Content vs Relationships

/ May 13, 2013 / No comments

Luke 24:13-25

http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-disciples-encounter-jesus-road-to-emmaus-picture-holy-scriptures-old-new-testaments-books-collection-image30190343The road to Emmaus is one of the best biblical accounts of how social media works. And I find it striking that in this 2000-year-old account of a resurrection appearance of Jesus Christ we have the very fundamentals of social media. But then again should I be surprised? The Gospel is, after all, always astonishing.

In this passage Jesus appears to the disciples, although they do not yet know who he is. He walks with them along the long and dusty road. He comes into relationship with them. Jesus dialogues with them and lets them open up to him about themselves and what has just transpired in Jerusalem. Jesus does not force the conversation or push content upon them instead he builds a relationship.

After a time, once a relationship has been established, Jesus continues to dialogue with them, but he also begins to offer content. He opens their minds to scripture. This is tricky of course, because this is the moment when we would want to push content upon people, but instead Jesus demonstrates for us that the time is not yet right. Instead, He focuses on building the relationship, understanding a subject (namely the scriptures) and how we must first come to walk together before being bombarded with content, the finale is when he appears to the disciples in the breaking of the bread.

Jesus on the road to Emmaus knows something fundamentally important about relationship building that we lose at times in social media. We push content, new post, new blogs, new sermons posted to the web. We push content in the hopes of gaining new followers and new “likes”. We purchase ads to further our reach and further the reach of our content. And by doing so we forget what Jesus talked about so long ago, and that is to come into relationship with people.

Pushing content seems natural to us. Having something new up on our Facebook pages and websites seems critically important in an ever-increasing world based on consumption. Yet, I think, Jesus is demonstrating for us on that long and dusty road that instead of consuming, we ought to be coming into relationship with one another.

So always remember, that while content is important, so also is it important to stop, engage and interact with those that like, comment or share our posts. Take time in your day to read what others put forward on their social networks and work on building relationships. Enter into dialogue and discuss, get to know one another.

In today’s media savvy world, it does not take long to develop a reputation as a spammer, content pusher and a social media version of an ads pusher. And remember we count success not in number of likes, multiple points of entry into our churches or growth, but we count success always in the spreading of the Gospel message and coming into real relationship with our brothers and sisters.

Category: Church Marketing, Social Media /

The Problem with Adjectives

/ March 21, 2013 / 2 comments

http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-goggle-chihuahua-image27930960The adjective is a great descriptor. It provides nuance to the otherwise banal. Things stop being so plain and take on visions in our minds. The dog is just a dog. But a large black dog, with short coarse hair and a large head may bring to mind the image of a Rottweiler, rather then a cute Chihuahua.

Of course to call an adjective a descriptor is also rather redundant. The very purpose of an adjective is to provide nuance and description to a noun. A car becomes more than a simple car when we refer to it as a sports car or an SUV.

Adjectives provide colour, depth and texture to our language. They open a creative world to us and allow us to communicate specific images and specific ideas. The adjective is a powerful tool in communication.

The adjective can also be dangerous, it can oppress and it can most definitely be used to maintain systems of oppression. I can think of many examples, but I would like to bring to your attention three examples that I believe can help open up this dialogue to us so we can see the problems that can arise at times when we use a descriptor on a noun.

First is Gay Marriage. The implication by putting the descriptor on this noun, marriage, is to somehow quantify the marriage as different then the average or regular marriage. While it is true the couple is homogenous, I fail to see how a gay marriage is any different then a heterosexual marriage. In the morning the gay couple does not get out of their gay bed, have gay breakfast; drive their gay car to their gay job, while living their gay life.

By using the descriptor to describe the marriage of a homosexual couple it can lead to a second-class status. There is marriage and then there is gay marriage. And somehow that doesn’t seem equal to me.

This problem also applies with gender in the work force. My wife is a computer programmer. This is the work she does. By referring to her, as a girl programmer, is to somehow say that she is different then a regular programmer and what she does is not the same. It separates her from her colleagues and others her. It is to say she is different. Maybe that different is special, but it still separates her from her colleagues and implies, in a sense, that she programs differently or writes girl code.

I believe this is also the case for women clergy. Whether male or female is irrelevant, the same vocation is being fulfilled. The same sacraments are being celebrated. To call a priest a woman priest, is to somehow separate her from what her male counterparts do. She is after all simply a priest. No better or no worse then a male priest.

The adjective, while it can add so much to our language and communication can also help maintain systems of oppression and separation between us as a people, a society and in gender relations.

