Green Pines Baptist ChurchSocial Media Proposal, April 19 2016

PURPOSE:The purpose of this proposal is to give the Elder Board of Green Pines Baptist Church an

overview of how social media could be better utilized and more effective in our church, to engage our community. The purpose of utilizing social media is to give those that seek and search for our church a clear message of who we are and Who we serve and will be a tool to better assist us at reaching others with the Gospel message.

Our church’s mission statement : “A greenhouse for the Great Commission.” By implementing a structured social media plan for our church, members and seekers, our Green Pines Greenhouse will now house a ‘modern garden’ tool to produce and grow a variety of seeds, to encourage a thriving environment for new seedlings and to sow these into all the world.

OBSERVATIONS:Currently our Social Media outreach basically consists of Facebook groups and pages. Several

leaders have Twitter accounts. A basic GREEN PINES BAPTIST CHURCH search on Facebook will yield over 30 pages and groups that are connected to our church in some facet. Several of these have not been updated in several years and are basically in need of being deleted entirely based on little activity or the creators are serving in other churches at this time.

Main Church Facebook Page: There are currently few links to our church website through Facebook. Our Facebook page is basically being used to advertise events, post pictures of these events and remind members of such news as closings, delays and other updates. Postings are on the average of 1-3 per week but there are periodically stretches of no posts in as many as 2-3 weeks. As of today, the last post on our main page was March 26, 2016. The last post on our Green Pines Baptist Public Group was March 31, 2016.

Other pages and groups connected with our church such as GPBC Children’s Ministry (last post January 5) , First Love Woman’s Ministry (mainly posts events) and GPBC Music Ministry (last post January 28) are not being updated on a consistent weekly or monthly basis.

PROPOSAL : Media is defined as “mass communication”Social Media is defined as “websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.”

There are 4 main points to this Social Media Proposal for Green Pines Baptist Church. I would like to emphasize that after hours of research, prayer and consultation it has been brought to my attention that while our Social Media needs are fairly significant, there is an underlying issue that will need to be addressed before or in lieu of a Social Media reconstructing plan. I am referring to :

CONTINUITY OF COMMUNICATION Communication is an underlying issue, more specifically, the continuity of all of our

communication. I have observed a significant disconnect in the way we communicate in and outside of church including: worship hour media (slides, videos etc.) website, Facebook page, bulletin, mailers, flyers, banners, bulletin boards, publications etc.

Example: By opening up our church website and comparing it side by side to our bulletin, Facebook page or other media that we produce, you would find different fonts, different colors, several different themes as far as graphics are concerned, some look modern while others carry a different tone or style. The name of our church is portrayed differently depending on what site you are viewing. There is little in the way of basic branding for our church. (See RESOURCE E)

What comes to mind when you see this bulls eye?

Target uses this bulls eye so effectively, without even words, that we automatically think TARGET, when we see it=BRILLIANT BRANDING!! Target would never put anything out there without this, their branding is known worldwide.

One of the main reasons for this disconnect is that there is not a point person, and few guidelines or requirements for directing communications, media and publications. Without a point person that is overseeing all areas of communication there will most likely always be forms of disconnect. I would like to point out that while there is no point person, there are still very talented individuals in our church that are dedicated to their tasks.

PROPOSAL (continued)

Our Facebook page is the launching pad to get seekers to view our website. Our website is the launching pad for seekers to visit our church. Worship hour media tools are the launching pads for Pastor Jarrod’s message, Pastor Jarrod’s messages are the launching pad to the thoughts of that seeker…the thoughts of that seeker are the launching pad to what maybe a decision made for Christ. All Glory must be given to God, we could not do any of the above without the Holy Spirit. These tools are just instruments that we can give back to God, allowing Him to work through us, for His glory and to accomplish His will. No graphic, sermon or bulletin saved a soul, this is the work of the Holy Spirit, through His servants. If these separate tools are not all pointing back to a concentric idea or mission statement, then there will be less of an opportunity for seekers to recognize us and relate to us.

