Meet the Editors Kevin Hendricks is the founder of Monkey Outta Nowhere, and author of Addition by Adoption: Kids, Causes and 140 Characters (2010). His writing has been featured here on So What Faith on multiple occasions, including "Effectively Welcoming Visitors" and "Baptist Dance Party Goes Viral." Chuck Scoggins is a senior partner at the 374 Design Agency where he runs Motion Design Media, a division of the agency focused on Read More …
Your Church’s Facebook Presence (#1067)
Monk Development's "2013 State of the Church Online Report" contains data gathered from a diverse group of "over 50 churches spread across the United States" that seek to serve their congregation's through the web (p.2). As I reviewed the report, I found myself returning again and again to a statistic that provides a benchmark for congregations seeking to develop a presence on Facebook. According to Monk's research, "the average for likes vs. total weekly attendance (TWA) is Read More …
Facebook Personality Test (#1039)
You Are What You Like offers a free personality test. Rather than asking you a series of questions to determine your personality, the app analyzes your likes on Facebook. Curious to learn more, I authorized the app and received my report: So What? Provided you are yourself on Facebook rather than one who seeks to create an alternative or idealistic version of who you wish to be/become, the test is nearly impossible to fake unlike other types of personality tests that allow Read More …
Social Media Shortcomings (#0998)
While I am encouraged to see more and more nonprofits entering the world of social media, I wonder what percentage of these efforts are ineffective primarily because those tasked with overseeing them lack the appropriate training and/or resources. Recently Nonprofit Tech 2.0 posted a list of eleven signs that your nonprofit needs social media training. The list includes: Your avatar is cropped, shrunk, blurry, or too small to make an impact. You are rarely retweeted on Twitter. Read More …
Elders + Social Media (#0856)
While senior centers, assisted living facilities, and organizations focused on mature adults have been providing computing classes for years, many have recently added "how to" sessions on Facebook, Twitter, and blogging. Julie Andrews recently wrote about some of the benefits older adults experience when they use social media, including increased connectivity to family and friends. So What? Church is a community. It should also be concerned with connecting people to one Read More …
Facebook, Retirees, and Church (#0845)
Robert Saler, Research Fellow and administrator with the Center for Pastoral Excellence at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, recently blogged about how his experience as a pastor of a congregation comprised primarily of retirees challenged his assumptions about their use of social media. As a younger pastor, he entered the parish assuming that leveraging Facebook as a part of the congregation's ministry would require heavy lifting by young adults. In his Read More …
Social Media Benefits the Homeless (#0833)
A recent study conducted by Art Jipson, a sociologist and criminologist at the University of Dayton, found that "social media . . . tear down economic and geographic barriers to help homeless people connect to their families and support networks." More specifically, Jipson learned that homeless people leverage free services like Facebook and Twitter to find food, shelter and job services, and to keep up with family and friends. All they need is a smart phone or public library Read More …
Religious Engagement via Social Media (#0824)
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% Read More …
Celebrating Social Media Day (#0776)
Today (June 30) is Mashable's third annual Social Media Day. Several cities (including Tampa) have officially joined the celebration. Individuals can participate by participating in one of over 400 meetups and/or joining the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #smday ( to view the live stream of tweets simply click here). So What? Social media is changing the way we connect with each other. It is a frequent topic here at sowhatfaith: 15% of all posts are Read More …
Goodbye Facebook – Hello Twitter (#0775)
People's social media usage habits while working are changing. According to the latest research by Palo Alto Networks, during the last six months (November 2011 to May 2012) the percentage of time workers spent on social networking sites shifted: Facebook: down 17% (from 54% to 37%) Twitter: up 10% (from 11% to 21%) Tumblr: up 9% (from 1% to 10%) So What? In only six months, the percentage of time people spent using Twitter at work doubled and the percentage of time they spent Read More …