Social Media for the ScaredDr Bex Lewis, Digital FingerprintURL: http://j.mp/socmedscaredoct

October 2013 for: http://www.churchcommstraining.org

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Let’s “tweet” each other…

https://twitter.com/drbexl

SOCIAL media

What do many people think digital is about?

Image Credit: Facebook Meme

What is Social Media? http://youtu.be/MpIOClX1jPE

Top Men of the Church = Online

http://bigbible.org.uk/2012/12/the-popes-first-week/

WHY BE ONLINE?

“Fish where the Fish Are”

Image Credit: http://www.seedresources.com/view/images/men-fishing-on-rock-outcrop-amidst-breaking-waves-muriwai-beach

Understand the Culture…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXD-Uqx6_Wk

https://www.youversion.com/bible/294/mat.5.13.cevuk

The Church Front Door?• For many churchgoing is no longer the

‘cultural norm’. People don’t actively ignore the church: they don’t even think about it. Matthew 5:13-16 calls us to be salt and light in the world, and for thousands in the ‘digital age’, that world includes social networks such Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest. With literally billions in the digital spaces, the online social spaces presented by churches need to be appealing, welcoming, and not look like they are just an afterthought: they are now effectively the ‘front door’ to your church for digital users, and you ignore those spaces at your peril.

http://www.churchgrowthrd.org.uk/blog/churchgrowth/growing_churches_in_the_digital_age

Image Credit: Sxc.hu

• We are not selling something to the world that will make more people like us, believe in our story, join our churches. We are trying to be something in the world that invites connection and compassion, encourages comfort and healing for those in need, and challenges those in power to use that power in the service of justice and love

• (Drescher, 127)

The ‘Conversation’ Prism..

http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/07/01/reorganizing-the-social-media-landscape-with-the-updated-conversation-prism/

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/social-media-explained-with-donuts

Source: Facebook

Source: Netcasters

Source: Netcasters

• An incredible new technology enables the transmission of text on a worldwide basis. It rapidly reduces production and distribution costs and for the first time allows large numbers of people to access text and pictures in their own homes.

• The new technologies will bring ‘every individual… into immediate and effortless communication with every other’, ‘practically obliterate’ political geography, and make free trade universal. Thanks to technological advance, ‘there [are] no longer any foreigners,’ and we can look forward to ‘the gradual adoption of a common language.’

• “For this invention will produce forgetfulness in the minds of those who learn to use it, because they will not practice their memory. Their trust in writing, produced by external characters which are no part of themselves, will discourage the use of their own memory within them. You have invented an elixir not of memory, but of reminding; and you offer your pupils the appearance of wisdom, not true wisdom, for they will read many things without instruction and will therefore seem to know many things, when they are for the most part ignorant and hard to get along with, since they are not wise, but only appear wise.” (Phaedrus 274c-275b)

Socrates! (c 400BC)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrates

http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/lcs9603.html

• “Furedi suggests that moral panics have a tendency to occur ‘at times when society has not been able to adapt to dramatic changes’ and when such change leads those concerned to express fear over what they see as a loss of control.”

Image Credit: Stockfresh

Image Credit: http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/video-assist

Digital Literacy

•"digital literacy defines those capabilities which fit an individual for living, learning and working in a digital society”

Published by Lion HudsonFebruary 2014

#DigiDisciplehttp://bigbible.org.uk/digidisciple/

Image Credit: http://www.seedresources.com/view/images/ipray

http://bigbible.org.uk/digidisciple/

• Whether as a Christian or a digital explorer, you’re a newbie or an old hat, a rookie or a bishop (and in the digital sphere, there will be some who fit in all categories), we all have something to contribute to the digital space. The concept of the digital as ‘space’ or a ‘culture’ is important as we come from a perspective in which:

• As Christians we live 24/7 for God, in whatever spaces we live in or engage with (see LICC for more on this).

• There is no such thing as ‘virtual’ and ‘real’ worlds: only online and offline space/cultures – the connection between the two is different for each individual.