And I believe this is also theologically dangerous and counter-intuitive to Holy Scripture. It was after all St Paul who said in Galatians (3:28) “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”

Category: Communication /

Why Going to Church Matters

/ January 28, 2013 / No comments

I firmly believe that there are three main aspects to human life, and each of these aspects needs to be cared for and nurtured. And together when they are cared for, human beings live healthy and happy lives. These three aspects are:

1) The Physical

2) The Mental

3) The Spiritual

Now there are two ways that these aspects may be treated in life. We can choose to treat them acutely, as in when something goes wrong, or we can treat them in a preventive manner.

Case in point is the physical. Preventive care would encompass things like exercise, going to the gym and eating a healthy and balanced diet. By doing so our bodies develop stronger immune systems capable of fighting of various sicknesses and helps to prevent diseases, like heart disease and strokes.

Now many chose instead to treat their physical selves acutely. They have a bad diet, little to no exercise rendering them winded from climbing stairs and a sedentary lifestyle. When they become ill, they go to the doctor and receive medication. Or poor diet can develop diabetes in the individual, at which time medication is required. Just a couple of examples of acute care.

A healthy active lifestyle prolongs life and quality of life. Simply put caring for ones physical self is important. We feel better when healthy, happier and have a better quality of life, both now and in the long run.

The same is true for the mental. There are many aspects to the mental. There is mental illness, but there is also exercise of the mind. I will treat each of these separately, for they are truly distinct, even though one may dovetail into the other.

Accumulation of stress and not having a release for that stress can often cause depression or a tendency to lash out at people and see in them projections of stress not yet dealt with. We can read into situations things that do not exist, or even see innocent comments as personal attacks.

Having the means for coping with high level of stress and decompressing after high levels of stress is a must for a healthy and happy mental life. The high levels of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder being reported by returning soldiers from active theater is an indication that proper and timely decompression from stressful events is not taking place.

Yet caring for our mental wellness is not just a matter of treating mental illness. It is preventive also. Like the physical we can either treat the symptoms acutely when they arise or we can engage in a regiment of preventive care. Here education is key.

Stretching past ones assumptions and beliefs and having those beliefs and assumptions challenged so that we can see our prejudices is key to helping us have a happy healthy life. This allows us to come beside our neighbor and to understand their perspective.

It should be noted that understanding does not mean agree, simply put, it means if we can see another’s point of view, we have opened our mind to new possibilities of understanding and friendship.

Caring for our mental well being, exercising our minds and allowing sufficient downtime after stressful encounters is key to a happy and healthy life.

Finally the one aspect of our lives that in our western post modernist secular world that is often over looked is the spiritual.

I often run into people during the course of my duties as a priest who tell me they are not religious, but spiritual. When I press them on this, in what do they do to exercise their spirituality I am often met by blank stares and stumbling answers like, “I try to be a good person”.

By not caring for our spiritual selves, we open up ourselves to the need to have this aspect of our lives treated acutely when crisis happens. And if there is one guarantee in life, we will encounter crises. A regular regiment of spiritual development needs to be engaged if we are to care for this third aspect of our lives.

Which is of course is one of the many reasons I believe in the value of church. Church may seem antiquated and out of touch with today’s world, but I firmly believe church will give you the exercise your spiritual selves needs to be strong and healthy. It provides preventive care in the same manner as preventive care surrounding our physical and mental lives, which helps us to be happy and healthy.

It is hard in the moment to see how hitting the treadmill or de-briefing an incredibly stressful event will help you years down the road. And it is equally hard to see how attending church will help you years down the road as we confront our own mortality, aging process and growing through our many encounters and crisis in life.

But exercising our spiritual lives is key. It is the third leg of the stool upon which sits a healthy and happy life. And when lacking a regiment of exercise for our spiritual lives church in many senses becomes for us our gym.

So grab a Bible, a Torah, a Koran or other sacred text. Join a church and let the spiritual sweating and exercise begin.

Category: Uncategorized /

Social Media Campaigns and the Church

/ November 15, 2012 / 2 comments

Churches often wish to jump on bandwagons as a means to reach people and to tell the story of Jesus Christ, to share the good news and how peoples lives can be transformed. The church’s desire to jump onto the social media bandwagon is no different.

To be clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with jumping on bandwagons, or being a little late to the game so to speak, unless that is cheering for the Leafs. That is always wrong. But I digress.

Yet before getting onto the social media bandwagon, there are a few things that you should consider before jumping into the social media world. First of all, this is not a once off campaign, but a new form communication. In reality a new relationship with people, and it does not stop once we “get” what we want.

