The Digital in 5 Show

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While companies like TikTok, Facebook and Instagram get a lot of the social media love, Twitter is still a social media platform that is perfect for Digital Missionaries. Because of all the opportunities there are to minister on Twitter, Digital Missionaries need to know how to fully utilize the platform to get the best engagement and interaction.

So what do Digital Missionaries need to know to be effective on Twitter? Watch this video, listen to the audio or check out the 6 Twitter tips and tools below to find out.

Utilize Search Twitter.
Follow People and Comment.
Schedule Tweets on Desktop.
Be Positive, Don't Stir Up Controversy.
Share Jesus.
Ignore the Trolls.

These are 6 Twitter tips and tools for digital missionaries, but there are definitely more. For example, here are some best practices for believers on Twitter that you can check out. It is a conversation Rey De Armas and I had. Twitter can be an amazing opportunity for you to connect with others while you shine the light of Christ in a world that can be very toxic. Ask God to guide you each day and see what can impact you can have on Twitter for the kingdom of Heaven.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What are other Twitter tips and tools Digital missionaries can use? Share below or on social media.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
If you are in Digital Ministry, be part of the Digital Ministry Twitter Community. We share daily encouragement and support to help you do ministry in this online world more effectively. Click here to be part of it.
Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. Just click here.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Monday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.

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Your Church's website might be the most important communication tools you have at your disposal. It is often called "the front door" of your Church for people looking for more information before that attend in person. It communicates what your Church is about and shows people through videos and pictures what people experience at Church. In addition, what makes a website very valuable is that it is completely owned by you. You pay for it and you control what is and is not shown.

But what happens when your website goes down? When a website fails, that does not mean you can longer communicate or get vital information out. There are other options. So how can you continue to communicate without a website?

Email. Here are some tips on how you can make your email "open worthy".

Social Media. Social media has a tremendous reach opportunities. You can use videos (via YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram), Twitter threads (those are increasingly popular) and Facebook Groups to inspire, engage and inform others. Are are 3 ways you can use Facebook Groups for ministry.

Text. While email is a relatively traditional digital way to communicate to people, text messaging is a very effective way to communicate. In fact, the open rates for text messaging is 95%. Not only can you share updates via text messaging, but you can disciples as well. In fact, Text Discipleship Groups are really effective.

Themed Text Groups that Can Start the Online Discipleship Process
Using Text Messaging for Digital Discipleship
How to Use Text Messaging for Your Ministry

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What are other ways to communicate without a website? Share below or on social media.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
If you are in Digital Ministry, be part of the Digital Ministry Twitter Community. We share daily encouragement and support to help you do ministry in this online world more effectively. Click here to be part of it.
Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. Just click here.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Monday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.

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On July 1st, Minions: Rise of Gru was released. This is the fifth installment of the very successful "Despicable Me" franchise. However, this is the first of these movies that have come out since the pandemic and just a few weeks after the highly publicized "Lightyear" film dramatically underperformed in the theaters. The big question is, how would it do?

That question was answered rather quickly as it CRUSHED box office numbers. Not only did it beat "Lightyear" (which underperformed dramatically), but it broke other records on its' way to over $200 million worldwide it's very first weekend.

While the movie is very good, getting very positive reviews, others are pointing to TikTok for its success. That's right, a TikTok trend had young people going to the movie in droves. Whether it was an official marketing campaign from the movie studio or something else, the reality is that it worked.

So what does this mean for Churches?

TikTok is for real and it is not going away.
TikTok is an opportunity.

TIKTOK RESOURCES:

My TikTok account. My Church's TikTok account
What 1 Billion Monthly Active Users on TikTok Means for Your Church
4 TikTok Strategies for Your Church
Why Student Ministries Should Utilize TikTok
5 Ways to Improve Your Short Form Video Results

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? How have you seen TikTok influence others in a positive way? Share below or on social media.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
If you are in Digital Ministry, be part of the Digital Ministry Twitter Community. We share daily encouragement and support to help you do ministry in this online world more effectively. Click here to be part of it.
Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. Just click here.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Monday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.

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Normally, during the summer, attendance at Churches and ministry events go down. Why? It is normally because people are traveling with school being out. Summer is the perfect time for traveling as families go on vacations and kids go to camps. And, considering that families may not have traveled much in the past few years, they may be itching to get away for a few days or weeks.

Despite what the numbers and trends may be, I would argue that summer is actually the perfect time to jumpstart your online ministry. How so? Watch the video, listen to the audio or read the bullet points below to see what you can do.

1. Connect with Summer Travelers.

2. Start a Digital Missionary Group.

3. Provide Discipleship Resources.

People may not come to in person Church as much this summer, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't be going to church at all. Utilize your online ministry to connect with summer travelers and mobilize a whole new missionary group to reach people this summer. The more you can take initiative and use your online ministry this summer, the more likely you will keep your summer travelers connected and hopefully connect new people to your Church or ministry.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What other ways can online ministry can jumpstart your Church this summer? Share below or on social media.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
If you are in Digital Ministry, be part of the Digital Ministry Twitter Community. We share daily encouragement and support to help you do ministry in this online world more effectively. Click here to be part of it.
Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. Just click here.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Monday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.

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When I was starting out in youth ministry back in the last 90s (yes, quite a number of years ago), there was one way to receive training. That was to receive in person training. You could go to a place and receive training in a conference type setting or you could do training with your team at your Church or building. Bottom line is that to get the training, it had to be in person.

While this was the most common way to get training the problem with this is that if you couldn't meet up in person, you couldn't get the training. But that has changed now. Technology has enabled us to train volunteers even when we can't all be together. Here are 3 ways you can digitally train volunteers today.

Zoom Training.

On Demand Training.

Online Training via a Separate Organization.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What are other ways to digitally train volunteers? Share your ideas below or on social media.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
If you are in Digital Ministry, be part of the Digital Ministry Twitter Community. We share daily encouragement and support to help you do ministry in this online world more effectively. Click here to be part of it.
Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. Just click here.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Monday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.

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Summer time is here! Well, maybe not "officially" for everyone yet, but whether kids are out of school yet or not, the reality is that summer is here. And, with summer here, that presents a variety of new social media options that you can post from your Church or ministry to encourage, engage and inspire others in your community.

What are those 4 summer pieces of content your Church can share?

Post Summer themed questions.
Special events in your community.
Summer Bible Study Plan.
Photo or Caption Contest.

Each season of the year provides unique opportunities for your Church or ministry to post on social media. The summer is no different. Above are 4 ideas, but there is much, much more. Be creative and be unique to your area. The more engaging and interactive you can be, the more you can hopefully reach your community and begin spiritual conversations that lead to life change.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What other summer social media content can you share? Share your ideas below or on social media.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
If you are in Digital Ministry, be part of the Digital Ministry Twitter Community. We share daily encouragement and support to help you do ministry in this online world more effectively. Click here to be part of it.
Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. Just click here.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Monday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.

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Short form video is really valuable content that your Church or ministry can use. TikTok started the wave but Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts have caught on quickly and all three platforms are great platforms for you to put your short form videos on. In fact, I regularly post the same content on each platform. Having good short form videos on your social media platforms can help lead people to learn more about Christ, your Church and your ministry.

Here are some ideas for how you can improve your short form video results:

Upload the video natively to each platform.
Add Music.
Hook them Early!
Add a Hashtag, Two or More.
Cut Up Longer Form Content.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What are other ways to improve your short form video results? Share your ideas below or on social media.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
If you are in Digital Ministry, be part of the Digital Ministry Twitter Community. We share daily encouragement and support to help you do ministry in this online world more effectively. Click here to be part of it.
Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. Just click here.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Monday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.

