. Vacations keep members occupied on weekends. Children are home from school make weekdays hectic. Here are a few things you do to prepare for the summer slump.
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Appreciating Social Media Logistics
You often do not think about how the tomato in your grocery store got there. You are just happy to have tomatoes. The same goes for social media posts. There are typically many people involved in posting content. Use the information here to help others understand just how complex the journey is for your social media posts.
Avoiding Your Digital Ministry Wilderness
Have you tried to get a new digital ministry started, only to have it shot down? I am sure there were many reasons why. That platform is dangerous. We do not have any time to waste. Our congregation does not use the Internet. Despite the arguments, there are steps you can take to overcome adversity.
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Your Social Media Miranda Rights
Social media can be a fantastic tool to promote the message of the Gospel. It can also be a weapon used against the church. This can be a result of poor security practices. It can also be a post that is sent by mistake. You may not have any real rights on the Internet. But this article provides guidelines you should follow using the famous Miranda Rights.
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