Praise For The Social Media Gospel

Now Featured at the Patheos Book Club The Social Media Gospel Sharing the Good News in New Ways By Meredith Gould

What People Are Saying

I've continually looked to Meredith Gould as a role model for how to get Church social media "right." Packed with style, substance and spirit, The Social Media Gospel is the perfect primer for anyone looking to optimize their social media presence for evangelization, communication and community building. Meredith's advice is clear enough for the novice while challenging for those who have used these tools in the past. —Lisa M. Hendey, Founder of CatholicMom.com and author of A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms

Meredith Gould makes it clear: Social media is an incredibly powerful tool for proclaiming the message of the gospel. We ignore it at our peril. For those who want a primer, this book lays out a plan for setting up a social media strategy in ministry. —The Reverend Michael W. Rinehart, bishop, Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

For years, Meredith Gould guided and mentored me as I navigated social media. She has consistently modeled spiritual discipline, pastoral care and community building on Twitter. Now Meredith has taken her innovative practice along with our historic wisdom and distilled it. For those beginning to explore new technologies, those regularly engaging with social media, or for anyone who wants to communicate the good news to a new generation, The Social Media Gospel is crucial. —Carol Howard Merritt, author of Tribal Church and Reframing Hope

Meredith Gould answers the questions many church leaders and ministers have about the use of social media for ministry in her new book, The Social Media Gospel . A ministry insider and experienced user of social media, Meredith overcomes objections and eases fears with knowledgeable insights, good humor and excellent end-of chapter reflection questions. The Social Media Gospel is a delightfully warm and welcoming invitation to share the Good News in new ways. —Sister Susan Wolf, SND (@srsusan), Founder and President of Catholic Web Solutions

Meredith Gould has poured her training as a sociologist, experience as a magazine writer, omnivorous appetite for social media and passion for the Gospel into a book that should appeal to just about anyone who thinks about digital ministry. Scholars will appreciate her grasp of research, practitioners will value her insights about choosing social media, and newcomers will be reassured by a comprehensive discussion of issues that arise when one becomes active in the online world. The Social Media Gospel is a valuable contribution from one of the best-known thinkers in the field. —Jim Naughton, editor of Episcopal Cafe and co-author of Speaking Faithfully: Communications as Evangelism in a Noisy World

For those interested in mission and ministry in the newly-discovered, heavily-peopled, land of the internet, Meredith Gould's book The Social Media Gospel is a must read. For those of us already active there, Meredith brings an invitation to reflect on what we are doing and ways to improve. For those new and uncertain-here is step-by-step advice from a skilled practitioner. —Rev. Bosco Peters, www.liturgy.co.nz, @liturgy

In the world of social media where so many proclaim themselves as "how to" gurus, Meredith Gould breaks through the clutter and jargon. She uses simple language to help churches and pastors understand why social media is important and how to effectively use it as a tool for ministry. This book is for the beginner or those looking to go further with social media. —Rev. Alan Rudnick, pastor, author, blogger, and social media practitioner

The Word is active and alive via social media, connecting minds and hearts through shared faith. While some church leaders fear exploring the digital mission field, people like Meredith Gould write groundbreaking books like this one, fearlessly and wisely leading the way to a truly new evangelization. —Fran Rossi Szpylczyn, Catholic writer and lay minister blogging at There Will Be Bread

If your church is using social media or considering it, you need to read The Social Media Gospel . As a veteran sociologist, author, Twitter chat host and lover of Christ and his church, there's no one better qualified to serve as your guide to church social media than Meredith Gould. —Paul Steinbrueck, co-founder & CEO of OurChurch.Com

This brief and compelling book packs a punch, combining immense insight into the phenomenon of social media with practical wisdom on the how of communicating gospel in social media contexts. It has become my go-to book to share with anyone interested in a combination of the why and how of social media ministry. —Clint Schnekloth, pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Fayetteville, Arkansas, and author of the forthcoming Mediating Faith: Faith Formation in a Transmedia Culture (Fortress Press, 2014)

Every missionary is tasked with figuring out the mission context in which they minister. Meredith Gould has provided an excellent resource to those who believe that the future of mission lies in a world where networked lives and amplified humans await the proclamation of the Gospel. The Social Media Gospel offers a road map for those leaving the Church of the modern era behind for the adventurous missionary landscape of a social-structured world. —The Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle, IX Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Texas

Praise for The Social Media Gospel