Ok. I’ll come clean.
One of the first mistakes when I started my new gig in ministry was I assumed a number of cultural elements that I shouldn’t have.
One of them is the level of “acceptability” with not only the amount of tweets but also the content.
So, as a result, I tweeted “too much” and I tweeted a few things that I was asked to take down.
And it’s not that they were harmful or necessarily negative, but it just wasn’t “what” you did. But, I learned that lesson real quick.
Every ministry has a threshold of “acceptable” in terms of Social Networking use, and even if they aren’t explicit, they exist. It’s a tension that we must come to terms with and express.
Chris Sullivan passed me this great link about how the market place is continually stepping on itself as it attempts to manage the number of social networks and the people who are deeply engaging with them.
And in some circumstances, even when it is for the good of the business, reeling in the tweeters is sometimes necessary. The same thing is happening in ministry and churches as they begin to collide with the information stream of uncontrollable chaos.
Do you know what the “threshold” of acceptable is at your ministry and/or church? Have you “crossed” it?
chrissulli says
I'm famous!
human3rror says
Yes. there you are… i need to link you… *editing*…
Bill Gregg says
This post needs examples.
Paul Steinbrueck says
I agree, I could use some examples, too. John, are you talking about not overwhelming people with too much info? Not divulging private info/conversations? Not scooping official announcements? Not annoying people will silly stuff?
human3rror says
all of the above.
Every ministry is different, but there are just “things” culturally that certain ministries don't do. These are never “stated” expectations, but just come with the territory.
fmckinnon says
Good stuff John, we're wrestling through that tension down here @sscc even now. I've had a few irresponsible tweets reigned in, myself.
One of the big things we're wrestling with now is the question of how to "moderate" (or if we should moderate) feedback and input on social media sites. We want to start using social media more and more to engage our people – and not just as a "bullhorn", but as a conversation starter. But, once someone posts their thoughts on your church's Facebook wall, or sends a public @reply to your twitter, it's there … and you're stuck with it.
I'd love to see you address that here on ChurchCrunch.
human3rror says
be willing to ride the tension. if you can't reconcile it, then don't do it.
be comfortable with the fact that someone will criticize you, no matter what you do. using social media enables them to do it faster and easier. the risk you're willing to take…!
Jim says
good question
Jim says
makes me think of some early conversations i had with mrs.g concerning my status updates.
Brian Howard says
I'm a pastor and tweet 3-5 times a day, usually no more than once an hour. It's a good way for my church to "check-in" on me and see what an average week is like. I like to tweet quotes, verses, song lyrics, and little "insights" that are good for a general audience. It's helpful to tweet whether I'm at the office, hospital, conference or working from home, too.
I don't tweet about bodily functions, my uppity craving for gourmet coffee, or snarky comments. I'm in a rural, down home church– negativity and cultural snobbery won't fly. I try to limit my tweets on how hot my wife is (and she is) and how my son is a little angel…pastors are accused of being "too perfect" enough as it is.
-Brian
Graham Brenna says
I definitely know what you're talking about… I've never been asked to delete a tweet or a blog post or anything… mainly because the rest of my church has, until recently, been oblivious to my interweb musings. One blog post of mine that I had second thoughts about was right before Holy Week… the title was something along the lines of "We're Pimpin Easter!" I, as well as a lot of other interweb dwellers use the term "pimp" to mean "promote". I'm not sure that my church would understand that… I didn't take it down… but I was quick to post again so that it wouldn't be at the top of my page. 😉