If you want to be the best pastor you can be and maximize your influence, you must be active in what is commonly called “the digital space.” It’s simply the best way to build your platform and expand your reach. After all, digital influence is the heart of pastoral ministry, right?
Here are 10 kinds of posts that make you the pastory-est pastor you can be.
Editors Note: For more inspiring examples of godly social media acumen, follow Pastor Bill on Twitter.
1) The Bible bomb
Post any verse you can in 140 characters; out of context is perfect. Promises, praises, imprecatory phrases—it doesn’t matter. Don’t worry about proof texting. You’re not proving anything!
2) Coffee pictures
You are a man of the people, an everyday guy, an average Joe. You don’t hole up in your palatial rectory. You mingle! You like your coffee fair trade, organic, and as a pour over.
3) The overly simplistic false dichotomy
At least one a week. Social media is for provocation and retweets, not nuance or thoughtfulness!
4) Refer to other prominent church leaders as your “friend”
This adds credibility to your ministry and your local church. Nevermind that 80% of your congregation don’t care who those guys are.
5) Excitement about Sunday
Begin Friday night, repeat multiple times on Saturday, and schedule one post for about 4:50 AM on Sunday to seal the deal. People need to know how geeked up you are about preaching on SUNDAAAAAAAY!!!!!!
6) Pictures of sermon prep
These pair well with coffee pictures. Your people need to know both the hours you pour into your message and the sheer enthusiasm you have for studying obscure biblical passages.
7) Pictures of the worship team leading
You have a front row seat to what God is doing through that wicked cool guitar solo. Share it! It works best when shared with a snarky comment about the Worship leader’s V-neck and skinny jeans as well.
8) Never let on how hard Mondays are
Your people need not know that by 9:00 AM every Monday you are a hairs breadth away from sending in your resignation letter. Nope. Just post a Bible bomb instead (but leave off the first part of the verse about God’s anger).
9) Retweet a compliment about your sermon, book, or blog post with a big “thank you!”
Your work ministered to someone, so why not let everyone know how appreciative you are that they said your ministry was awesome?
10) Numbers, Numbers, Numbers
Baptisms, conversions, visitors, offering, services offered—doesn’t matter. Your numbers are the measure of your success, the litmus test of effectiveness, and the metric of God’s work. Push those out there! You’re an inspiration to all your fellow pastors at less prominent churches.
Barnabas Piper serves as the Brand Manager for Ministry Grid at LifeWay Christian Resources. Piper blogs at The Blazing Center and is the author of the newly released Help My Unbelief: Why Doubt Is Not The Enemy of Faith.
