While America remains a country with high levels of belief in God, most Americans are not talking about religious matters via social media. According to a recent (July 2012) survey of 1,026 American adults:
- 13% have downloaded a religious podcast of a sermon or listened to a sermon online
- 11% have posted status updates about being in church
- 10% have used a cell phone to take pictures or record video during worship
- 6% belong to one or more religious groups on Facebook
- 5% follow one or more religious leaders on Twitter and/or Facebook
So What?
While the data suggests lower rates of religious interaction via social media than I suspect most would imagine, it also highlights generational differences. Younger adults are more likely than older adults to engage in any of the activities mentioned above, including:
- 10x more likely to belong to one or more religious groups on Facebook (10% vs 1%)
- 9x more likely to follow one or more religious leaders on Twitter and/or Facebook (9% vs 1%)
- 6x more likely to use a cell phone to take pictures or record video during worship (20% vs 3%)
- 5x more likely to post status updates about being in church (16% vs 3%)
Who (what individuals and/or groups) in your congregation should see this information? How might this data impact your congregation’s communication strategies and planning?