Home Pastors Pastor How To's Any Church, Any Size, Can and Should Be on Facebook—Here's How

Any Church, Any Size, Can and Should Be on Facebook—Here's How

The time has come and gone where Facebook was something for a church to consider. Facebook is now a must! Out of all the social platforms, I promise the majority of your community and congregation is on Facebook. After all, did you know Facebook is the third largest nation? It only trails China and India in population.

Facebook is definitely your greatest tool for communicating with your church. If you’re in the midst of a building project, Facebook will be one of your most efficient tools for communicating progress on the project.

There’s no need to be afraid of jumping in. Setup is easy. Simply follow these five steps, and you’ll be up and running in no time. (Please note: This post assumes you have an existing Facebook account for yourself already. If you don’t, simply follow the easy set-up steps on Facebook.com, and then proceed with the following five steps to set up a Facebook page for your church.)

1. Choose Your Classification.
Start here to create your church’s page. Once there, choose your page type from the following six classifications: (1) Local Business or Place; (2) Artist, Band or Public Figure; (3) Company, Organization or Institution; (4) Entertainment; (5) Brand or Product; or (6) Cause or Community. Then, select Church/Religious Organization from the dropdown menu and enter your church’s name. On the following page, you’ll be prompted to login to your Facebook account.

2. Complete Your Basic Info.
Here, you’ll complete tabs 1, 2 and 3, and skip tab 4. First, fill in your ‘about’ information. This information should be two to three sentences and capture your church’s mission. Enter your website next and select a custom URL. If available, try to select a URL similar to your other social networks. (For example, Parkview Christian Academy uses PCAFalcons on their Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube accounts.) Second, upload your profile picture. This picture will coincide with all of your comments and posts, and should ideally be your logo. The size you’ll need to upload is 180 pixels x 180 pixels. Third, bookmark your page for easy future navigation.

3. Use Your Admin Panel.
Now, look for ‘edit page’ in the upper right corner. Click it, and you’ll be able to fill in all of your remaining information, such as address, email, favorite books and shows, phone, etc. The more information, the better. Think of Facebook like a dating profile. People want info; don’t deprive them of it.

4. Plug in Your Content.
We almost forgot your cover photo. The exact dimensions of this photo are 851 pixels x 315 pixels. Be sure to select a creative horizontal image with broad appeal. Facebook also allows custom tabs. You’re able to customize four of them. Think about what you want in these four slots, whether it’s events, groups, photos of your church construction project, etc.

OK, time to plug in your content. You’ll want a good slew of content before inviting people to “like” your page. You don’t want people showing up to an empty page. It’s kind of like showing up to an empty party—awkward! Examples of content include:

∗ Bible verses
∗ Construction project photos (your church will appreciate knowing how your building renovation or new construction is progressing)
∗ Community happenings (showcasing these will endear your community to you)
∗ Daily devotions
∗ Event details
∗ Member and staff profiles and testimonies
∗ Photo album for adult ministries
∗ Photo album for children ministries
∗ Photo album for youth ministries

5. Invite and monitor.
Start inviting people to like your page and monitor their engagement. The upper right of your admin panel shows the private messages users are sending, whereas the upper left and center show the posts users are commenting on and liking. Be sure to respond to these comments, likes and messages so people know you care about them. Don’t be silent, as your page is a reflection of Christ.

Ding, ding, ding! You’re all set. Happy days on Facebook, and go build a large and strong community for the Kingdom! 

How long has your church had a Facebook page? To what extent does your congregation engage with the content on it? Share your comments below.