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Social Media is Social Ministry. There is lots of great opportunities to minister to people online and social media should be looked at as a huge ministry opportunity. This is 100% true. And, because of this, for the longest time, Church Communications experts have encouraged us NOT to post info and events on our Church Social Media Pages. After all, people aren't there to hear about events, they are there to be encouraged. But this isn't a black and white issue. You can minister to people while also sharing about what is happening at your Church or ministry.

In this podcast, I will share why it is OK to post about your events at your Church on social media.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? Is it ok to share about events on social media? Share your ideas below or on social media.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
If you are in Digital Ministry, be part of the Digital Ministry Twitter Community. We share daily encouragement and support to help you do ministry in this online world more effectively. Click here to be part of it.
Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. Just click here.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Monday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.

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The great news about these follow-up tips is that you can implement these after any Church service or event. The bottom line in any of these options is to make them unique and personable. If they feel sterile and like something from a template, they will fall on deaf ears. People will not respond. However, it your follow-up is authentic and engaging, they will most likely connect with people who are looking for hope and encouragement this Easter season. ACTION STEPS:

Easter is an amazing day of celebration and rejoicing of the risen Christ and the power of that moment. And while Churches do a variety of events and make Easter Sunday a joyous celebration, there is one action that you take can make or break Easter at your Church, What is that? It is follow-up. As mentioned in the Countdown to Easter Checklist, follow up might be the most important thing you do all Easter season because it allows you to connect with those who came to your Church for maybe the very first time.

But how can you follow-up effectively from Easter? What can you do? There are at least 4 different ways you can follow-up effectively from Easter. In this video, audio or bullet points below, I will share 2 specific ways your Church can use Twitter Communities to reach people for Christ.

Here are 4 Easter follow-up ideas that will help you effectively reach more people by diversifying your methods.

Text Follow-Up.
Email Follow-Up.
Social Media Follow-Up.
In Person Follow-Up.

ACTION STEPS:

What is your plan for Easter follow-up? What else would you add? Share your ideas below or on social media.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
If you are in Digital Ministry, be part of the Digital Ministry Twitter Community. We share daily encouragement and support to help you do ministry in this online world more effectively. Click here to be part of it.
Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. Just click here.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Monday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.

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Twitter communities is just one of the many new things Twitter is doing to help people engage more with others. When you think about Twitter communities, you can associate them with Facebook Groups. The point of these communities is to connect people more. The biggest difference is that you can use Twitter instead of Facebook.

The people on Twitter are different than the people on Facebook. They use Twitter differently than they use Facebook. That is why you can and should use Twitter Communities even if you have Facebook Groups. You will reach a different group of people and you can use organic reach a lot more effectively on Twitter.

Bible Study. If you have ever had a Facebook Group Bible Study, this operates in a very similar fashion. For starters, you can pick a study you want to do. It can be centered around a book of the Bible, a Character study, a theme or something else entirely. Once you have that topic picked out, invite some friends and share the link to your community around to others. Then, depending on how you want your community to be
Themed Groups. There are so many different groups you can start. You can start a parents group, a youth group, a group around a specific time of year like Christmas or Easter. There are a wide variety of Groups your Church can start that can help minister to people online. You can even use this group as a Life Group for people online.

The great thing about Twitter Communities is that you can use them for a variety of communities. They can be big or you can keep them small. They can be for a specific niche or more broad. The point is you can really utilize Twitter to build community and encourage people in that specific group. It's a great ministry tool to help you reach more people for Christ.

ACTION STEPS:

These are just 2 ways your Church can use Twitter Communities? What are some other ways? Share your ideas below or on social media.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
If you are in Digital Ministry, be part of the Digital Ministry Twitter Community. We share daily encouragement and support to help you do ministry in this online world more effectively. Click here to be part of it.
Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. Just click here.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Monday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.

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The LA Rams won the Super Bowl. There were many reasons why they won but Matthew Stafford was one of the reasons. In fact, he was their missing link to win the Super Bowl.

How did Matthew Stafford help and how does this apply to your Church? In particular, Online Ministry? In this podcast I share 3 reasons why Church Online could be the missing link for your Church growth.

Online ministry can directly spur Church growth in a variety of ways. Here are just 3 ways.

When you live stream you reach more people.
When you have online groups as an option you have an opportunity to connect more people and help them grow in their faith. There are lots of online group opportunities.
When you have an online ministry team you provide more service opportunities for your team to grow and learn. Without online ministry, you are limiting the potential volunteer opportunities for your congregation.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? How else can Online Ministry be your Church's missing link and lead to Church Growth? Share your ideas below or on social media.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. Just click here.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Monday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.

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There is no rhyme or reason on why certain things go viral. Sometimes it is just the luck of the draw. However, what seems to be a key in a lot of viral videos is that real people doing real things in creative ways. They are sharing real stories, both funny and inspirational and people are excited to hear them. People want to see transformations, life stories and impactful stories and Churches can utilize this.

Watch the video, listen to the audio or read the bullet points below to see what is really going on.

One of the great things about TikTok and Reels is that there are lots of people doing real things, telling real stories in creative ways and they are going viral. For instance, there is…

The Couple that lost a combined 125 pounds
Women singing like Celine Dion
Elyse Myers sharing stories (like this one)
People sharing impactful true stories

Churches and ministries can do the same. The Church has tons of stories of life change and tons of funny things they can do that can be shared online. Optimize them for TikTok or Reels and share them. Inspire and encourage others with real people doing real things.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? ? How do they apply to your ministry? Share below or on social media.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. Just click here.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Monday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.

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More and more companies are getting involved with the meta-verse in some capacity. Microsoft just bought Activision Blizzard, PlayStation has just released another headset, Apple and Amazon are working on things as well. And this is just the things that we know are happening. So what does Microsoft's Metaverse plans mean for your Church or ministry?

Watch the video, listen to the audio or read the bullet points below to see what is really going on.

So what can your reaction be at the church?

You could just simply ignore it. You could push it off and say that’s just for weird people and do whatever you want with that but we’re not gonna invest in that. The only real relationships that happened are the ones that happen in person.
You can start exploring what this might look like. Exploring is not committing. It is simply exploring and see what the possibilities are. Exploring could also take months to years. There’s still so much we don’t know about the meta-verse but if you start exploring now and start looking into it you might be able to get a handle of it much sooner than other people.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What do you think of Microsoft's Metaverse plans? How do they apply to your ministry? Share below or on social media.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. Just click here.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Monday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.

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There are lots of reasons why people aren’t coming back to your Church. One thing is for certain, thought. Church Online is NOT the reason why your Church isn’t Growing, so stop pretending it is.

Years ago, before COVID hit, having Church Online was a real fight. It was a fight for ministers who believed people can experience community and Jesus online and grow in their faith. Many Senior Leaders didn’t believe it was appropriate or possible.

But then COVID hit and basicaily every Church around the world went online. And it was good. People were growing in their faith and having community. But now, Church leaders are blaming Church Online for lower attendance. But, it’s not because of Church Online that people aren’t coming back to your Church.

Watch the video, listen to the audio or read the bullet points below to see what is really going on.

The reality is…

People serve online
People have community online
People sacrifice and give

People aren’t coming back to your Church because it no longer meets their needs. Find out what you can do to minister to people in your community and meet their needs in person and online and you will be reaching more people for Christ.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? Why do you think people aren’t coming back to your Church? How can you use it? ? Share below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Wednesday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).

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TikTok has just crossed over the 1 billion monthly active users threshold. They accomplished this in just 5 years (compared to 8 for Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat). It is safe to say that TikTok is the most popular social media network amongst Milennials and Gen Z. And, there are a lot of Gen Xers on it as well.

So what does this mean for you? How can you use TikTok for your Church or as a Digital Missionary? In this video, on the podcast and in the bullet points below, I outline 5 tips of how you can use TikTok.

Sermon Clips. Cut up a sermon on video and post different clips on TikTok encouraging people.

