It is a known fact that people just are not flocking to the churches anymore. But where are the people? According to Google, 1 in 4 people worldwide used social media networks in 2013. Nowadays Facebook is becoming one of the largest social media sites in the world. As October 2013, over 500 million people used Facebook and more than 250 million people used it from their mobile device. The same could be said for social media sites such as Instagram and Twitter. If the harvest is still plenteous…then social media networks must be considered the new Vineyard to spread the gospel. According to a new eMarketer.com report, in the year 2017, the global social network audience will total 2.55 billion (See more at: http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Social-Networking-Reaches-Nearly-One-Four-Around-World).
The average church attendance is about 150 people. These people attend an hour to 2 hour long services each Sunday and that is usually all the church they receive on a weekly basis. The remainder of the week they get their inspiration and spiritual direction from social media networks such as Facebook and Instagram. The amount of people who no longer attend traditional services and no longer identify themselves with any particular congregation is on the rise. These people are searching the social media networks in order to receive “a word from the Lord.” Many seek daily devotionals and spiritual uplift from Facebook.
When I pastored a congregation in a physical location I was able to reach roughly 400 people there per week. But on Facebook the weekly totals of people I reach on my Facebook page ministries are well over 5 million. The largest known church in the United States is Pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, TX, boasts a membership only just over 43,500. The numbers don’t lie. The conclusion is clear – the souls are on social media, the unchurched are on social media and if one desires to reach the maximum amount of souls in such a time as this you must have a social media ministry.
The bulk of my ministerial efforts are focused on social media. People tune into my Facebook and Instagram pages to receive strength for the journey, bible study, testimonies, and daily inspirations. I receive thousands of messages per week from people who are active on my social media ministries who say my ministries are the only ministry they receive. Many churches are now live-streaming their services on social media to have a greater reaching impact to the world. These new style efforts make sense given the amount of people in the world using social media. Any spiritual leader with a smartphone or mobile tablet can now have a global ministry. The reach and the numbers are on the rise while the numbers of people actually attending a physical building are on the decline.
With any online experience there is always a chance that dishonesty can make its way online seeking to defraud people out of money among other things of value. It is critically important to do your research while participating in social media ministries to protect yourself from becoming victimized by sinful minded individuals pretending to be someone who they are not. You can almost be anyone you choose to be on social media and that element of people are using social media to defraud not to evangelize nor edify.
I understand the opportunities to reach millions on social media are ever increasing. I have always envisioned a global-wide ministry and social media has made that vision a reality. While there are many evil elements also taking part in social media, there is also a great and plenteous harvest there. Many people are turned off by the traditional church where they are harshly judged and often mistreated. Many of these souls have found Christ online and that is a good thing. God has used social media to give billions a chance to get to know Christ as their savior in a non-threatening, non-judgmental environment.
I will close with a post that I posted on Facebook that still rings imaginably true:
God summoned the Archangel Gabriel and commanded him to travel to every corner of the world to blow his trumpet to make an announcement to the world. Instead of Gabriel physically flying down to the earth, he pulled out a smartphone and started to text. God in curiosity asked “Gabriel why haven’t you left yet?” Gabriel responded, “Lord, I have already delivered your message.” God asked how did you reach My people. Gabriel responded, “I posted to my Facebook page. Look there are already 10 million likes and counting. Lord, the people are on Facebook!”
Rev. G. Gregg Murray, PhD
Associate Minister,
Bethel Metropolitan Baptist Church
St. Petersburg, FL
Like him on Facebook
at: www.facebook.com/pastorggmurray