As well, once the train has left station, it is very hard to turn it around and start over again. And there is a process of letting go of the message. Social media by its nature is public and once your message is out there, it is out there. You will not be able to control it. Therefore I offer a few things for your consideration when planning your social media endeavours and for the people tasked with being church community managers.

1) Do you have the resources for such a campaign?

Resources must be allocated to the endeavour, and these consist not only of financial resources, but also technical and human resources. Who will be responsible for updates and engage with your audience? Do you have the right technology and the right platforms? Who will maintain the technology? Does the person in charge know how to use the platform properly and understand the etiquette involved?

2) Who is your target audience? What platforms are you going to use to reach them?

Any job to be done right needs the proper tools. Therefore, knowing not only your target audience, but also where your target audience is, as in on what platform, is key.

For instance, being aware that the fastest growing demographic on Facebook is 55-65 year old women is crucial if that is the demographic that you are targeting. It is also then important to know NOT to waste time, energy and resources on other platforms like Twitter if few or none of your audience is active there.

3) Engage, engage, engage.

Seems self-explanatory, but far too often this is overlooked. If someone leaves a comment on a blog or Facebook page, make sure to answer it. Even if that is just to acknowledge that you have seen it. In the case of negative comments, one must exercise caution in not appearing to ignore the dissenter, but also not in engaging in an escalating turf war. Also there is a difference between disagreements and trolling. Learn it, and never feed the trolls.

It just looks bad if you are broadcasting without engaging. A good analogy for engagement is a priest or pastor who only ever talks, talks and talks and never listens to his/her parishioners. Nothing looks worse for social engagement then talking without listening and responding.

4) Be an expert. You are the evangelist. Know the ins and outs.

Having the answer on the tip of your tongue or the tips of your fingers is important. Knowing your church or program is key. You need to be able to answer any question or direct people to those that can in a timely manner. It is okay to say, “I don’t know but I will find out for you”.

Knowing also shows you care. And nothing is more authentic in relationship building than personally caring. So study hard.

5) Have goals and measurements in mind to judge success.

Define your goals. Set targets. If your goal is to grow the church, then know by how much you want to grow your church. Set benchmarks along the way. Meeting the benchmarks will give your community excitement along the way, but also make those who come because of your campaign feel part of the success. Which, of course, will cycle that energy back into your project or campaign.

Of course there are many other nuances to keep in mind, and this is not an exhaustive list. It has, however, some basics to keep in mind when constructing a social media campaign and preparing to launch a new program.

As with the success of all ventures, the success is in the planning. So take some time and analyze the ways in which you will answer the above list, and with some careful planning and a little luck, social media will indeed help you achieve the goals of your church, its campaign and the effectiveness of your new program.

Category: Church Marketing, Social Media /

Capturing Discipleship and Facebook Memes

/ October 17, 2012 / No comments

Every now and then a saying develops. It may have the basis in the truth, but often gets misappropriated rather quickly. Which in an age of 15-second sound bites and 140 character tweets, one can easily understand why.

One of these sayings that I have been encountering more and more lately is, “A note to church leaders, the church has only one savior!”

While true in a very real sense, that Christ is the savior; this saying provides the means of abdicating one’s responsibilities. Churches grow when they respond to the needs of the people and of the community. And churches decline when they respond to only the needs of those in the “club”.

Simply claim that it is up to God whether the church lives or die. That Christ is the savior of the church and no amount of responsibility is to be shared by the baptized.

I believe part of what it means to be a Christian is to live in tension. It is to live in the tension between the now and the not yet, the realized and yet to come kingdom of God.

In Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection the victory has already been won. Death is no more. The second Adam has restored us. Yet as we know, we are not in the garden, but still here on the earth.

It is why each year in the church calendar we journey from the expectation of the coming of our Lord in advent, to the crucifixion and resurrection at Easter. From there we continue to Pentecost, when the Spirit is left with the church and Christ ascends to Heaven.

We recall the life and mission of Christ and attempt to live in imitation. And it all culminates with the celebration of Christ the King, the Sunday before we do it all over again.

And yes, we do look to Lordship of Christ, our savior and master. And we recognize in his sacrifice we are made whole. That through the faith of Christ and faith in his work we are justified, saved and restored.