Share Stories. Our testimonies can be shared in 3 minutes and under (the time of a TikTok). Record them and share them on TikTok.

Share Fun Stuff. Not all your content has to be spiritual. Join in on a trend (as long as it’s appropriate) and have some fun making people laugh.

Mobilize Digital Missionaries. Mobilize people who love TikTok and understand it to use it to share God’s goodness and glory.

Like and Comment. Some of the best ways to engage people is like and comment on other peoples posts. That can hopefully start up a conversation that leads to spiritual conversations.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What does 1 billion monthly active users on TikTok mean to you? How can you use it? ? Share below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Wednesday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).

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There are lots of things you can do each day as a Digital Missionary. However, there is something you can do every single day for a short amount of time but will give you lots of opportunities to have conversations on social media. What is that? Watch this video, listen to the podcast or look at the bullet points below.

By making Comments on Social Media you can increase engagement. There are two ways:

Comment on peoples posts. People post every day. Prayerfully approach social media each day and ask God to guide you to which social media posts you need to comment on. Then, as God leads you, comment and start a new conversation with someone.
Comment on Replies within Your Church’s or Ministry’s social media accounts. Whenever someone comments on the Church’s social media posts, reply to those comments and start a conversation that can ultimately lead to spiritual conversation.

Making comments spurs engagement online. It leads to follow up discussions and more conversations that will hopefully lead to conversations about Christ. Make this a common practice as a Digital Missionary and see how God uses it for His Kingdom.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? How have positing comments spurs engagement in your ministry? Share below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Wednesday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).

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A Digital Missionary is someone who takes the message of Christ and uses digital and online tools to share about Him to others. It is a new kind of missionary opportunity for believers. While an ideal Digital Missionary is someone who uses social media and other online platforms to share about Jesus, there are other forms of digital missionaries that people take.

The great news about these different types of digital missionaries is that there is no age limit on who can be effective. I have seen older and younger people minister to people in these different roles. So what are the various types of digital missionaries are there? Watch this video, listen to the podcast or look at the bullet points below.

Content Creator. A very common type of digital missionary is this. A content creator is someone who is writing about, sharing pictures about or making videos about who Jesus is and how He can impact our life. He or she is someone who is comfortable sharing their faith and inspiring others in their faith Journey.

Digital Champion. This is someone who is sharing on social media about the different opportunities your Church has for the community. They have a local focus and are using their personal social media accounts to share about what is happening at the Church as a way to get the word out about events or opportunities the Church is involved with.

The Responder. A responder is someone who is actively looking at your Church or Ministry’s social media platforms and looking to respond to comments posted by other people. They can also look for responses by people to then follow up and encourage them in their faith and life.

Prayer Warrior. This is someone who looks for opportunities on social media to pray for others and use it as an opportunity to follow up with them and further minister to them.

Chat Host. This is someone who hosts the Chat Room during your Church’s livestream. They are someone who is encouraging and engaging with others while you are experiencing Church together.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What other types of digital missionaries have you seen? Share below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Wednesday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).

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I love technology and am the Online Campus Pastor at my Church. I am passionate about using technology to help people discover God daily. This is also why I started the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group. I want ministers to be better equipped to do digital ministry, too.

As much as I enjoy technology, we can also over do technology. We can spend countless hours on our computers working and ministering to people. We got into this mess over COVID when we were working tons of hours just trying to get everything online. But now, as more of the world is opening up, we cannot keep going at this pace.

So now we need to shut down. Watch the video below, listen to the podcast version or check out below the ideas to take care of your mental health.

Burnout is real and it happening to ministers all over the world. That is why you need to shut down from time to time to take care of your mental health.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What are some other mental health strategies you are implementing so you don’t burn out? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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TikTok is so much more than you think it is. While Churches may have discounted TikTok a while back, it should no longer be a “we’ll look at this platform”. It should be a platform you are using and optimizing for your ministry. In today’s Digital in 5 Show we are going to talk about 4 TikTok strategies your Church can use to reach more people for Jesus.

Watch the video below, check out the podcast version or see the bullet points below the video to discover TikTok strategies.

Use Hashtags. Just like with Instagram and Twitter, hashtags on TikTok are so valuable for organic reach. Use hashtags that are trending and those that apply to your niche.
Use What’s Trending. See what’s trending on TikTok and do a video with one of the trends. It can be a fun video. After all, not all your videos has to be spiritual. They can be fun.
Use Music. TikTok has different music selections that are trending. So use the music in the background as part of your video. Watch the video or listen to the audio to find out how you can use the music at 0 level.
Have Ministers Have Accounts. Churches should have accounts but so also should ministers. This is where ministers can be Digital Missionaries on TikTok and help reach even more people for Christ as individuals

TikTok is an amazing tool Churches and ministers can use to reach people for Christ. These are just 4 TikTok strategies that will help you do that.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What are some other TikTok strategies ? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Having a call to action is really important in any video, podcast, blog or other piece of content you post from your Church or your ministry. By doing one, people don’t just watch your video, listen to your podcast or read your content and think, “gosh, that was a great story ______ shared today.” They will actually be driven to do something because they experienced your content.

But what can you do to create those moments in videos? In this video, podcast or bullet points below you can see the 3 separate call to action examples you can post in EVERY single one of your Church/Ministry videos.

The 3 call to action examples are…

Connect them to a Personal Application. What can they do to grow in their faith because of what they just experienced? Share an example or 2.
Connect them to a Ministry Leader. This could be a staffer or volunteer. The bottom line is that they connect in person with someone who can help them take a next step of faith.
Connect them with a Ministry. Help them discover a next step by connecting them to a ministry they can check out and look into based on the video you created.

To discover why video content is so important to your Church or ministry, click here.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What other call to action examples are there? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Sharing stories on social media and in Church are really important for Churches. They communicate a life change and impact made by Jesus. While sharing story videos are important, sharing “testimonial” videos about how someone came to know Jesus tend to be the primary videos created and shared by Churches.

In this video, in the podcast and in the bullet points below you’ll discover 4 different story videos you can do for your Church.

Why You Serve. Share stories from volunteers about why they are serving and the benefits they have gotten by serving in a particular way.

Why Get Involved in a Life Group. Life groups are great ways for people to grow closer to God and help each other in life. Real life change happens in these groups. Have people share these stories.

Giving Story. Having Pastors be the only people who share about giving can lose it’s value really quickly. That is why having real people in your congregation share about giving, it is a great testimony and may encourage others to give as well.

Mission Trips. These are great stories you can share about life change that happen during these trips. Have people share about how their faith changed or grew because of it.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What are other story videos you can do for your Church? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Producing video content is so important for your ministry and Church. However, just producing video content isn’t always good enough. You need to think through what is the best way to share what you need to share while keeping the viewer engaged the entire time.

In this video, or on this podcast, or in the section below, you discover 1 key way to keep viewers engaged in your videos.

One key way to keep viewers engaged in your videos it to Ask Questions! Ask questions to begin your video. Ask questions in the middle of your video. And, ask questions at the end of your video.

People want to interact with you. They want to listen and learn from your video but they also want to discuss it with you and share ideas. The best way to keep viewers engaged in your video is to ask questions throughout your video.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? How do you keep viewers engaged? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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You’ve heard it said, “That meeting could have been an email”. In many ways that is true, but not every meeting can be an email. There are some meetings that have to happen and one of them will help eliminate digital confusion and duplication within in your Church.

In this video, or on this podcast, or in the section below, you see 2 different ways you can eliminate digital confusion and duplication in your Church.

When COVID hit, many ministers immediately became Digital Ministers. They had to be because Churches were all online. But now that Churches and ministries are working more and more in person, what happens with the digital roles you were doing? Who takes them over and how do you work more unified within your Church to keep your digital presence going?

