“My pastor doesn’t know what to post on social media.”
I hear that a lot in the different communications circles I run in. Whether you’re a communication director trying to encourage your pastor to get involved or you’re a pastor who has thrown their hands up in surrender to ever-changing social media gauntlet, I think there is really one problem.
Most pastors have no idea what to post on social media.
This one is going to be short and to the point today. There are other reasons pastors are reluctant to post, but we’re going to deal with this one directly right now.
I want you to make a list of the days of the week across the top of a Google sheet starting with Sunday through Saturday. Choose one platform your pastor can work with well (I recommend Instagram) and have him/her just focus on that one platform for now.
Now pick just one item from the following list of post ideas and assign it to one of those days. And that’s what they post on that day. Tell them to check this schedule every morning, snap a quick photo, write a short caption for context, and post. Done.
16 Things Pastors Can Post on Social Media
- A photo of you studying for your next talk
- A photo of the book you’re reading with a quote from it in the caption.
- A photo of a staff meeting happening. Have them pose as if they’re fighting? Let your staff’s personality out.
- If you meet someone for lunch, take a selfie with them. Yes it’s awkward at first, but most don’t mind.
- Highlight a staff member. Haaaave you met Ted?
- Highlight an elder or deacon (ask the Communications Director to get you a photo from their Facebook/Instagram page if you can’t take one yourself)
- Photo of the Scripture you’re reading in your Bible.
- Short, one-minute video with a devotional thought.
- You and your spouse on a date
- Your pet. People love animals.
- You doing a hobby. Fishing? Interpretive dance? What are you up to?
- Meet the owner of the restaurant you frequent and take a selfie with them and tag them in the post.
- Shoot a live video with a longer devotional on a weekday at lunch.
- Shoot a live video and recap the main points (and points you didn’t have time for) from your message last weekend
- Take a photo of a volunteer in action at church and highlight them.
- Get creative. Take a photo of anything you find to be interesting or funny. They want to get to know you.
Why Pastors Should Post Dog Photos
Many pastors struggle to understand why someone would want to see some of the things on this list. It’s because showing them who you are will help them feel like they know you better, even if they don’t. It makes your illustrations and stories mean more when they understand the heart of the man or woman talking to them.
What ideas for pastors do you have? I’ve got 88 ideas for engaging social media posts for you, communications director, if you’re interested? Totally free.