What is micro-blogging?
Micro-blogging is a term described by Wikipedia as "a form of blogging that allows users to write brief text updates (usually less than 200 characters) and publish them, either to be viewed by anyone or by a restricted group which can be chosen by the user". The most widely known and used micro-blogging tools are Twitter and Yammer. The simplicity and ability to post frequently are what attract most people to using micro-blogging. But how would a local church, district or conference organization use micro-blogging for ministry?
The key to using micro-blogging tools is knowing which feeds will be useful to you and which ones will overwhelm you with too many posts. Likewise, when using micro-blogging for ministry, you want to determine for which ministries and purposes this type of communication will serve most effectively so others will be more likely to follow you.
To get started, register with one of the popular micro-blogging sites, such as:
Next, create a profile and upload a photograph or image to represent you or your church’s ministry. As when using all social networking services, be careful what you are willing to share with the public when it comes to your location and what you're doing.
Now, search for people to invite as followers of your micro-blog and publicize the address to generate interest among church members to become followers.
Then, begin to share any relevant or appropriate messages with your followers. Some suggestions for using micro-blogging for your church or ministry include:
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Ask questions about an upcoming sermon topic or learn who's coming to an event, or what people might be interested in, etc.
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Share insights from sermons, Sunday worship, Bible study, a Sunday school lesson or scripture.
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Highlight content on blog posts, articles or resources on your church website.
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Promote events, remind people of upcoming events and give a glimpse of what they're missing.
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Offer words of encouragement, with or without scripture references.
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Share occasional messages generating buzz about every day happenings with church staff, such as, "The staff is excited after a big planning meeting."
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