That is why working on clear job descriptions and having a meeting with all the major players in your Church or ministry sit down in a meeting every so often would be very helpful.

Emails are great for many things, but they can also drag out what could be a simple hour long conversation where you can work together rather than exchanging email. It is also hard to judge tone and it is easy to miscommunicate over email. So, if your Church is experiencing digital confusion right now, set up a meeting, work on clear job descriptions and start working out the details so you can move into this next season of ministry effectively.

ACTION STEPS:

How are you eliminating digital confusion in your Church? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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The social media world changes quite regularly. As I’ve said before, right when you get used to some form of social media, something new comes out and everyone jumps on that. This is exactly the case with social audio. Social audio came to the forefront of social media in 2020 with Clubhouse. People were quick to jump on Clubhouse to see what it was all about and how they could use it for business, community groups, learnings and other things. But, just like how Meerkat was the HIT at SWSX 2015, it didn’t take long for other social media companies to catch up to Clubhouse. Enter Twitter Spaces.

Discover more about Twitter Spaces in this video, on the audio podcast version or below on the bullet points.

What is Twitter Spaces? Twitter Spaces allows users to host and participate in live audio conversations, hosted within these audio chat rooms called “Spaces”. As of May 2021, anyone with over 600 followers on Twitter has access to Twitter Spaces.

What is the competition? Clubhouse. Facebook is also working on something of their own.

Why not just use Clubhouse instead of Spaces? Good question. For starters, Twitter has over a lot more daily users than Clubhouse. Twitter is a known platform and has more backing than Clubhouse does. So, if you want to reach more people, Twitter Spaces is a better bet.

How do you start a Space? On your Twitter Mobile App, press and long hold the “compose” button

How can you use it with ministry?

Sermon and After Church Discussions. Set up a Twitter Space right after the service and have people jump on and share their thoughts and ask questions right after the service.
Bible Studies. You can set up different Bible studies and host them for anyone who wants to learn more. It’s a great discipleship and outreach opportunity.
Outreach Opportunities. Create a Space about something fun or cultural and begin a discussion about it.
Learn from Others. I’ve enjoyed hoping on Spaces featuring people talking about topics I want to learn about and get more information on.

There is still a lot of updates and work Twitter needs to do to make Twitter Spaces the premier place for social audio. However, they have a great start and it will no doubt continue to get better.

ACTION STEPS:

What did you think? Have you tried Twitter Spaces yet? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Facebook Ads are so important and helpful for Churches and ministries to reach people for Christ. However, one issue that arises is, how do you really know what works best and is most effective when you create an ad.

One way you can discover what is working and isn’t working is by checking the Facebook Ad Library. This was created in 2018 as a way Facebook tried to be easy privacy concerns. Watch this video, listen to the podcast or read below the value of the Facebook Ad Library.

With the Facebook Ad Library you can see the types of ad campaigns other companies and Churches are running, in addition to their strategic goals. You can see how effective they are or were. By checking out their campaigns and seeing how effective or ineffective they are or were, it will help give you creative inspiration.

So check it out and see what you think.

ACTION STEPS:

Have you looked at Facebook Ad Library before? What did you think? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Text Messaging is a powerful tool for Student Ministers as they seek to build relationships with students. However, as you text, there are some dos and don’ts to effectively texting students. So, here are 3 text messaging tips that can help you as you text. Watch the video, listen to the audio or read the bullet points below.

Check in and Encourage. The tendency to remind students of events or things that are happening. Use it more to encourage and pray for them.
Limit How Much You Text. You can text too much sometimes. So limited how much you text with students on a regular basis. The more you text them the more likely they are going to tune you out.
Use Multiple Text Platforms. The reality is students text on a variety of platforms. They don’t all use the default SMS app on their phone. They will use Snapchat, Instagram DMs, Facebook Messenger and other platforms you may have never heard of. Find out what they use and message them on that app. Then you are more likely to get a response.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What are some other text messaging tips? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Social media is a great tool for Churches or ministries to use to start conversations and share encouragement and hope. One of the ways to do that is through by posting valuable content. Then, hopefully, people will like it and share it.

Even though it may seem obvious that staffers (and volunteers) would share about what’s happening and what’s encouraging from your Church or ministry, it doesn’t always happen. In fact, some Staffers may not even be following your social media accounts. So, watch this video, listen to the podcast version or check the bullets below to find the 3 ways you can encourage staff sharing on social media.

Staff Meeting Tutorials. As the leader of the staff meeting if you could hold tutorials at Staff Meeting to encourage sharing on social media with the staff as a whole. It can be just 5 minutes but the more you can do that, the more sharing or engaging on your Church’s social media channels can happen.
Send Weekly Email with Samples. Send Emails with questions they can be asking or sample posts they can be sharing for big events
Meet Individually or as a Department. Here you can meet up with individuals or as a whole department team and work with them on how they can be sharing on social media.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What are the other ways you can encourage staff sharing on social media? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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As a Digital Missionary, Easter provides you a lot of great opportunities to engage and interact with others online and on social platforms. As Easter approaches, here are 5 Digital Missionary questions you can ask people. Watch the video, listen to the audio or read the bullet points below.

How can I pray for you?
What is your favorite childhood memory around Easter?
What does Easter mean to you?
What was your favorite Easter baskets item?
Will you go to Church with me this Easter?

All of these questions provide you opportunities to follow up and to ultimately ask question number 5, “will you go to Church with me this Easter?”.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What other Digital Missionary questions can you ask around Easter time? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
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Easter is a great opportunity to reach out to your community. However, up until 2020 a lot of those events centered around in person gatherings. Those are not bad, but things have changed so much. Now phygital events are fantastic ways for people to connect.

What is phygital? Phygital is where you blend online and in person experiences together. They have become particularly useful in 2020 and beyond with the coronavirus impacting peoples desire to go out with a large group of people. And now, with Easter on the horizon, phygital Easter events may the best opportunity for your Church or ministry to reach your community for Christ this Easter.

Here are 3 Phygital Easter Events you can do this year. Watch the video below, listen to the audio or read about the 3 events below.

Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt – This could be great for families or young adults. Strategically place Eggs (big eggs, not the tiny ones) around your community and let them find them. Incentivize it by giving away a big prize for the winner person/team. How can it be Phygital? While people will be hunting for these Eggs in person, create a Facebook Group specifically for this hunt. There you can drop clues to where the Eggs

Live Easter Surprise Trips – Surprise people at your Church with fun Easter goodie bags. In fact, bring 2 bags, one for their family and another for them to give to another neighbor or friend as a way to invite people to Easter services. How can it be Phygital? When you drop off the bags, do a live Facebook video of whoever is dropping it off. You can also post pictures of it on your Church’s social media accounts.

Pictures with the Easter Bunny – Just like pictures with Santa, have a time for families to come in and get FREE picture with the Easter bunny. How can it be Phygital? Do the actual picture with the bunny in person and then post all the pictures in a Facebook Group where people can vote for their favorite. You can also use a hashtag

These are just 3 phygital Easter events, but there are more you can do. The biggest thing is that in every one of these events it is key that you have a NEXT STEP for people to make. For instance, it could be having a QR code that links people to your Easter landing page. Whatever that is, taking people to a next step or follow up is so important. The more you can connect them there, the longer you can potentially connect them long term and into your Church community.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What else can we learn from these phygital Easter events now? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Home Gyms are all the rage right now. Peleton and NordicTrack were already taking a dent out of the fitness market away from traditional gyms. Then, the COVID hit and Home Gyms became the norm. Now more and more fitness companies are offering amazing fitness options. Companies like Mirror, Tenol, Apple have all mad huge inroads in offering great fitness opportunities for people.