• We need to take seriously our Christian presence both online and offline.  Are we the same person, living by the same values in both ‘spaces’?

https://audioboo.fm/boos/1577833-what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-digital-disciple-with-

changingworship

Human Beings at Machines, not “are machines”

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/192333

Love thy neighbour?

• What does it mean to ‘love your neighbour’ in a world in which a ‘friend’ might as easily be the kid from down the street you grew up with as a woman in Botswana whom you’ve never seen in person and only know in the context of Facebook status updates, photos, and notes? … How can we negotiate spiritual interaction in these contexts without losing sight of basic elements of Christian faith expressed in traditional embodied and geographically located practices of prayer, worship, and compassion towards others?

• Tweet if You Heart Jesus, p.xiv

http://bigbible.org.uk/2012/10/evangelism-through-story/

http://bigbible.org.uk/2012/09/wisdom-from-the-bible-on-building-a-digiparadise-by-vahva/

What Biblical values do we want to see in our (digital) world?

Image Credit: iStockPhoto

The Fruits of the Spirit…?

Possibilities & Fears

Don’t look to “publish” but engage in a CONVERSATION

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1382970

Who is your audience?

http://www.rgbstock.com/download/fishmonk/miaHgsm.jpg // http://www.rgbstock.com/download/chidseyc/mAbSBWW.jpg

What’s in the toolbox?

http://www.slideshare.net/drbexl/an-overview-of-social-media-january-2013

Twitter…

Image Credit: Landingnet.co.uk

http://pinterest.com/pin/39265827973911808/

http://wallblog.co.uk/2013/03/26/heat-launches-twitter-awards-where-social-media-and-celebs-meet/

Twitter Spokesperson:

• Twitter brings you closer to the things you are passionate about - and for millions of people across the globe that is faith.

• http://news.sky.com/story/1022800/senior-bishops-to-tweet-christmas-sermons

Push/Pull Media…

Image Credit: Stockfresh

What’s it good for?

• New connections through shared interests

• Building your “brand”• Pre/During/Post Event Conversations• Breaking news• Asking questions• Sharing pithy statements/quotes• Being “polemical”

Image Credit: Stockfresh

https://twitter.com/biblesummary

https://twitter.com/ccwinch

https://twitter.com/Natwivity

https://twitter.com/spckpublishing

https://twitter.com/c_of_e/

RT: The Power of the Retweet

Image Credit: Twitter.com

You may also commonly see….

•MT•HT

Image Credit: Stockfresh

Trending Topics: 21/9/13: 2357

•Use the 160 character bio well… •Who•When•What

Manage Expectations

Image Credit: Stockfresh

http://hootsuite.com/

http://www.slideshare.net/drbexl/twitter-13863450

https://support.twitter.com/articles/14589-how-to-add-your-phone-via-sms

http://www.slideshare.net/drbexl/daily-twitter-workout

FACEBOOK

http://edudemic.com/2013/03/find-out-if-youre-an-average-facebook-user-with-this-image/

http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/united-kingdom

http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/united-kingdom

https://www.facebook.com/drbexl

What can you do on Facebook?

• Find friends• Post status updates• Comment on others photos• Post & Tag people in photos• Offer pastoral care• Leave public messages on the ‘wall’• Send private ‘messages’• Join Groups, Like Pages• Link to other social media• Set up events

Facebook functions in ministry?

• Encourage Community• Whole (life) Church• Groups (e.g. 20s30s)

• Give others insights into ‘church life’ e.g. photo sharing

• Offer pastoral care• *Youth: PM’s, CC parents/another

leader in• Advertise Events

The power of ‘Like’

‘Amongst Friends…’

http://edudemic.com/2013/03/find-out-if-youre-an-average-facebook-user-with-this-image/

https://www.facebook.com/DigitalBible

https://www.facebook.com/DigitalBible/info

BigBible: Page

https://www.facebook.com/bigbible

Facebook Insights

BigRead: Group

Event

• http://digital-fingerprint.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Setting-up-a-Facebook-Account.pdf

• http://digital-fingerprint.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Facebook-Like-Page.doc

• http://www.slideshare.net/drbexl/facebook-13863451

https://www.facebook.com/help/

BLOGGING

Blog Characteristics?• A reverse diary (most recent entry first) • A publically accessible personal journal• Reflections, comments and hyperlinks• Commentary/news on a particular subject• Text/Image/Links including media• Interactive, especially comments• Potentially informal tone

Ideas for Content?

