Branding and trending in the ministry camp (from the G+ collection)

The internet has come along way from the time the general populace could basically only send emails on black screens with green words.  I’m sure there were more uses to it for those who were more advanced.  Now we use the internet for everything, following anything that is trending, and utilizing it for any type of branding.

I continue to operate in the realms of ministry, online teaching, and marriage and family.  An online presence is essential in these fields, not to mention tools such as Zoom, online teaching interfaces, and various apps that make communications so much easier than the old black screens with green words.

I was talking with a pastor recently who reached out to me on this issue.  He attended Messenger College and is a pastor in the Church of God.  He was wondering where to begin, to get his congregation on the grid.  We talked for over an hour.

I believe that for some who are completely in the ministry camp, they often face the question of the why before the how.  Is this not just branding or chasing whatever is trending?

My answer is admittedly very simple . . .

Have you heard of the Roman Roads, not the thread of verses in Romans that leads one to salvation, but the actual roads?  These were highly sophisticated roadways that were well-maintained all over the Roman Empire, primarily for foot soldiers to move efficiently.  They may have been similar to our old cobblestone roads, but they were some form of pavement.  Because of these highways, soldiers, goods, and services traveled around the entire ancient Near East.  Eventually, these highways became the primary mode of transportation for those who would carry the Gospel.

Today we have an information highway at our fingertips.  There may be other purposes and uses for this highway.  The Gospel spread along the Roman Roads.  Could it do the same on the internet, at your hand?  What is the purpose, the why?  For instance, do you only want a church website or Facebook page for brand awareness, or do you want to craft a tool or weapon of evangelism?  Do you want to simply find your niche or establish a beachhead for the advancing Kingdom of God?  How do you view the internet?

I believe I have the why question answered, at least enough to justify my engagement through ministry, online teaching, and marriage and family.  I also believe the pastor who called me had a good grasp of the why, so we tackled the next question.  I’m an active learner when it comes to the how question.  I have been learning for years, but there are others who have been making money online for years and helping all types of businesses succeed (including nonprofits).  Perhaps I can point you to a good Christian leading voice in the field like David Boozer, and some decent resources I have referenced, in this Google+ collection (G+).

God put the work before me and gave me the heart for it, and I just followed what He put in my heart to do. – David Boozer​ on Colossians 3.23 and his success in blogging (G+ 08.24.15)

2016

It’s common knowledge there are over 1.5 billion users on Facebook. There’s only 7 billion people in the world . . . 1 in 7 are on FB! Now we know that’s not really true (1 in 7) because we all have that 1 friend who has 14 accounts. They just keep forgetting their passwords! No one can deny FB is a phenomena! The internet is redefining the ways we socialize. As fun as social networks are, they do not replace face-to-face time. Hebrews 10.25 is a command to assemble with other believers. Christian community is not virtual, but a real-time gathering. (JVI G+ 05.09.16)

Just because I like an inspirational post, am I any less Christian or American if I don’t give it the thumbs up, repost it on my wall, and IM it to all of my friends? Am I really missing a blessing or ashamed of the Gospel? Sometimes these posts that end with a guilt trip remind me of the “chain letters” back in the day. Does anyone remember chain letters? (JVI G+ 12.14.16)

Article: How to Start a Food Blog – Solo Pine (G+ 12.06.17)

2018

Interesting report at MSU stemming from a study in the UK.  Article: Instagram named worst app for mental health: What can be changed? (G+ 01.09.18)

If only the church was still this strategic and evangelistic in the West.  Article: Facebook has more people than any major religion except Christianity (G+ 03.15.18)

LinkedIn recommendations from Forbes.  Article: Four Things You Must Do On LinkedIn Once A Week (G+ 04.03.18)

Not a bad focus for church “branding,” it’s more values based. And if the church had as much fun as LEGO . . . Article: 5 Secrets Behind the LEGO Social Media Success (G+ 04.13.18)

Article: MAILCHIMP VS AWEBER (2019) – COMPARISON REVIEW (G+ 04.24.18)

Article: Exporting Apple Contacts into CSV File (Apple Contacts Mac OS 10.9) (G+ 04.24.18)

Repost from David Boozer.  Article: A Simple and Non-Scary Guide to HTML for Bloggers (G+ 04.27.18)

What if good branding is not only the modus operandi of the marketplace, but a somewhat natural means for Christians to reach out, and possibly now a medium of creative evangelism?  Article: 10 Quick Tips to Brand Building Brilliance [Infographic] (G+ 08.04.18)

Ideals like these may be necessary for those who need a greater focus.  Article: 5 Simple Practices Successful Online Business Owners Do Perfectly . . . (G+ 08.07.18)

This article was shared with me by a homeschool mom I know 😉 It’s actually a pretty simple pitch about how to get started with YouTube and the benefits of a passive income.  Article: How Can Your Child Make Money on YouTube? (G+ 08.08.18)

Interesting study about teenage mobile device usage . . . Article: How Teens and Parents Navigate Screen Time and Device Distractions (G+ 08.27.18)

Article: Work From Home 2018: The Top 100 Companies For Remote Jobs (G+ 08.28.18)

I must have missed this. I guess by talking more about the local scene, one can be a little more seen . . . at least locally.  Article: Facebook will prioritize local stories in your News Feed (G+ 09.04.18)

. . . and it seems FB’s new algorithm and system still have some kinks (see my previous post).  Article: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN FACEBOOK MISTAKENLY BLOCKS LOCAL NEWS STORIES (G+ 09.04.18)

Article: How to record a FaceTime call on your iPhone or Mac (G+ 09.12.18)