Social Media Trends in the Church

By Karissa Martin

            The sun streamed in through the window of Fainman Lounge at Roosevelt University onto Meredith Dobes’ MacBook, decorated with an array of star-shaped stickers. She leisurely typed, with a bottle of Snapple at hand, while the traffic noise on Michigan Avenue and other people typing on laptops sounded in the background last Thursday morning.

            Dobes, 19, said that she is on her laptop all the time, and she uses social media on her laptop at least a few hours every day. She said that Facebook is her number one go-to social media site.

            “I think it’s really beneficial at connecting people today,” Dobes said of social media.

            Dobes is not alone. According to Facebook statisticians, it has more than 800 million users, and that’s not including other social media. Churches are no exception. According to a 2010 study by BuzzPlant, 61 percent of churches in the United States use social media, 98 percent of those using Facebook.

            The Fields Church in Mattoon, Ill., is one of those churches using social media to connect to its congregation. Evan Courtney, 33, communications director for the church, said that social media has become an essential part of the church community and fellowship.

            “Because our updates, tweets, status show up in their everyday social media stream, it has just become a part of their online experience and isn’t a burden to them,” Courtney said. “It has created community away from our events and buildings.”

            Travis Spencer, 37, lead pastor for The Fields Church for the past three years, agreed with Courtney and said that social media has “improved community because it is a constant stream of connection to day-to-day life stories.”

Spencer said that instead of causing a less personal sense of community, social media has actually strengthened the community by allowing members to keep in touch.

However, some believe that social media isn’t always a positive contributor to the church community.

“People are more willing to throw out negative comments or criticism through a Facebook post than they typically would do face-to-face,” Spencer said. “I have read posts that are hurtful, judgmental, and publicizing a private family conflict.”

Rachel Hargis, 20, an undergraduate student at Moody Bible Institute, also recognized this issue of the anonymity of the internet.

“I cringe when I see people using the possible anonymity of the internet to slander another,” said Hargis, “especially when it is a dispute over doctrine, a writer or pastor’s opinion, and the comment is made by a believer.”

Even with the issues of social media, The Fields Church uses it as a part of everyday business.

According to Courtney, the church uses social media to distribute resources, continue the conversation from weekend teachings, promote programs and events, post photos and videos, and stream their service live. He said that people have really responded to the church’s use of social media.

“We have had people come to our church from specifically seeing an ad on a social media site or see that others have posted in regards to our church,” Courtney said. He said that it has been an essential recruiting device.

Michelle Zatulovsky, 25, administrative assistant for Harvest Bible Chapel in Naperville, shared a similar sentiment in regard to social media.

“I think it has greatly impacted our church,” Zatulovsky said of social media. “Our goal is to convey that the Bible is still relevant in modern times, and that we have to keep our method of communication and marketing up-to-date.”

Zatulovsky said that she sees the use of social media as a positive contribution to the church, and if people don’t like the use of social media in the church then they will generally find a church that is a better fit for them.

But, Hargis said that she is still skeptical of the use of social media.

“After stalking that ex-boyfriend for five minutes, Facebook chatting with another friend for ten, and looking through someone’s pictures for fifteen,” Hargis said, “we may feel slightly connected but in the end it leaves us feeling emptier than when we started, and kind of dirty.”

Similarly, Dobes said that even though social media has its uses, it can quickly become really obsessive.

            Dobes shut her star-studded laptop and leaned back in her chair while other students in the lounge chatted and typed. The warm sunlight illuminated Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain behind her as she prepared for another day of classes.