• “See what we’ve been up to”• Thoughts & Reflections• Reviews (Books, films, websites, etc)• Challenging ideas for debate• Interviews (Text, Audio, Video)• ‘Best Of’ Content• ‘How-to’ Posts• 10 things you can… • Guest Posts

Image credit: RGBStock

GET INSPIRED…

http://krishk.com

http://richardlittledale.me.uk

http://bishopalan.blogspot.co.uk

http://nickbaines.wordpress.com

http://clairemaxim1.wordpress.com

http://pamsperambulation.wordpress.com

Think About

• Who are you blogging for?• How often can you blog?• What style of blog will you use?• What content can you produce?• What do you want Google to find?• Who else can you bring on board?

http://digital-fingerprint.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Setting-up-a-WordPress-Account.pdf http://www.slideshare.net/drbexl/blogging-with-wordpress-for-odhe-jan-13

http://youtu.be/8j-Iy8fP0Ek

YOUTUBE

http://www.jeffbullas.com/2012/05/23/35-mind-numbing-youtube-facts-figures-and-statistics-infographic/#

http://www.slideshare.net/drbexl/youtube-13863454

http://www.youtube.com/mybigbible

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYXGVzPydF8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jQzO3zz7bc&list=PLjWKarwbR4dwD7YOkI6LJnIDmQJjvLk2e&index=11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lXh2n0aPyw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzIBZQkj6SY

http://youtu.be/a5lBd5uQ4jM

ONE LAST TOOL…

http://pinterest.com/drbexl/faith/

COPYRIGHTReally important to be aware of…!!

Image Sources, e.g. • FREE• Flickr Creative Commons:

http://www.flickr.com/creativecommons• http://www.sxc.hu• http://rgbstock.com• http://seedresources.com (3 a week)• http://www.freebibleimages.org • PAID• http://stockfresh.com/ • http://iStockPhoto.com

Image Credit: Stockfresh

http://scottfisk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/creative-commons-license-types-pros-cons1.gif

Don’t forget…

Image Credit: Stockfresh

Agree a (flexible) Social Media Policy

Image credit: SXC.Hu

http://www.methodist.org.uk/ministers-and-office-holders/technology-and-church/social-media-guidelines

• The principles applied to this are:• Be credible. Be accurate, fair, thorough and transparent.• Be consistent. Encourage constructive criticism and deliberation.• Be cordial, honest and professional at all times. Be responsive.

When you gain insight, share it where appropriate.• Be integrated. Wherever possible, align online participation with

other communications.• Be a good representative of the Methodist Church. Remember

that you are an ambassador for Christ, the Church and your part of it. Disclose your position asa member or officer of the Church, making it clear when speaking personally. Let Galatians 5:22-26 guide your behaviour.

• Be respectful: respect confidentiality. Respect the views of others even where you disagree.

http://twitterforchurches.com/blog/2009/06/29/crisis-communications-for-the-social-media-age/

Don’t overthink. Running through committees, endless drafts and approval processes to get a response out there can cause far more damage than good. As long as you have taken the time to assess the situation and can take a rational, respectful tone in your response, even an awkward response is OK to start with, and buys you time to continue to respond to the problem.

Principles of Good Engagement•Be interesting•Be encouraging•Be active•Be helpful•Be authentic

Image Credit: Stockfresh

“AMPLIFY” aka Share!

When? It takes TIME…

Source: http://www.rgbstock.com/download/lusi/mgyp0Lm.jpg

Strategise

•Which Media? •Who?•How often?•To achieve what?

Social Media: More than the cherry on the cake!

Image Credit: Purchased Stockfresh

@drbexl @digitalfprint @bigbible

http://j.mp/socmedscaredoct