Facebook Timeline: How This Will Impact Ministry

If you are hiding under a rock and only check out this blog, you have missed that Facebook will be updating their layout October 3rd with the Facebook Timeline layout. As with all previous changes, this will be met with hostility and rejection. Yet, there are some very appealing aspects that will come with these changes.

Focus on Our Story

The old Facebook was a lot of facts: status updates, relationship status, and leveling comments on other people’s walls. But the vision Facebook has for their users is to network with each other, not have an online photo book and contact information. When we engage with other people we have relationships with, we share stories and memories with family and friends. The Facebook Timeline has been introduced as having an ever-evolving conversation with everyone and anyone that would like to listen. When you post photos of your new house, you can actually go in and set an attribute. Break a bone or learn a new language? Set that when you write your status. Our story is ever-changing and our Facebook account will reflect who we were and who we are becoming.

Focus on Visuals

The new design is wrapped around the fact that the younger generations are completely visual people while older generations are slowly following in that same aspect. When you first get to the page, you have what is called a cover image. You can customize this however you want and share with people who you are via an image. At the same time, the size of photos on your wall and being displayed are much larger before. Tell your story, but show it as well through videos and images. Allow others to come into your story and share in the experience.

Focus on Who We Are

In this new structure, Facebook allows you to express yourself as much as possible. Are you someone who loves family and converse with them often? Something like an “I love you” from a spouse or pictures of siblings may be a favorite and you can designate it as a “Feature on Timeline”, which enlarges the box that you want to show off to the world. At the same time, if you want, you can share information on the timeline from the time of your birth to now.

So what do you think? Are you excited or nervous for these changes?

Jeremy Smith

Jeremy is owner of ChurchAndMentalHealth.com and the Co-Occurring Program Coordinator and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor at a community mental health center. Jeremy has a history of working as a ministry director for Youth for Christ for 8 years and then working as a mental health and substance use adult counselor in Colorado and Ohio, specifically running an Opioid Residential Treatment Center.