A Social Media Strategy for Churches That People Actually Want to Follow

Is your church's social media feed a digital bulletin board? If it's just an endless stream of event promotions and service time reminders, you're missing the single greatest opportunity to connect with your community and grow your church.

People don't follow brands that only talk about themselves. They follow accounts that add value, answer their questions, and make them feel like part of a community. Your church's social media should be a place of encouragement, hope, and connection—a digital front porch where people can get to know you before they ever step through your doors.

But that requires a strategy, and most importantly, it requires content. A lot of it. Here is a simple 4-pillar plan to create a social media presence people actually want to follow, and how AI can create all the content you need.

The 4-Pillar Social Media Plan

A healthy content strategy is balanced. You can't just promote, and you can't just preach. This framework ensures you are meeting people where they are.

Pillar 1: Proclaim (Share Truth from the Sermon)

This is the core of your content. Every week, your pastor delivers a powerful message. Your social media should echo that truth throughout the week.

• What to post: Quote graphics, short video clips (reels/shorts), key scripture verses, and thought-provoking questions based on the sermon.
• Goal: To disciple your current congregation and provide spiritual food for thought to potential visitors.

Pillar 2: Persuade (Address Felt Needs and Questions)

People in your community are asking big questions about anxiety, parenting, purpose, and finances. Your social media should be a place where they can find biblical wisdom for their real-world problems.

• What to post: Short Q&A videos ("Ask the Pastor"), blog post snippets that address common struggles, and links to helpful resources.
• Goal: To show your community that your church has relevant answers to their biggest questions.

Pillar 3: Picture (Showcase Your Church's Community)

People are looking for a place to belong. Your social media should give them a glimpse into the authentic, vibrant community at your church.

• What to post: Photos from small groups, videos of baptisms, volunteer spotlights, and behind-the-scenes moments.
• Goal: To answer the question, "Will I fit in here?" before they even visit.

Pillar 4: Promote (Invite People to Take a Next Step)

Promotion is important, but it should be the smallest part of your strategy (around 20%). This is where you clearly invite people to engage further.

• What to post: Invitations to Sunday service, links to register for events, and information about joining a small group.
• Goal: To give people a clear and easy next step.

The AI-Powered Workflow: How to Generate All This Content

This sounds like a full-time job, right? It doesn't have to be. By leveraging AI, you can generate the content for Pillars 1 and 2 in under an hour a week.

Here's how:

1. Upload your Sunday sermon transcript into MinistryAI.
2. The AI instantly generates a week's worth of "Proclaim" content: quote graphics, discussion questions, and video clip ideas.
3. Then, use the AI to create "Persuade" content. Use a prompt like: "Based on my sermon about anxiety, write three short social media posts that offer practical, biblical hope to someone struggling with worry."
4. Schedule all of this AI-generated content.
5. Now, your only weekly task is to capture and post the "Picture" and "Promote" content, which is much more manageable.

From Social Media Manager to Digital Missionary

When you have a clear strategy and a powerful tool to execute it, you stop being a "social media manager" and become a "digital missionary." You are no longer just posting announcements; you are creating pathways for people to encounter the hope of the Gospel and the community of your church.

Stop wondering what to post. Start reaching your community. Let MinistryAI generate a month's worth of engaging social media content from a single sermon. Try it today!