Leading Social Media as a Church Volunteer: An Insider’s Story

“Once upon a time there was a ministry that had so many resources and help, it was just CRUSHING all of their social channels. Engagement levels were insane, everyone got plenty of rest, and happiness rejoiced throughout the land.” << Yeah, right. Even though this is a fairy tale for most churches, it IS possible to find a happy ending in social media stories.

I had the privilege of meeting Caitlin Laxton recently and was amazed by her story. Five years ago she offered to post set lists to Facebook and now leads the church’s social media efforts as a volunteer one-man-band of sorts.

I asked if she’d be willing to share her story to help inspire and encourage others. (Content emphasis is mine) Enjoy!

Tell us a little about what you do and how you got involved

I am the social media manager for The Journey Church in Chesapeake, VA. My role is to create and share content that reflects the mission and values of The Journey Church and engage the community. I communicate regularly with the pastors and team leaders to plan posts according to their team’s needs.

I’ve been involved with the The JC since it was planted 7 years ago. After the first two years, I noticed our lack of social media presence. I didn’t know why at the time, but I felt we needed to be more active online, so I reached out to our Creative Pastor and asked if it would be helpful to him if I posted Sunday set lists every week to our Facebook and Instagram pages. He happily handed the responsibility over to me and I’ve been managing and developing it ever since.

What was the hardest part about getting started?

The hardest part about getting started was that I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know what to post or how frequent it should be. I just knew our church needed more consistency and engagement online.

What do you wish you knew then that you know now?

There are two things I wish I knew:

1. Quality over quantity. The quality of the content you create matters. Yes, it is great to post frequently and consistently, but if the content you are sharing is not capturing the attention of viewers and stopping their scroll, then what good is it?

2. Use social media to do ministry, not promote it. There’s a time when promoting an event or missions opportunity is needed, but don’t get caught up in just sharing those things. Remember to share God’s Word and how it applies to our lives.

“Use social media to do ministry, not promote it”

-Caitlin Laxton
What advice would you give someone starting out as a volunteer in social media?

Know your church. Know the mission and vision so well that it is reflected in the content you create.

Start small and be consistent. It can be as simple as sharing a quote from the sermon every Monday or, like me, share Sunday’s set list every Saturday.

What do churches/ministry leaders need to know to help this role succeed?

Social media can be used to minister to those who spend hours scrolling on the different platforms daily. When a church uses social media, they have the opportunity to stop the scroll and point people to God and the truth of His word. If they are churches, like mine, who do not have their own space yet, then social media is a great way to stay connected with others throughout the week.

Be open to new ideas from your social media team. For example, stepping aside before or after service to record a quick video to share scripture or encouragement from the sermon to be shared on social media. These quick and simple videos can make your presence online more personal than sharing a clip of your sermon.

What are some of the wins you’ve seen come out of this role?

It has shown me the importance of community engagement, especially during the COVID pandemic. During that time, we hosted Facebook coffee chats before our online services and posted graphics with questions to help keep the conversation and bond with others in tact.

On the business side of things, my role has supported the Creative Pastor and allowed me to network with other churches to better serve the online community.

Any other advice or tips you’d like to share?

Don’t be afraid to learn and grow. Join Facebook Groups specifically for church communications or social media content creators. Canva for Church and Social Media Managers are groups I follow in addition to Church Communications. These groups will be a place you can ask questions or simply just learn from what others are sharing.

Be in consistent communication with your pastors and other ministry leaders so that you all are on the same page with what needs to be shared and when. For example, I ask my pastor ahead of time what sermon series is coming up and what information he’d like to share with me about it so that I can prepare posts.

** WEIGH IN ** If anyone else has comments or ideas they’d like to share as a social media volunteer, (or staff member working with volunteers) feel free to share them in the comments!

The Price of Free


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It can be tempting to chase after “free” opportunities

  • A volunteer is willing to start a new ministry idea
  • An organization is offering to sponsor an initiative on your behalf
  • Someone is willing to include your ad on their website, magazine or newsletter
  • A partner wants to send a summer intern/assistant/extra-hands-and-feet-to-do-work-for-you

Sounds great, right? I mean, who doesn’t like free?

Before jumping on board, remember everything has a price. Sometimes it’s actual, physical dollars & cents. Other times it’s time. Or relationships. Or how much it impacts your brand or reputation.

So be sure to ask first:

  • Is the timing right for this opportunity?
  • What will it really cost?
  • Will it ultimately help accomplish what we’re supposed to do?

“So often people are working hard at the wrong thing. Working on the right thing is probably more important than working hard.”

The Keys to Communicating Change

“I just don’t get it,” he sighed. “I feel like I’ve been repeating the same thing for months until I’m blue in the face. Why aren’t people getting on board with the new vision?”

My heart went out to this frustrated pastor. He’s a gifted communicator and skilled at painting a vivid picture of the future people want to be part of. But he’s not getting the traction that he’d like in his new church.

Many of the leaders I work with are in the midst of leading through change. Some big, some small, but all with their own unique challenges.

The truth is nobody likes change. We are creatures of habit and prefer our routines. But leadership requires moving people from here to there and change just comes with the territory.

Understanding why people resist is half the battle. After working with leaders for over two decades, I’ve noticed there are three primary reasons why people don’t get on board with change:

1) They Don’t Agree

Let’s face it. This group can be the most difficult to deal with because some people are just impossible to please. They will find reasons to complain regardless if something changes or stays the same.

Don’t let these people hold your vision (or you) hostage by their version of what the future should be. Having a clear direction will mean some people won’t want to be part of it. Let them go to make room for those who do.

2) They Don’t Understand

Many leaders spend most of their time talking about WHAT needs to change without spending enough time on WHY it needs to change in the first place. The pain of staying where they are needs to feel greater than the discomfort or inconvenience of changing.

Paint a clear picture of why things can’t stay the same. Tie it to vision. Tell stories—make it feel real. Then focus on where you want to go & how you plan to get there.

3) They Don’t Know What to Do

Once people are excited, they want to get involved. The quickest way to squelch that enthusiasm is to overwhelm them with options. People don’t want a catalog listing 485 ways to help. When with faced with many choices, many shut down and don’t do anything.

Instead, focus on a few simple next steps that can apply to everyone. “Everyone” being a critical part. There is momentum that builds when everyone feels like they can take part in the vision. Once it’s in motion, it’s hard to stop.

Understanding why people resist is half the battle. The other half is consistently casting vision and celebrating small wins along with way. Because communicating change is a marathon, not a sprint. Prepare for the road ahead.

*Originally written for Catalyst

Three Ingredients for Leading Change

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It’s a fact. Change happens. If it’s not here already, it’s probably right around the corner.

Most of the leaders we partner with are either smack in the middle of a significant change or are getting ready to tackle one. Whether it’s a complete overhaul of the brand, restructuring the communications team, spiffing up the website or just making a few tweaks, there are a few right ways—and many, many, wrong ways—to lead through change.

Regardless of how big or small whatever is about to take place, I’ve found there’s three key ingredients to help things go as smoothly as possible. Continue reading “Three Ingredients for Leading Change”

Shift: Uncovering New Opportunities for Growth :: WFX 2017

This is my first year speaking at WFX and I couldn’t be more excited to be here. THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the session. In an effort to save as many trees as possible (my planet-protecting daughter thanks you)….

**Here you can find the notes version of today’s session**

If you have additional questions, or if I can serve your ministry in some capacity, please feel free to email me: Dnicole@AspireOne.com