There’s no doubt about it, we have crossed over.
Gone are the days of only chatting with friends via the phone, or in the hallways at school. Today there are literally dozens of media options that keep kids connected 24/7.
Kids are naturally social, so it is no wonder sites like MySpace & Facebook have taken off among the kids and teenagers of the world. I’ve heard varying opinions about whether or not this latest social trend is good for Christians, or if it will pose another cultural problem the church must fight. Wherever we fall on the issue, we must confess that kids are there. They have Facebook pages, they text, and they unfortunately play Farmville.
Without getting into a rant against random, cheesy, farm games, let me say that I believe both good and bad can come from Facebooking. While it does open the door wide open for influences and potential risks, I have personally found it to be a great medium for conveying information, and even partaking in a little ministry work.
Below I’ve outlined some of the ways I believe Facebook can be rewarding for a Children’s Ministry. I’ve also outlined some tips I’ve found to be helpful when dealing with kids on Facebook. This social networking site holds great potential for bringing a children’s minister closer to their kids, and is a good source to extend the discipleship beyond the average Sunday morning.
Let’s look at what Facebook has to offer.
Messages – Much like email, this feature allows you to send messages to certain people. You can attach documents, links, videos etc. This is a nice feature because all you have to remember is a name and face, not some random email address like pootsybear79_TX3351@camelmail.net . Messaging is a great way to send information to kids and parents under your ministry. It is quick and easy, and even allows for a conversational style when participants select to reply to all.
Messaging is also a good way to connect with a kid in your ministry, who is otherwise closed in. We live in an era where many kids – and even adults for that matter – are more comfortable opening up behind a computer screen. Someone who is introverted in public, will not talk or participate, may be willing to share their troubles via a medium that is less confrontational. Personally I have found this to be true. There were a couple of kids in my children’s ministry that would be closed in person, yet online would be willing to talk. This medium allowed me to give them godly counsel, and ministry, in a setting that was comfortable to them. It also opened the door for them to feel comfortable speaking to me about it in person. Knowing that I was already aware of what was going on allowed these kids to feel more comfortable when we saw each other face to face.. It provided me a way to connect with kids who needed spiritual guidance.
We need to recognize though, that while messaging may present a good opportunity to connect, there needs to be some guidelines in place to protect everyone involved.
Fan Pages – This feature allows you to create a specific page for your ministry. I would highly recommend this method over using a personal page for ministry purposes. This is a great way to quickly convey information and news. Every time you make a post, it immediately goes to the newsfeed section of your fan’s pages. This is a great tool for ministries to provide simple teaching tips, inspirational sayings, a scripture of the day, or illicit conversation over a thought. I would suggest using the wall of your Facebook page (in less than 420 characters of course) to briefly recap the highlights of your kid’s church, or Sunday school, the week before. Ask your kids, teachers, and parents to get involved in the discussion. This will present new opportunities to reinforce the lessons, and get kids thinking about spiritual issues beyond 10am – 11am on Sunday morning.
Events – This feature allows you to place your events on a calendar and send notifications to all your friends. This is a great feature for promoting an upcoming rally, special Sunday, recreation activity, etc. As the date of the event get’s closer, a reminder is placed on the news feed section of your friend’s pages. Not only can you post events, but you can also send out virtual invitations to everyone on your friends list. They, in turn, can pass the invitation on to other friends. This is a great way to promote your event with no cost. This is a great tool for busy ministries with a low budget!
Notes – This section is a minister’s dream. The notes section is basically a blog that allows you to share your thoughts with everyone on your friends list. This is a great place to share experiences, testimonies, or to expound on a thought or Sunday school lesson. You can use notes to send a devotional to your teachers, kids, and parents. You can use notes for training purposes, or to reinforce the sermon from Kids Church. The notes section can be a great discipleship tool in the hand of a minister. If you open a ministry page, use this section weekly to teach your kids, teachers, and equip your parents. When you post a note, everyone on your friends list is immediately notified. This is a great way to disseminate information, and extend your ministry reach beyond Sunday.
Birthdays – Every kid is enthusiastic about their birthday. It is their day! Facebook allows you to place your friend’s birthdays on your calendar, and reminds you when one is approaching. When a birthday arrives, send a quick note or wall post. This is a wonderful way to remember and celebrate this special occasion in a kid’s life without spending money on postage, or having to remember to send a card. If you like sending a card, and have no problem remembering, then keep this up also. The birthday reminders can be a great way for you to show you care enough about your kids to celebrate their special day.
Photos – Facebook allows you to create photo albums to display your pictures. Use this feature to post photos from Kid’s Church, rallies, crusades, fun events, etc. Create a “silly photo” album and fill it with nothing but crazy pictures of your kids! Have them pose silly, or make silly faces, or catch them in funny actions, and post them in this album. This will create a place where kids can relive fond memories. Children’s Ministry is all about creating impressions and memories. The photos section of Facebook can help you achieve this goal.
FB Advertising – This is a great feature that can give your ministry wide exposure for pennies on the dollar. Create an ad campaign that reaches your community. You pay pennies for each impression, or click on the Advertisement. For less than $100 you can literally put your ministry in front of millions of people.
Farmville – There is absolutely no value in Farmville. Stay away from it. It is from Satan. It is in the Bible not to play cheesy farm games. Look it up in Hezekiah 33:5. :)
As a recap,
Facebook can be a great way to expand your Children’s Ministry. It provides opportunities to disciple, connect, inform, and relate to the kids in your church. By having access to your kid’s Facebook pages, you can keep up to date on the happenings in their life. You can see what is important to them, what they are facing, and it helps you keep tabs on the spiritual state of your kids. This is a great tool for Children’s Ministry workers because it helps you clue in to what your kids need each Sunday. It moves you from taking a bird shot approach of teaching curriculum and hoping it hits home with someone, to a place of strategic discipleship. When you know where your kids are at in life, you are better empowered to bring them a word from God that speaks to their “today.” Such empowerment moves ministry into a deeper and more influential place. It makes a greater impact in the lives of your kids. 
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and oh yea, Farmville is evil.
Let me know ways in which you have used networking media in ministry. I am interested in hearing all your comments about how sites like Facebook can, or have, increased ministry opportunities for you!
