Course: Social Media and Churches

Course Summary:

Social media can be a powerful outreach and communication tool, and your church can reach more people than ever before. However, instant technology can have its drawbacks, and your staff, clergy, and volunteers need to know about safe practices when using technology. This 30-minute course will help users understand how social media can affect a person’s image, reflect on their church, and potentially cause liability issues for a church.

Learning Objectives:

• Define social media and the most popular social networking sites
• Learn about the benefits of social media for congregations and how churches can deliver positive messages more effectively
• Create effective social media posts
• Identify some risks of social media and how to handle them, including photo releases, children and youth, copyrights, and other causes of lawsuits and litigation
• Identify security strategies when dealing with social media
• Determine how to establish a social media policy
• Learn how to address negative commentary on social media

Key Topics Include:

• What is Social Media?
• The New Town Square
• The Benefits of Social Media
• A Forum for Pastors and Clergy
• Using Social Media to Fulfill Your Mission
• Effective Social Media Posts
• Risks of Social Media
• Photo Releases
• Special Considerations for Children and Youth
• Copyrights and Infringement
• Other Causes of Lawsuit and Litigation
• Clergy and Social Media
• Speaking for the Church
• Protecting Your Social Media Sites
• Establishing a Social Media Policy
• Addressing Negative Commentary
• Questions to Ask Yourself

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