The reality is home gyms are meeting a need. People are not comfort going to regular, traditional Gyms right now. So home gyms are meeting a need and it is questionable whether people will ever go back to a traditional gym after the pandemic is over. What is making home gyms so successful? Find out in this video, listen to the podcast or check out the bulletin points below.

So what can Churches learn from Home Gyms:

Digital is here to stay. Many people think that things will go back to “normal” or the way things used to be after the pandemic is over. The reality is that once you’ve made this much progress in digital, you should never go back to what once was. You should just keep moving forward and expand on your digital presence.
Convenience matters. Having good content is important but having on-demand content is just as essential. That way people can listen, watch and learn at any time. Have your Church services at certain times, yes, but also share it on YouTube so they can watch whenever they have time to. It today’s day and age having content on demand is essential to reaching your community.
People will turn out for Good Content. Content is king but producing good content is even better. Home Gyms are successful because they have great workouts from great instructors. Churches and ministries can produce good content beyond sermons. They can produce worship songs, devotionals, as well as children and youth programming. The more the variety the better the chances are you can connect with people who are looking for questions answered and encouragement.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What else can we learn from home gyms now? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Easter is one of the biggest, most attended Church services of the year. Even in rough years, a lot of families will go to Easter services. Whether you are 3 months away or 3 days away there are digital ways you can get the word out about your Easter services.

What are they and how can you use them? Watch this video, listen to the podcast or read the bullet points below about the tech trends in 2021 to watch for.

Staff Invites. These are simple 30-60 second videos where Staffers and their families invite friends to your Church for Easter. Then, they post it on their social media pages so it can attract their friends. Pick and choose the best ones and share them on your Church’s social media accounts.

Personal/Family Invites. Once the Staff videos are circulating, encourage people who regularly attend your Church to make their own personal or family invite videos. This way you engage your congregation in something fun (encourage creativity) while also maximizing their reach to their friends.

Family Announcements Videos. Have families who attend the Church share about your Church by doing announcement or promotional videos for events leading up to Easter or Easter itself. This way you can use the video and share them on Sunday morning, but more importantly, these families can then share them their social media pages and help the Church reach more of their friends.

Snapchat Geo Filters. Sure, you can use them during Easter but also use it as an invite by having a Geo Filter available on the weekends leading up to Easter. People can send Snaps to their friends using a “Come with me” image to your Church. Learn how you can create them here.

Ads. This is more than just Facebook Ads but it could be Google Ads or other digital Ads as well. Take some money from the Church budget (ideally marketing budget but if you don’t have a marketing budget, find some money somewhere) and spend some on digital marketing in the 2-3 weeks leading up to Easter. You don’t need to start in January, but it should a few weeks before.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? How are you getting the word out digitally about Easter this year? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Text messaging is one of the most common forms of communication in today’s digital world. There are so many different kinds of apps you can use other than your Phone’s preferred service. Facebook Messenger, Instagram Messenger, and WhatsApp are just a few. While these are popular messenger services, there are real concerns about security and data privacy. Enter Signal.

So what is it and why should you use it? Watch this video, listen to the podcast or read the bullet points below about the tech trends in 2021 to watch for.

Security is so important these days. As I mentioned in my Tech Trends for 2021 post, Cybersecurity is so important these days because more and more people are trying to hack into your privacy and get your data. Signal is an independent non-profit company which is a cross-platform encrypted messaging service. It is so secure because it is a privately owned company. It is not owned by any big tech company. It offers much of the same things as other text messaging apps do, just more secure.

For example, here is the data shared from each of these 4 popular text messaging apps.

As you look to use text messaging services for your ministry, I would highly recommend you to check out Signal and see how you like it. It’s a great and very secure text messaging service to use.

ACTION STEPS:

Have you tried Signal yet? What do you think? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Technology has advanced so much over the years with more and more developments each year. In 2020 that development and advancement went at the speed of light. My guess is that we jumped ahead 5 years with all the advancement this past year.

With so much advancement in technology in 2020, what lies ahead in 2021. Watch this video, listen to the podcast or read the bullet points below about the tech trends in 2021 to watch for.

More AI and VR Growth. AI has been developing a lot over the years so that will continue to be refined more. Here are some ways you can use AI for ministry. VR has been taking bigger steps over the past few years as it is still relatively new and growing in exposure. VR Churches and ministries are starting to pop up so look for more ministry opportunities to develop in 2021.

Continued Video Conferencing Development. FaceTime, Google Hangouts and Zoom have been around for a while. However, in 2020 they all took big step forwards as video conferencing became more of the norm. Look for in 2021 all those platforms and more to make even more advances in video conferencing as the world continues to operate more online and through video chat than in pervious years.

Cybersecurity Upgrades. This is one of the tech trends that needs to continue to grow and develop because, with more online development and growth comes more hacking potential for more would be criminals. Zoombombing and hacking was the start of it but it most definitely won’t be the last of it. Churches and ministries need to stay on top of cybersecurity in 2021 so that their online content and meetings stay safe a secure from hackers who want to cause disruptions.

Remote Work. In 2020 we took a HUGE step forward in remote work, in part because we had to. But now, more and more people are comfortable with and some won’t go back. That means that you need your home office set up properly with the right tech to work from home effectively. Here is a list of gear you can use to transform your home office.

Video Gaming Opportunities With the release of the Xbox Series S and X along with the Playstation 5, video gaming has taken another step forward. The video game industry was already stellar with over a $90 billion dollar revenue posted in 2020. Now, with all the advancements and new games out, there will be even a greater emphasis on it. While Xbox and Playstation are the gold standard, Nintendo, Apple and Google all have fantastic gaming options for people of all ages.

All these tech trends are not just fun to watch for our personal lives but also for ministry. Think of all the possibilities you can do in your ministry with more tech advancement. It should be a very exciting year.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What tech trends in 2021 are you seeing? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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QR Codes have made a bit of a comeback in 2020. So many restaurants and businesses have been using QR codes now and they are really easy to use. In fact, here are a list of QR code generators that you can use.

But what would you use QR codes for your Church or Ministry? Watch this video, listen to the podcast or read the bullet points below.

Ways Churches can Use QR Codes:

Digital Connection Card: Link the code to a digital connection card for people to fill out easily
Event information: You can place a QR code around your building with more information about certain events
Put in Print Ads. Print ads are still valuable. Take a QR code and put it in a magazine or newspaper with a link to your website so people can simply scan in the code from their phone.
Bible Study Invites: There are plenty of Online Bible Studies and Groups you can invite people to.
On a T-Shirt. If you make a Church or ministry t-shirt put a QR code on the back of your shirt so someone can scan it in just randomly. People are curious so if they see a QR code on a shirt they may just scan it just to see where it leads. Have the code go to a landing page.
On Emails. You can either do this for your ministry or the Church as aa whole. Put it under your signature as a way for people to take
On a Church Sign. If your Church is on a busy street corner with lots of foot traffic, having a QR code on your sign could be a great way to get people checking out and learning more about your Church.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? How are you using QR codes now? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Wednesday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.
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Creating content you can share with those you minister to is very important for online connections and community. It’s so important for you to get that content across as many platforms in the format they are best suited for. But how do you do that? Watch this video, listen to the podcast or read the bullet points below.

To get the most out of your video content all you have to do is…

Create the Content. Meaning decide what you want content you want to share. It could be a devotional, a “how-to” video or even a piece where you answer a question. Whatever the content is, map it out so you know exactly what you want to say.

Film a 3-5 minute video. This is best done with your phone in a horizontal set so you can place it on YouTube. Placing your video on YouTube will help your SEO can organic reach possibilities.

Film a 1 minute Preview video. Platforms like Twitter and TikTok can only in Portrait mode so you can put it on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter. That means you can’t put your whole video on those platforms. That is why you create a preview video so you share it on the platforms. But, make sure that when you create this simple preview video, you include the YouTube video link so that people can watch the whole video.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? How do you maximize your video content? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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I LOVE hashtags. They are powerful tools that help you organically reach others for whatever you are posting. But there are many other reasons you can and should use hashtags as a minister (read about it here).

