Bruce Reyes-Chow is a consultant who previously served as founding pastor of Mission Bay Community Church. His effective use of social media while serving as moderator of the General Assembly of the 2.3 million member PCUSA helped many mainline leaders appreciate the value of social media for ministry. In an October 2012 presentation to the Miami Valley Presbytery (Dayton, OH) on social media and the church, Reyes-Chow offered five tips for effective social media usage:
- be you: appropriate, honest, consistent just as you would IRL;
- be interactive: engage, comment, respond, inquire, link and like;
- be mindful: most people lurk and observe without ever interacting;
- be humble: don’t overestimate your influence and avoid delusions of grandeur; and
- be bold: don’t underestimate your influence to begin and sustain meaningful movements.
So What?
As I read Reyes-Chow’s list, I immediately began evaluating my own social media usage to determine just how effective it is in its present form. As you review the list, which areas are your greatest strengths? your growing edges? What resources have been most helpful to you in your ongoing quest to effectively use social media?