Yet the church simply doesn’t stop there, nor does our responsibility. We are to continue the building up of the church, the bride of Christ. (Matt 25:1-13) And as Christ commanded, we are to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I (Christ) have commanded you.” Matt 28:19-20

And like the apostles and the early church fathers, we are to devote ourselves “to the apostle’s teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:42

The tension lies within the building up of the kingdom of God and realizing that God gives the growth. Christ is indeed the savior, and yet the real need for hard work to be done can best be summed up in yet another kitschy little saying…

When asked “Why hasn’t God done something about dwindling attendance in church, the poor and the needy.”

I always reply, “He has, he sent you.”

Category: Church Marketing /

The Wiki Way

/ May 31, 2012 / 4 comments

The web is a powerful tool for evangelism and social networking. I often focus my thoughts surrounding the web on how to drive people to the church’s door, to engage people in dialogue about their faith and as a means of outreach and evangelism.

While all of this is important, I want to take a moment to discuss how the web can be used internally for the benefit of small parishes in a diocesan structure, like the Diocese of Huron. While I have written before about how to implement a diocesan wide web strategy that would generate a professionally designed and developed website for every parish (See here) at a fraction of the cost to individuals parishes and save thousands in lost man-hours, today I want to focus instead on the community of the diocese and what it has to offer each other through the web.

Lacking on the diocesan website is resource material for clergy. We are all blessed with talents from God. Some people are liturgist, some are youth ministers, and some have gifts and talents surrounding stewardship and fundraising, to name but a few. The one thing clergy aren’t though is competent in all areas of ministry. We need support and material that we can access in our parishes in some key areas. I would leave it to the diocese to decide those key areas, but off the top of my head I would imagine stewardship materials, family life materials and liturgies approved for use in the diocese above and beyond the BAS and BCP would be on the top of that list.

The Diocese, like many non-profits, often outsources or hires people to develop these resources. Money is spent on staff in church house, a stewardship officer for example, while the clergy of the diocese with all the necessary and God given talents are asked instead to sit on yet another committee.

My suggestion would be to simply ask clergy who have interest, passion and ability in certain areas to develop resources instead of sitting on another committee. These resources and materials would then be hosted on the diocesan website and open to be accessed and tweaked according to individual contexts and requirements.

This is an easy and obvious low cost solution to the lack of resources available to clergy in their local contexts. Which got me thinking. Instead of simply sourcing a few details, or programs, why not source all the clergy and all their talents. Why not part of a diocesan web strategy and social media policy create a diocesan Wiki. (Definition just in case)

Theologically this makes sense, as the one body of Christ seeks to help and support each other. Furthermore it acknowledges that each of us has talents that God gave us and each of us can also share those talents as St Paul encourages (Romans 12:4-8, 1 Cor 12:12-31).

The question of cost would natural be of concern. How much to create and maintain a diocesan Wiki? Since the domain name diohuron.org is already owned, there would be no cost for wiki.diohuron.org. The same hosting would be used, therefore still keeping this at no cost. And there is free software already developed and open sourced.

The only barrier therefore is will. Is there a will on the part of the diocese to source the clergy? Do the clergy have the will to use, share and encourage each other? Is there a will as the church to explore new and fresh means of building, creating and supporting the church?

Where there is a will, there is a way and where there is a wiki, there is a community.

Category: Social Media /

When you become the advertiser

/ April 13, 2012 / No comments

I love this commercial. Not because I love Midas, or I have fond memories of my years turning wrenches. Although I do have many fond memories of working as a mechanic and that bay at J&S Service Station back in Ottawa, but I digress.

I love this commercial because it sums up so clearly and succinctly why social media is important in today’s world. It shows clearly the power of social media and peer-to-peer communication, and it also shows what is commonly referred to as brand evangelism, as the customers become the means of advertising your business, services or dare I say your church.

In today’s age most people will Google you first but then also ask for recommendations from their peers. Simply put, it is now a rarity that people will just walk into your building to give you a try, whether you are a mechanic or a church.

Developing a web presence is no longer a luxury, but also what is becoming increasingly clear, as seen by this Midas commercial, is that failing to have a social media presence will leave you and your church years behind.

Eric Qualman describe the ROI on social media simply as this, “your business will still exist in 5 years.” While I think perhaps he is being a wee bit of a sensationalist, he does allude to a very good point. Social media and peer-to-peer communication is the new frontier of advertising. Through social media one is able to build trusting relationships were your own people would be willing to recommend you to their friends.

The growth of your church through social media, therefore, is not about one person, a young priest who Tweets or uses Facebook or Google+ well. It actually becomes about a community, and about all people of the church taking on the role of evangelist and living into the Great Commission.

And that more than anything, is why I love what this commercial and what social media represents.

Category: Church Marketing, Social Media /
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