Even if you’re a church with a Facebook page, there’s a good chance that you have struggled with how to write church Facebook posts.
The church of today is not the church of decades ago- and consequently, the way we communicate has changed. To be more specific, written communication has changed. The old school introverted preacher from behind his pulpit on Sunday morning preaching at people who are either listening or not listening is gone for most churches.
In its place is an extroverted preacher using social media to engage people where they live every day of their lives – online! But even though this new church paradigm has been around for some time now, it can still seem overwhelming when tasked with writing church Facebook posts – even if you are the preacher, lead pastor, or someone who is experienced in using social media.
We don’t want to tell you how to setup a Facebook page for a church, as most churches have already managed to do this. It’s a simple process and is a matter of filling in the relevant information as you go along.
Of course, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to think about, as choosing church cover photos for Facebook can be important. Here’s a hint – use it as a free advertising spot. Don’t focus on a photo of your building all year round, switch it out as the seasons change. Put something to promote your Christmas events or Easter events in the cover photo – don’t make it text-heavy, but let people know what’s coming!
Anyway, enough about the page – let’s get back to the posts.
Content for Church Facebook Posts
Facebook is all about connecting with family and people you are connected to, so church Facebook posts definitely need to shy away from being too formal. You don’t want to sound like pastors or church leaders, you want to resonate with people who may not be part of a church as well as those who join you regularly.
That’s not to say you want to go off-message or off-vision. Keep in line with your church values, but think of the posts as being more “Hi friends” than “Dearly Beloved”…
Your church Facebook page needs the vibe of an enthusiastic friend who wants everyone in church on Sunday morning who can be there to know what’s going on
That said, church Facebook posts still need to engage people and inspire them, so it takes time and dedication to find the balance between “inspirational church Facebook post” or “church flood of information”.
You will also want church Facebook posts that work for church members as well as those who are less churchy. You don’t want church Facebook posts that alienate or confuse people.
It is often valuable to develop a social media calendar for your church. This doesn’t have to be a full year – a single week works well.
If you choose to post 3 times a week, perhaps try this:
- Monday – a short update about what happened on Sunday along with links to watch any recording/podcast.
- Wednesday – something motivational, a Bible verse, or something to get people through the week.
- Friday – a post telling people when the Sunday service(s) is on, and how to visit or watch online.
Some churches will post more often (even multiple times a day), but this is a good structure to begin with. If you have midweek meetings, add them in with the Monday post, or post on Tuesday and Thursday too.
Some church leaders may be averse to posting too regularly. They might think that people will become bored of their posts – but if people didn’t want to hear from you, they wouldn’t have followed your page in the first place. If you don’t get the message out there, nobody will see it.
How To Post Church Facebook Posts
Some church Facebook posts work better with images, while others are better just text-based. You might want to look at church Facebook post examples from other churches or take inspiration from church members and attendees who have a knack for social media updates. The ideas generated by your church community might be the best place to start.
It is well-known that posts with images often attract more attention. Include photos of services, and try to develop standard images for promoting events – when people see the “Bible Study” image, they know what’s coming up!
It is worth mentioning that church Facebook posts aren’t just for church members.
People who have no church affiliation may be interested in your church posts, so engage them as well as those who attend regularly. You might even find that you can encourage church Facebook post engagement from non-attendees by sharing content that they may share back!
Remember to keep church Facebook posts professional – never use church Facebook posts to promote yourself or your church’s agenda. You don’t want to offend people or sound like you’re bragging.
Remember that it is possible to schedule Facebook page posts, so you don’t need to be sat at a computer or using a phone when the posts go out – however, it’s always worth having someone on standby to respond to any messages that come in or replies you get to posts.
Church Facebook Posts for Church Growth
It is vital to keep church Facebook posts engaging and inspiring, but they can also be integral to church growth.
Every time you post about church events or church things, think how it would work to highlight that event on social media channels for people who don’t normally attend.
It’s great saying that a well-known church person will be there to deliver a message, but don’t forget to explain who they are. If you are running an event that benefits a charity or helps people in the local area, spell it out – people won’t know what your “Shoebox for Kids” event is all about, so tell them!
Always remember that social media is a form of marketing, and while that may seem repulsive to you, remember that marketing is just another term for spreading the word.
And spreading the Word is exactly what you are called to do.