While hashtags are very popular on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, they have been absent from YouTube. Until now. In this video below and podcast you will learn how to add them and how they can help you expand your reach for your videos.

So, how do you add them to your YouTube videos? All you have to do is simply include them at the bottom of your description. I would suggest 1-3 fo them. When you add them, the will appear below your video and above the title.

Adding hashtags to YouTube videos provide an additional, organic (aka FREE) way to reach more people. For instance, if someone clicks on a hashtag you are using on your video, it greatly increases the chance that your video might get discovered by someone else. This is great for Churches to use when they share various content on YouTube. And, it creates an additional way other than tags that they can use to get discovered on YouTube. And, with every discovery, creates an opportunity for someone to discover God and Jesus maybe for the first time.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? Have you added hashtags to YouTube videos yet? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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We live in a phygital world today. It’s part in person and part online. And that is going to be how it is for a long time, regardless of whether or not there is a pandemic around. So if we live in a phygital world today, one way to best meet and minister is to do a phygital event.

But how? How do you do a phygital event today? You can watch this video, listen to the podcast version of it or read the bullet points below.

How does it work:

Create the “in person” event. It can be big or small, whatever you think it is that your community will want to come to.
Use social media and other online tools to promote the event and keep people engaged leading up to the event. Use a QR code at Church to get people to connect to a Facebook Group specifically dedicated to the event. Use that Group to promote and encourage community leading up to that time.
Put on the “in person” event.
While at the event, stream it live and have an “Online Host” that engages people online and has other “camera” people moving around the event to help those experiencing it online have a great time.

Creating and doing a Phygital event at your Church or for your ministry can be a really great way to engage your community today.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? Have you created a phygital event before? If so, how did it go? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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The world was shut down for quite some time when Covid hit. Each country shut down for a period of time. During that time there was tons of innovation and creativity on what Churches and ministries did to reach people for Christ.

It was a great time. It was a creative time filled with new ideas and fresh ways to do ministry. But now, people have shifted their mindset to meeting back in person. And while this is all good, don’t forget all the digital progress you have made. Watch the video, check the audio version or look at the points below to see the 3 reasons why you need to keep making digital progress.

Keep working on digital because…

Some people are still staying home
You never know if you have to go back to primary digital
There is still so much more you can do

You made a lot of progress over the past many months. Do not forget all of it and keep making strides in your digital advancement so that more and more people can hear about Christ in a variety of ways.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? How are you continuing to work on your digital progress right now? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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I have never been blessed with musical talent. I was one of those youth ministers who could never sing or play the guitar. And because of that, and some other factors, worship or singing has never been main component of my ministry with students. So what do you do if you want to experience worship together with your ministry but don’t have any ministry leaders or students you know who can lead it? That is why you try video worship. Watch the video, listen to the podcast or read below how it can work and what you can do to set it up well.

Video worship is not ideal. It’s not live and in person. But what can you do if you don’t have any leaders or leaders who can lead worships for your ministry? That is where video worship comes into play. You can do this a few different ways:

Go to YouTube and get lyric videos to play on the screen. There are some great lyric videos out there days.
Have worship leaders on the Worship team record a session before and you can play during the youth service.
Hand out pieces of paper with the worship lyrics on the page so they can read the song as it is being sung or sing along with the worship.

But again, video worship is not ideal. That is why you have to set it up well before you start. Cast the vision of what worship is and how students use that time as a time of reflection and mediation, not just singing. The more you cast vision and give students the freedom to experience it as they choose, you are setting you this time up for success which will, God willing, impact your student ministry for the long haul, even if you never have any “live” worship.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What do you think of video worship? Have you used it or not? How did it go? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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As a Digital Missionary there are lots of ways you can engage people. You can create videos, do blog posts, utilize hashtags to talk with others, play video games, share your conversion story, and countless other ways. And while many of these ways are very simple to do, the thought of being a “missionary” can sometimes be overwhelming to others, even if it is simply using platforms they are already familiar with like Facebook, YouTube or Instagram.

One of those ways is to simply ask questions. Watch this video, listen to the podcast or see the 3 points below.

Here are 3 questions to ask on social media as a Digital Missionary to engage others and begin conversations to can help you lead others to Christ.

How can I pray for you? I do this every week to ten days as I ask on Twitter and Facebook and I am always amazed at the responses I get. I always ask people to either comment below their requests or direct message me.
What is something good that has happened in your life? Social media is so toxic. It is hurtful and degrading. People need hope. They need encouragement. They need to share something good with someone else.
Will you come to Church with me today (or the weekend)? This is probably the most forward of the three but how will anyone new ever go to Church if they aren’t asked. You can invite them to attend in person, online or through a house watch party.

All these questions start conversations.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What questions do you ask to engage others on social media? If so, how successful is it for you? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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The YM Sidekick Podcast has been around for quite a few years and has been a chance for me to interview ministry leaders who are in the trenches everyday working hard to minister to people in today’s world. Over the spring, I started a new show called the Digital in 5 Show. I’ve enjoyed doing both YM Sidekick Shows over the past few months. Because of this, I am going to continue doing them both. Starting next week, I will be alternating a new episode from either the YM Sidekick Podcast or the Digital in 5 Show. Next week will be a Digital in 5 Show followed by a new episode of the YM Sidekick Podcast the following week.

Listen to today’s podcast outlining what lies ahead and then subscribe to both YM Sidekick shows so you can stay up to date on them.

ACTION STEPS:

Subscribe to the YM Sidekick Podcast on iTunes or on Spotify
Subscribe to the Digital in 5 Show on iTunes or on Spotify. You can also watch on YouTube.
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In February, after over 260 episodes I took a break from doing the weekly YM Sidekick Podcast. Well now it is back! Starting June 17th I will be launching “Season 2” of the podcast with all new interviews.

The format will be very similar to the past as I will be interviewing ministry leaders from all over about how to do ministry more effectively in this ever increasing digital world.

What is NEW THIS SEASON is that we will be taking primarily about digital and online tools you can use in your ministry. Every guest on the podcast will share something digitally that they have been applying into their ministry or learning from doing a lot of online ministry during the coronavirus pandemic. Great people with great insights. I am really excited about this season.

What happened to the Digital in 5 Show? Well, it is still around and will return in the fall sometime. You can find past episodes here and below.

ACTION STEPS:

Share your thoughts! What questions do you have that you would want us to answer on this season of the YM Sidekick Podcast? What do you think? Share below or on Twitter using #ymsidekick when you post.
Subscribe! Make sure you goto iTunes and subscribe or on Spotify to see what great things we talk about each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.
Facebook Group! Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
The Digital in 5 Show. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.
If you have an idea for a topic for a future podcast episode, email here.
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Follow up for any ministry event is so important. That is why you have to collect the right information from people who attend that ministry event. Whether it is following up from a trip, Church service or ministry event, there are plenty of ways for you to follow up with people. However, we live in a digital world and this simple, everyday tool provides you a great opportunity to effectively follow up with people. Watch this video, listen to the podcast or read about it below.

Sending a simple text message to people after they attend your ministry event is an extremely effective way to follow up. Why? Because everyone uses text messaging in some form and the open rate is so extremely high. Did you know that text messages received are opened 98% of the time!?! That’s 98 times out of 100! That is so much more effective than any other communication tool.

A text message is simple and short but it can also be a great way to link people to a next step for their life and to get more plugged into what is next.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? Do you use text messaging to follow up with people after a ministry event? If so, how successful is it for you? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Student ministry trips are a key part of your ministry strategy. While pandemics may cause a pause in ministry trips, youth programs will eventually get back into a regular rhythm of doing weekend and weeklong trips. When you on on these trips, there are lots of different tools you will want to bring along with you to make it a great experience for everyone. Watch this video, listen to the audio form or check out the rest of the post below to find out what that ministry tool is.