Proposal for Green Pines Baptist Church’s Social Media Restructure

A. Create Church Branding decision. (See RESOURCE E) Mission Statement, colors, fonts, concept and themes of all future communication and media. Leaders, volunteers need to be informed of this, training maybe necessary for those wanting to learn more.

B. Execute a significant overhaul of the church website, using the agreed Church Branding. Simplify, informative but not just a calendar of events. Make every aspect accessible from main page. Update frequently

C. Provide training for current volunteers involved in media during worship hour. Use the Church Branding for announcements, graphics, etc. Same pictures on slides are the same on the website, Facebook and bulletin. Create our own media to accomplish this using references below. Update Bulletin to concur and compliment worship hour media-website-social media.

D. Coordinate our Facebook pages and groups with church branding. Set guidelines within church groups about who can create groups, who admins are etc. Create Twitter (See RESOURCE F) account for our church to link back to website-Facebook. Involve congregation and inform them on where to go to write reviews, like our posts, share videos etc. OUR CHURCH MEMBERS ARE THE KEY HERE!

APPLICATION: After many hours of research, consultation and searches I have drawn 2 conclusions: the

majority of local comparable sized churches do not have a singular person on staff solely in charge of media. However, several churches (local) do have staff that lead dual roles. (See RESCOURECE A) I am proposing to the board that to achieve the goal of communication continuity and to restructure our social media, ideally there would need to be a staff position created. This would need to be a paid position because of the large scope of what would need to be created, managed and reconstructed.(See RESOURCE D) I have included a list of fairly inexpensive or free resources that could be used to manage, create and guide this individual along the way. Having 1 part-time staff to handle all media/communications related aspects of our church would free up other staff members to focus on their main ministry. Promoting from within would be going along the lines of what other churches are finding most effective, mainly because most of these staff members are already doing many of the aspects of this already (worship pastor is creating slides) (children’s ministers are now commonly found posting and doing housework on church websites/Facebook pages) I propose one of the following:

1.) Part-time “Communications Minister, Director or Coordinator”

2.) Promote from within the staff and combine 2 positions into 1 full-time ministry position, one of those being a ”Media or Communications” position

This point person would be responsible to implement all of the proposals listed above (A-D) while working along with the staff and volunteers already in place, as a MEDIA MINISTRY TEAM.

Regardless if one of the above options are chosen, general media training would be beneficial even if no course of action was taken in regards to a point person for media. Training could help ease the disconnect that occurs as times, during worship with the SALT team. I have listed several great websites that carry dozens of training and how to videos for Pro-Presenter and how to create vibrant, worship slides and graphics for songs and outline points. (See RESOURCE B)

CONCLUSION: In conclusion, where there is much to learn, there is much to find joy and excitement in.

There is great potential for our church to be on the ground level of something great especially in our local community. I believe we have the talent and resources already in place, however as I have proposed, leadership will be the key in moving forward.

To not be fully aware of the technology and media that is readily present for us now and in the future will only limit the ways that we can communicate with the changing population of Knightdale.

Luke 19:10 tells us that Jesus came to “…seek and to save that which was lost.”

Jesus was a seeker. He sought the lost.

We are connected to virtually millions of lost souls through social media. As with any mission, ministry or pursuit for the Christian, the goal of this proposal is to seek out the lost, to pursue the lost, to lead the lost to our church, where we can help them find The Savior.

In the words of the Apostle Paul: “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all

means I might save some.”-1 Corinthians 9:22

To say I am humbled and grateful that I was asked to assist the board is an understatement. I honestly have no idea why it was decided that I would be a chosen to help, but I am grateful for the chance to work alongside you all. I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of researching, creating and gathering useful information. I pray that in some way I have been helpful in moving forward in your future decisions. Thank you for the opportunity to serve the LORD, through Green Pines.

Jenny Potter