Below you’ll find the show notes for episode 61, How I Use Social Media to Be a Better Women’s Ministry Leader, from the Women’s Ministry Toolbox Podcast.
Please note, this is the last post in a mini-series on social media and technology.
- Post #1 – Tech Tools for Women’s Ministry
How I Use Social Media to Be a Better Women’s Ministry Leader
Can social media make you a better leader? Yes, it can!
Check out the 6 ways I use social media to be a better women’s ministry leader below.
1. I regularly “friend” the women in our church.
Do you use social media to connect with the women in your church? Are you friends on Facebook or Instagram with them?
It wasn’t until I received a friend request from the women’s ministry leader and a church we had just begun attending that I realized how much of an impact a friend request can have. I felt so seen and included!
If you haven’t used social media to connect with the women at your church, I want to encourage you to pray about it. Your women want to know you on a more personal level. Getting a front-row seat into their lives is priceless!
Social media also provides an easy way to encourage the women in your church. Don’t burden yourself with the task of commenting on every post, but as the Holy Spirit leads, comment and cheer them on. I know for me, an encouraging comment on a post gives my day a little boost. You may never know the impact your words might have on them.
Please don’t take it personally if your friend request isn’t accepted. They may not know who you are or they may have been busy and forgot to circle back. If you sense this is someone the Lord wants you to be intentional about connecting with, you may need to send them a DM letting them know you’d like to connect on social media.
Side note: If you’ve sent me a friend request and I haven’t accepted it, please don’t take it personally. Send me a DM to let me know how we’re connected. I get a lot of requests from strangers and many of them I ignore.
2. I use social media for research.
I want to know who and what the women in our church are reading and listening to. I pay attention to what they post on social media.
I ask intentional questions on our ministry accounts and sometimes on my personal page. Besides the Bible, what are you reading right now? What podcasts do you listen to?
I also follow many popular Christian speakers and authors. I want to know what they are teaching and recommending. If you happen to notice who I follow, keep in mind a follow does not equal an endorsement.
It takes a bit of work to uncover how our women are being digitally discipled, but it’s worth it.
If you see books or speakers shared that you know are problematic, pray about how you might address them. I have reached out on a few occasions when I have a relationship with that person to ask questions and sometimes I share some of the concerns I have. There are a few specific resources that I call my “hills to die on”. They are things that I know are unsound and I’ve done a great deal of research to be able to back up those claims.
Social media allows me to see what matters right now to our women. Am I seeing a lot of posts about anxiety or homesteading? These are topics we can address through a biblical lens at a future meeting. I could also create social media content around those topics for our ministry’s social media accounts.
I especially want to know what our younger women are sharing and celebrating. How do they spend their free time? Who do they look up to? I will often follow the Christian influencers they share so I can see what they are teaching.
3. I remember that others see me as an influencer.
Not just because of my online ministry, but because I serve on the women’s ministry team.
While you may not consider yourself an influencer, as a leader in your church you are. The women in your church who follow you on social media are paying attention to everything you share on your personal accounts.
If you share a book or quote, they consider it an endorsement. They are watching how you interact with others. What’s in your profile picture and Facebook cover? Are you kind in your comments or are you stirring the pot? Are you complaining about your children or slamming politicians? Are you striving to be a light in the darkness? What you post could potentially keep a woman from coming to your women’s ministry events.
That’s a lot of pressure, right? I don’t use social media perfectly, but I try to stop and think before I post. I rarely post anything political. There are enough people out there doing that already. If you know me, you have a good idea of where I stand on most issues. I don’t have to post on social media about it. Save controversial posts for DMs and in-person discussions.
Have you heard of the term “virtue signaling”? This definition from the Cambridge Dictionary nails it – virtue signaling is “an attempt to show other people that you are a good person, for example by expressing opinions that will be acceptable to them, especially on social media.” Don’t get sucked into the game. You’ll never please everyone.
On the flip side, am I going to post about my faith and about Jesus? Absolutely! I have friends and family members that aren’t believers and I pray something I post will cause them to pause.
4. I strive to be a good role model.
Model what you want to see from your women on social media. If they look at your social media posts and profile, would it be obvious to them that you’re a Christian?
- I search before I share.
- I pause and pray.
- I try not to react to the latest social media outrage.
That’s hard for me. My flesh wants to jump in fast and straighten out any false thinking or false claims. Let the dust settle a bit before sharing your two cents if you share at all.
Rather than pour out your heart on Facebook or Instagram, grab your journal or open a Word document and let it out there. I try to remember to run anything that might be controversial or written in haste by my husband first. He’s great to check my tone and he pushes back when my words are harsh. More often than not, he’ll tell me I’m overexplaining. Find someone who can be a sounding board that is solid in their faith and not afraid to call you out. You never know who will see what you post.
5. I use social media for inspiration.
I love to follow other women’s ministry teams on social media. I enjoy the glimpse of events and activities they’ve planned for their women. I consider how we might be able to adapt some of those things for the women in our church.
I use collections in IG so I can easily find ideas for décor, food, books, and publicity. I have folders set up within Facebook to save those ideas when I come across them.
I also have a Facebook folder I’ve titled “go back to”. I rarely have time when I’m doing a quick scroll through social media to stop and research. When I do have time, I open the “go back to folder” and follow up on posts I want to comment on, posts I want to read the comments on (there’s so much to learn from the comments section), and posts I need to research before sharing.
6. I remember that social media is communal.
It’s not a billboard for posting my thoughts, it’s designed to encourage community and conversations.
If I’m going to post about something I need to be ready to discuss it. If you feel you need to post and not allow comments, maybe that’s something you shouldn’t post.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t delete or hide comments. You don’t have to allow hateful, rude, or foul comments on your Facebook or Instagram posts. On Facebook, you can select who sees your posts and you control
I try to remember to debate offline not online.
It’s much better to have conversations one-on-one than to publicly call someone else out – especially if they are a member of your church. Send a DM or a text. Ask if you can meet for coffee to talk about it. Social media has ruined too many relationships.
I try to remember to bite my tongue.
I don’t have to comment on everything. It’s great to have an opinion, but that doesn’t mean I have to share it.
Here are three questions to keep yourself in check:
- Is this the Holy Spirit or my flesh?
- How will this glorify and honor God?
- Is this something that needs to be addressed one-on-one?
Let the Holy Spirit, not Cyndee be your guide.
Today’s Toolbox Task:
- Which idea or ideas will you use to be a better women’s ministry leader?
- What change or changes do you want to make in how you use social media?
I hope you found my brain dump to be helpful as I walked through some of the many ways I use social media to be a better women’s ministry leader.
Pick and choose the ideas that work for you. My process is not flawless. If you just want to use social media to connect with friends and family, there’s nothing wrong with that.
You may also want to read:
How to Use Facebook and Instagram to Build Community and Encourage Spiritual Growth Between Women’s Ministry Meetings
How to Use Social Media to Support the Mission of Your Women’s Ministry Program
Social Media Kits for Ministry
Tech Tools for Women’s Ministry
How to Use Social Media to Encourage Connection
8 Benefits of Adding a Social Media Coordinator to Your Team
Women’s Ministry Email List Service Options
How to Create a Women’s Ministry Social Media Plan
How to Schedule Social Media Posts
How to Create Social Media Graphics
How to Use Facebook Groups for Women’s Ministry
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