The ministry tool that has been really effective for my ministry to connect with students during trips is the Nintendo Switch. Why?

Portable. Other game systems are bigger, heavier and bulkier than the Switch. The Switch is something you can easily put into a backpack and be done with it.
Cheap. Compared to other game systems, you can get the regular Switch for under $300 and the Switch Lite for under $200.
Family friendly. Xbox and Playstation have a lot more popular games amongst teens but the Switch has a lot of family friendly games that people of all skill levels can play. That is what makes it so great – anyone can play the switch.
Community. The Nintendo Switch helps to build community. Because so many people can play Switch and it is fun, it draws people in and allows community to develop amongst the teams. And building community is such a foundational element that helps make trips great and can help you build momentum in your student ministry from that trip on.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? What ministry tool do you use on your student ministry trips? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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You can promote your ministry events in a variety of different ways. You have fliers, web events, cool images, videos and other great tools. But one thing we know has always been effective has been personal invites.

Personal invites matter. They always have and always will no matter what is happening in the world. But how do you do this in an online world? What if you can’t make a face to face invite? What should you do? Watch this video, listen to the podcast or read below on what you can do.

Direct Messaging is very effective in making personal invites in a digital world. Implement a strategy of friends inviting friends and leaders taking to messaging people to invite them to ministry events or trips. It may not be the same as a personal, face to face invite, but it can still be very effective.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? How are you using digital tools to personally invite people to your ministry? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Back when Apps started being developed for smartphones there was the phrase, “there is an app for that” referring to that if you are looking for something, you can find it on an app. And there really were apps for anything and the app business just kept grown and growing.

Apps were so popular that even Churches and ministries started to see if they should be using apps. In addition, weekend retreats and conferences began to develop and use them as well.

And while it might be nice to have an app, do you really need one? Find out what is best for your ministry, Church or conference by watching this video, listening to this podcast or reading the rest below.

So, should your Church, ministry or conference get an app? Simple answer is no. Here is why.

They can be costly
If in student ministry, not every student can download apps without parents permission/screen time
If you go cheap, you run the risk of inappropriate ads on your app.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you think? Do you have an app? Why or why not? Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Every ministry should have a dedicated page on your Church’s website. It is the best place to keep all your information together so people .

But, in order for it to be most effective and useful, you have to have the right information on it. What information? Check out the video below, the podcast if you prefer audio, or the bullet points below to see what you should include on your ministry webpage.

What your Ministry is about. Share your vision statement, mission statement and any other quick descriptors of what your ministry is about. You don’t need to go into heavy detail here but enough for new people to get a quick idea of what your ministry is about.

Calendar and Events. Include your calendar and highlight the ones that are coming up – the next month to 2 months of events. Again you don’t need to go into major detail here especially if you have links set up for “event pages” of these events. But include what’s coming up and even upload a PDF of your most updated calendar so they can print one out if they want.

Social, text and email opt-ins. Your webpage is a great way for parents and students to connect more. By including your social media links, text reminders and email opt-ins, you give them more opportutnies to stay in tune with what is happening.

Link to email you. This isn’t a link to your mailing list. It’s to email you directly in case they have a quick question about what’s coming up or about the program.

Share Resources. Make your webpage as useful for those who are coming to your page as possible. Depending on what ministry you serve in will depend on what resources you can share on your page. It could be policies, information or even new leader information.

ACTION STEPS:

What do you include on your ministry webpage to make it more useful? Share your experiences below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Video conferencing has become essential for people everywhere these days. From businesses to schools so ministries, having video conference capabilities is really important now. And while there are plenty of video conference platforms out there, Zoom has far and away been the clear winner so far. In the month of March 2020, Zoom had over 200 million daily active users, which is a substantial hike from the 10 million daily active users that was their previous high month.

So what have been some lessons learned from doing ministry on Zoom so far? Watch this video below, listen to the audio or read below the 4 lessons learned from using Zoom as a ministry tool.

Security is key. Whether you have a password set up or a waiting room, or both, it is so important to keep Zoom Bombes out.

Middle Schoolers are more responsive. This could be just my group, but from what I’m seeing, more high schoolers are less likely to attend fun, social game night gatherings than middle schoolers. Middle school students seem to really enjoy these calls and will make it a priority to come than high schoolers.

Keep lessons short. The reality is you are limited in what you can do online, especially since so much curriculum is geared towards teaching in person. Now, that will likely change very soon but since the resources are not there, it is hard to keep their attention span long (not to mention they can be on zoom while also checking instagram and other stuff at the same time).

Zoom is a legitimate tool student ministers can use from this point forward. Online Parent Meet Ups, Bible studies

ACTION STEPS:

What have been your lessons learned from using Zoom as a ministry tool? Share your experiences below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Analytics are important. No matter what position you serve in you need to know whether or not you are are doing an effective job. In digital communications you need to know which analytics to pay attention to in order to determine your effectiveness.

Watch this video, listen to the podcast or read below the

Google Analytics. Shows you what pages and posts are working, how long people are staying on your page and many other great insights.

Facebook Insights. Inights are located at the top of your Facebook Page or the left of your Group. These show you what posts are engaging people, how many people are coming into your page, liking it and commenting on posts. Facebook offers a lot of insights for your posts.

Instagram Insights. They are called “Insights” and are on the top right of your screen and look like a bar graph. These are only available for business pages (or if you have a ton of followers as personal pages). The analytics are good and can give you a good idea of how you are doing with your post engagement.

Twitter Analytics. This tracks the past few months at a glance and how people are responding to your tweets

YouTube Studio. Relatively new compared to the old analytics YouTube used to offer. Now you can dig deeper into the video analytics and see how each video is performing and you get great details on “live” videos as well.

ACTION STEPS:

What analytics do you check regularly for your digital communications? Share your experiences below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Content is King. And while content is king, the way you share content has changed over time. Blogging was really important back in the 90s and 00s, then images became key. Now video is really important in sharing your message to people.

Just because content changes over time, doesn’t mean that you have to stop using the different forms of content. In fact, it’s best if you vary your content. Watch this video, read below, or listen to the podcast about why you should vary your content.

The two reasons why you should vary your content are because:

It Peaks Peoples Interest. When you have the same kind of content you share it causes a ho-hum mentality for people when they come to your page. By varying your content you peak their interest and they keep coming back to see what you will post.

Peoples Interest Change. Over the years, the kind of content people consume changes and what was once effective may not be effective as much. So because peoples interest change it is important to keep trying out new ways to share content so you can stay in touch with what kind of content people are consuming. But don’t give up older forms of content, especially if they are still effective in some ways.

ACTION STEPS:

How do you vary your content? Share your experiences below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
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I really like using YouTube. Not only do I use it for ministry purposes like devotionals, but I also use it to share ministry tips and tools. While I have used it in a variety of ways, there was one thing I always wanted to try. That was to go LIVE or even do a YouTube “Youth Group” for my ministry but never had the time with all the other things I was doing. Not an excuse, just the reality of the way we were doing ministry. Well, considering the coronavirus has really caused so many ministers to rethink the way we can minister, not just now, but in the future, I have finally had the time and bandwidth to go LIVE on YouTube and try out YouTube Live and Premiere.

Considering so many people are watching YouTube today, we are going to look at the value of adding a YouTube Live or Premier event to your ministry and what you can do with it regardless of what his happening in the world today.

Why go Live or do a Preimier instead of just posting your video on YouTube? Because it provides you an opportunity to interact with people watching it. You create a watch party and excitement around that event. When you do it LIVE it is actually happening at that moment, you are streaming it LIVE. But when you use Premier, you can pre-record content and share it there. Regardless of the way you do it, they are both events that you can live chat and interact with people while the event is going on.

