Social media is the ‘digital water cooler or campfire of today’, according to Steve Fogg, communications director and pastor at Crossway Church, a large Baptist church in Victoria, Australia.

Churches can inhabit this space to communicate with both new and existing audiences. ‘I’m excited about the opportunities social media presents for churches,’ said Steve. ‘The traditional gatekeepers of media aren’t there. ‘Churches can build their own platform in the community to spread the gospel.’

Steve spoke to a number of churches during a visit to England earlier this year, explaining that social media is an excellent way of sharing what is happening in a church.

He encouraged church leadership teams to think about providing ‘great content’ for congregations to share with their friends.

‘If you tell stories about what your church is doing, stories of what volunteers are up to, people have a different perspective about what church is about.

‘It’s a great engagement tool to start conversations. It doesn’t replace evangelism, but creates an opportunity to have a conversation. It provides opportunities for people to connect and ask a question.’

During his visit to the UK he addressed Baptist audiences in the north east and Essex, and noted that churches were ‘cautious’ in their approach.

‘Many are at the starting point – they might be using it internally, for their congregation.

‘But social media is not a new thing. It has reached saturation point in the west. The older generation has adopted social media. We all have a story to tell – let’s get out there and tell it.’
 
 
To read more tips from Steve, visit www.stevefogg.com
Visit the Crossway Baptist Church and its Facebook page to see examples of what Steve is talking about www.crossway.org.au.