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August 13, 2012

June 12, 2012

Tweets You Can Use!

"Katie, you’ve told me I need a Twitter account for my ministry … now what do I do with it!?"

The key to successful tweeting, some could argue, is informing and generating conversation with your followers. In order to do that, you want to try and engage them in a way that generates a response.

So let’s get started…

Your fall kick-off event is in two weeks and you’ve 500 hot dogs that need to be eaten. The drive of the event is to bring new folks into your church.

No WAY: Fall kick-off is soon. This lets folks know there’s something going on but not when OR where.

Good: Fall kick-off is in just TWO weeks! Bring some hungry friends! This one’s a little more informative, but still doesn’t let followers know where Fall kick-off is.

Better: Fall kick-off is in just TWO weeks! Bring some hungry friends to the fellowship hall parking lot on for food & fun on Saturday, August 25 at 4PM! This tweet works well. It lets folks know you’re excited AND tells them how to join you.

Best: Who are you bringing to Fall kick-off? Meet us in the fellowship hall parking lot for food & fun on Saturday, 8/25 at 4PM! This tweet drives followers to think about who they might bring, and lets them know when/where your event is taking place.

Great! Let’s try again…

You’re VBS director this year and you desperately need more volunteers. What do you say?

No WAY: Ya’ll. I’m pulling my hair out. VBS volunteers are hard to come by these days!

Good: I need more VBS volunteers!

Better: I need more VBS volunteers! Let me know if you’re interested.

Best: Want to be part of a life-changing ministry for kids? VBS is a great opportunity! Email katie.decillo@lifeway.com for details.

See what I mean?

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Twitter and Facebook are great tools for getting the word out about ministry needs and events, but they also serve as a means to getting to know parents and families even better, too. Invite them to join the conversation with tweets like these:

What’s the most important thing you want your kids to learn at church?

How do your kids learn best? By hearing a message, seeing a message, interacting with a message?

How can we pray for your kid(s) this week?

What are some missions projects you’ve done with your kids?

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What are some of your biggest struggles with social media?

Encouragement, Fun, Media, Resources

May 17, 2012

5 Tips for Using Facebook as a Ministry Tool

By Katie DeCillo

Did you know that Facebook recently became the most popular website in the United States? They have more that 450 million users world-wide, with millions being added every week! Chances are pretty good that some of the people who belong to Facebook are folks who are involved in your ministry or are people you’d like to reach with your ministry!

Just have a social media presence. There are many options to choose from, but we’ve found that most parents and volunteers use their Facebook account more often than Twitter or other social networks. Determine what network your parents and volunteers are using and add them as a friend them so they see your messages! Be specific when you name your page. There are lots of "FBC Kids" ministries out there!

UPDATE, UPDATE, UPDATE! Facebook is a free, quick, and easy (and sometimes even the best!) way to communicate with parents and volunteers. If you already have a personal Facebook account, (which you probably do if you found this blog!) you know how easy it is to communicate a message to your friends.

Be safe. Do not post full names of kids, especially accompanied by pictures. Make sure that if you post an image of a child, you have consent from a parent or guardian.

Be consistent. If your goal is to create a place where parents can count on updated information about schedules/changes/cancellations, etc., be consistent in your approach. Respond to questions from parents and volunteers in a timely manner.

Have FUN. It’s surprising how much fun interacting with your online community can be! Parents love hearing (and seeing!) what their kids are doing at church. When they see how much fun you’re having in the kids ministry, they may even be more inclined to volunteer. Who could pass up all that fun!?

Those are the basics! Think you’re ready to get started? If you need help, grab a an older youth group member or college student to help you get rolling. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an email at katie.decillo@lifeway.com.

I’ll be back with more tips and trips soon, so stay tuned!

Encouragement, Fun, Leadership, Preteen

April 29, 2011

Age Group Characteristics: Preteens

By Jeff Land

Today, I get to tell you about my favorite population of kids, er, I mean "young adults," preteens!

Preteens in today’s world are vastly different in many ways from the way you probably were at their age. They still share some common characteristics of your youth, however, they are far more technologically advanced. They are more aware of the world around them and have access to much more media than I ever dreamed of.

Today’s preteens face challenges such as intense pressure to perform. This pressure can come in the form of parents’ expectations of their child to excel in a particular sport or hobby. It also occurs in the school systems where teachers are forced to have their students make incredible scores on standardized tests.

They know and say things that would have made you blush at that age. They are not afraid to use acronyms such as "OMG" and other text message lingo that you would still probably not use. They choose music based upon the beat and not necessarily the words.

They have much more acceptance of people and behaviors than we ever dreamed of having. In many ways, I see this as a great blessing, and in other ways it scares the daylights out of me. Preteens are far less prejudice and accepting of different races than past generations. Due to the media promotion of the homosexual agenda, preteens have also become more accepting of alternative lifestyles. Check out this article about the new fad for teens is to be Bisexual.

Preteens also have crazy amounts of spending power. Check this article about how marketers are targeting this age group. Preteens are also all over facebook, even though they aren’t old enough to technically be on facebook.

Now, for a little comic relief. You might have seen this somewhere on facebook or twitter, but I think it is hilarious (so does my wife!).

How Well Do You Know Your Middle Aged Text Lingo?

ATD: At The Doctors.

BFF: Best Friend Fell.

BTW: Bring the Wheelchair.

BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth.

FWIW: Forgot Where I Was.

GHA: Got Heartburn Again.

OMSG: Oh My! Sorry, Gas!

ROFLACGU: Rolling On Floor Laughing And Can’t Get Up.

TTYL:Talk To You Louder

In a world where preteens are stressed out, burnt out, overscheduled, and abused; I pray that you are making your ministry a place where preteens can come and just be themselves. A place where they can laugh, play, cry, and learn about the One who made them. The One who never changes. The One who loves them unconditionally.

How about you? What do you see preteens doing today? I’ve not given anything away in a while. So, I’ll choose one commenter and give him or her a copy of Super Duper Fun & Exciting Absolutely Thought-Igniting Bible Activities for Kids.

Age Group Characteristics: Preteens

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