How does it support your ministry? It provides you a way to get your content out. For instance,

Student Ministers – Youth Group online or devotionals
Worship Ministers – Worship sets together
Children Ministers – Object lessons
Creative Arts Ministers – Share bumper videos, testimonials, or other videos they do or have done for the Church.

These are just some of the examples as there are bound to be so many more. And the great thing about it is, you can do this no matter what is happening in the world. Whether it is a crisis or you just want it as a support to your ministry, going live on YouTube with either YouTube Live and Premier can definitely help.

ACTION STEPS:

Have you done YouTube Live or Premier before? If so, share how going live on YouTube has helped your Church or ministry below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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A few years ago Facebook made key shift. They moved away from prioritizing Pages to promoting relationships and Groups. While focusing on this is great as it keeps the focus on relationships rather than content (which has proven to be fake at times), it has caused some companies and Churches to diminish the value of and neglect their Facebook Page. That can be a costly mistake. See why in this video below.

Your Church’s or Ministry Facebook Page can be a key place for people to get content and encouragement when they are either first getting acquainted with your ministry or trying to help grow as a believer. That is why it is so important not to neglect your Facebook Page and keep it fresh and accurate.

ACTION STEPS:

Do you utilize and maximize your Facebook Page? Or do you neglect it? Share how you use it below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
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Live streaming your Church service or ministry event are great ways to share about Christ to others. The great thing about live streaming is that you can use social platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram to live stream those events. While all those are great because they reach different audiences, Facebook offers a unique sharing opportunity for people to share about your Church service or ministry event. They are called watch parties. Discover how to set up a watch party and how it helps your Church or ministry by watching this video below or listening to the podcast.

Watch parties are easy to set up and they provide people at your Church or ministry an opportunity take an active role serving by being Chat Hosts of their own stream of the service or event. In addition to this to this, the best part of this whole thing is that when your congregation creates Watch Parties and host them, more people to get the opportunity to hear about Christ because they are sharing your Church’s service or ministry event with all of their friends who may not already go to you Church already.

ACTION STEPS:

Have you set up watch parties before? If so, share how they have helped your Church or ministry below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out each Wednesday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).

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Viruses like the coronavirus in which the whole world is affected doesn’t happen all the time. But, major crises do and they directly impact the way people move about their communities. So what can you do to still minister to people during a major crisis? Watch this video or listen to the audio and discover what you can do.

Pray for opportunities. Each time you get ready to get online or use social media, pray that God provides you opportunities to minster to people. Let God lead you to where He wants you to minister.
Use Text Messages. Simply text someone an encouragement. You can send a Bible verse, ask for prayer requests, send a funny meme or anything to engage people and encourage them.
Engage with People on Social Media. Scroll through your social media platforms and see what people are talking about an engage with them. Don’t make social media all about you, but see what others are talking about and post on their wall and if they are struggling with something. You can even use it as an opportunity to message them directly and ask for prayer or how you can help.
Share about Christ on Your Social Media. Share a Bible verse or a word of encouragement during a stressful time. Then, at any point of the next day or so, when they are scrolling they may see your encouragement and it can help them. Who knows, maybe they will message you for more help.
Share a Church Service. Not every Church streams their services, but there are plenty of Churches that do. If your Church does or if you like another Church that does, share that stream on your social media account.

These are 5 ways but there are also 3 other ways you can minister to people and be a digital missionary today.

ACTION STEPS:

Share other areas you can use technology to minister to others below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out each Wednesday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).

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Social Consistency is important for your Church or your ministry. It is important for people to recognize your Church when they discover you on the different social media platforms. Watch the video, listen to the podcast or read below the 4 areas you should have social consistency in your ministry.

Social Images. Make sure your images are synced and are the same on all your social platforms. Why? Because this helps people recognize that the same Church they see on Facebook is the same Church they see on your other platforms. If you have different images, people may not think it’s the same Church or ministry.

Contact Information. You want to have the same information that you are sharing about where you are located is the same on all platforms. Why? Because you never know which platform someone will discover you on. And, if your information is not up-to-date and consistent, they may end up going to the wrong place.

Point them to Your Website. More importantly, make sure your social platforms have your up-to-date website. Your Church or ministry may have had different website domains. Make sure on each platform the website is correct.

Language is Consistent. Your Church or ministry has terms and phrases it uses. Some of those terms or phrases may have changed over time. Make sure the terminology on all those sites are the same and current.

ACTION STEPS:

Share other areas you have social consistency on your social platforms below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out each Wednesday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).

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Easter is coming! And with Easter comes a great opportunity for you to minister to people. Whether you are ministering to students, children, families or adults there are a variety of great opportunities for you to prepare people for Easter. And, in this digital an online world, there are some great digital ways you can be doing that as well.

Watch the video or listen to the audio to find out the 4 digital ways you can prepare people for Easter this year.

Text Group. Create a text group where you send daily encouragement to a group via programs like Remind or Text in Church. Each day people get a new text message that gives them a Bible verse and thought to challenge them. It’s a great way to encourage people you are ministering to. You could also do a different version where you start a text group with 10-12 people and act like a daily chat group where you are sharing encouragement throughout the day.

Facebook Group. This group is a group you specifically create for Easter. Starting on the Thursday after Ash Wednesday you can use it to post daily scripture studies, thoughts or worship songs encouraging people as you get closer to Easter Sunday. Posting once a day is sufficient but if more people engage there provides

Online Bible Study. This is a Bible study where you use an App like YouVersion to start an Online study and you can invite friends and people in your Church or ministry to it. In the YouVersion Bible App there are ways you can have discussions after each reading and devotional time. Here is a quick tutorial on how to create an Online Bible Study through YouVersion.

Answer Questions about Easter on Video. People are always searching on Google “how to” do something or another. Around Easter time they are also asking questions in regards to Easter. For instance, they may wonder, “what is lent” all about or “why do we celebrate Good Friday” or “what does the Easter Bunny have to do with Easter”? People are asking these and other questions. Take time to answer those questions on video and then post them on Facebook or YouTube. Who knows, by you answering a question people may have, it might cause them to check out your Church or Easter services.

These are just 4 of what could be many digital opportunities to prepare people for Easter this season. What digital tools are you using to prepare people for Easter?

ACTION STEPS:

Share what you do below or on social media using the hashtag #digitalin5 to share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out each Wednesday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).

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For over 3 and a half years I have really enjoyed doing the YM Sidekick Podcast where I interviewed ministers from student, social and online ministries. While it was great to talk to so many amazing people doing God’s work, I have done it for 260 consecutive weeks and I think a break is needed. Not bad for season 1, eh?

While I take a break before the start season 2 of the YM Sidekick Podcast, I am investing in a few other pieces of content that I am really excited about.

For starters, I am introducing a new show called “The Digital in 5 Show”. This show will be just 5 minutes long and you can watch it on YouTube, on the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group, or listen to the podcast on iTunes each Wednesday. It’s a Vlog and Podcast show where we take digital trends and tools and discover how we can apply them into our ministry world.

Hear the introduction to the show today and the official LAUNCH of the show will be March 4th and will be posted on YouTube, the Digital Bootcamp and iTunes every Wednesday.

In addition to the Digital in 5 Show, stay tuned for more updates coming to YM Sidekick including new resources coming out in the upcoming weeks.

ACTION STEPS:

Share your thoughts! What digital tools or trends would you like me to cover in the upcoming Digital in 5 shows? Share them on Twitter using #ymsidekick when you share.
Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
Share a digital topic you want me to cover on The Digital in 5 Show coming up. Simply email me your request.
Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).

The Digital in 5 Show: Recent Episodes

Tom Pounder