Please note, the good news stories below were published in 2022 so the information may now be out of date. If you have more recent stories about using Facebook pages or groups for mission, please email us.
Facebook Pages
Many churches have a Facebook Page and are a place where businesses, brands, organizations, and non-profits can connect with their followers. Much like websites, Facebook Pages are a great public facing platform for Churches to reach people outside the church.
Good News Story: d-Church
d-church is a monthly online, multimedia service in real time which gives the opportunity for members to interact with one another via Facebook and Twitter which began in 2011.
At its peak it had engagement anywhere from 100 to 1,000 people, with many engaging from outside the church and some going on to join a local church.
Questions as to the meaning of the letter ‘d’ are frequent. Does it mean digital? disciple? or even ‘de’ (as in those who once were part of church but are no longer)?
Either way, the team seek to encourage an online community gathering that is a safe place to discuss life and faith. It is for those who profess faith, seek faith and who doubt faith.
It does not require or even encourage people to come to a ‘physical’ church, but rather it is focused on providing online discipleship and spirituality for those who might not be able or want to attend a typical service.
www.facebook.com/dchurchF
Facebook Groups
Whilst Facebook Groups are predominantly best for internal communication, they can offer opportunities for evangelism if used in intentional ways.
Good News Story: Sthie
Sthie is the Manx word for 'at home', and provides online worship services through the use of Facebook watch parties in a closed Facebook Group for people across the country, not just on the Isle of Man.
The Facebook Group allows people to share, type prayers, and discuss live while watching a pre-recorded service. The Facebook Group has over 400 members and receives several hundred engagements on its watch parties.
What some of the members have said:
“I have been joining Sthie since week one and before the Covid-19 lockdown. Having not been a regular churchgoer for 10 years Sthie allows me to re-explore my faith, meeting me where I am at, in all senses of the expression. It comes direct to me in Leicestershire, slots in with my hectic family and work life, and I love the style.”
“As someone who is not a regular church goer I found the watch party the perfect way to feel part of the community. I knew almost no-one who took part each Sunday but seeing the regular chat that would go on during the service was very comforting. The familiarity when watching each Sunday also made me want to return each week.”
www.facebook.com/groups/489579061710702/
Facebook Live
Facebook Live is a feature on Facebook for livestreaming a video that people can interact with in real-time.
Good News Story: Nidd Valley Methodist Circuit
Nidd Valley Methodist Circuit have been running live morning prayer every Monday to Saturday at 8am on their Facebook Page. It’s drawn people in from the edges of church and gathered them in a new community.
What's been powerful is that it isn't a "performance", but a way of engaging with God alongside one another and enabling that. There's more a sense of being a doula or a midwife, equipping others to do what they innately know how to do but have been told they can't.
Nidd Valley have tried lots and lots of different online initiatives, but the two that have really stuck and get the most engagement both online and in other conversations are the live morning prayer and a dial-in phone line.
The Facebook Live videos last around 15-20mins and regularly get over 200 people watching, whether live or later in the day. www.facebook.com/NiddValley
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