Pastor’s presence on Instagram (8 tips)

I am a pastor and I believe that social networks have great potential for the work of the gospel. Because I want to use this potential, I opened my account and am active on Facebook networks, Odnoklassniki, less often, but also on vKontakte. I also opened an Instagram account before, but I occasionally posted something. After discussions with the young people who attended the intensive English language study camps, the ASAF Christian Music Camp, and the Precept International Mission School, I realized that

1. It is an emergency to do our job on Instagram

This social network attracted young people and a large part of them left other networks such as Facebook, Odnoklassniki and vKontakte and switched to Instagram. The fact that it operates more with images here and that it is easier to access, takes less time to open the pages, is easier to navigate, all this I think motivated the young people to come here. I don’t know if that’s the case or if there are other reasons. The fact is that young people and not only them have migrated en masse on Instagram and spend a lot of time there. As a servant of God and a preacher of the gospel, I want to tell people about the Lord Jesus Christ. That is why I want to be present with the message of the gospel and to be heard by as many people as possible in the hope that they will believe in Christ and be saved. If you have the same desire for the people in your locality and in your social circle, you will not delay, but you will open an account on Instagram and you will make a strategy on how to tell them the Gospel.

2. You need to have a strategy to post on Instagram

It’s not enough to have an account on Instagram or any other social network. It is important to make a strategy on how to use this tool well. Pray for one of the young people at the church you are pastoring or anyone else who already uses Instagram, and they will show you in a short time what the technical aspects are and how they are published. But in order to make a strategy, I recommend you to get the book entitled “How to use information technology for the Christian”. One of those 8 chapters of the book I dedicated to developing a strategy for social networks. You can only study that chapter and it will be enough for you to start publishing, aiming at concrete results. I urge you to study this course with the whole church, and in this way you will help every believer to use information technology for the gospel and not become addicted to it or to be deceived by any destructive teaching.

3. Post according to the spiritual needs of those on Instagram

See who your friends are on this social network. See what they post and discuss. Seek to meet with them and find out what concerns them. Then begin to provide them with spiritual food from God’s Word according to their needs. The fact is that in this social network, this food must be provided in very small portions. I started preaching messages that are no longer than 1 minute. I think you’ve already seen them. I invite you to subscribe to my Instagram profile or Facebook page.

4. Publish Stories

It is a method that young people use a lot and they follow these stories the most. They can only be tracked for 24 hours if they are not saved in special albums. I will not go into details here to explain how it is, because if you appeal to the young people in your church, it will be very easy for them to explain. I just want you to understand that they use this method a lot. I don’t know or understand why they are so interesting, but if they use it, I will use it too, because I will tell them important things and teach them the Word of God.

5. Announcements

It’s another thing that can and should be done on Instagram. Announce all divine services, church activities, camps, youth meetings, Bible studies, and so on. Social networking is the fastest and safest way to communicate your ads.

6. LIVE

It is an option offered by most social networks and also exists on Instagram, only here it can only be kept in Histories for 24 hours. Through live broadcasts, you can have a conversation with people connected to the network and they can ask you questions. You can approach a topic, preach, teach, and so on.

7. Learn from other preachers and pastors who use Instagram well

If you follow their posts you will understand what their strategies are, the steps they follow, their style and so you will be able to apply on your Instagram profile. I always seek to observe what and how others do and to learn. Subscribe to my profile and I hope you find something useful from me.

8. Be an example on Instagram.

In the Bible, God addresses the shepherds and tells us to set an example for the flock, and to do so in all respects. Instagram and social networking are no exception:

in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified. (Titus 2:7 NASB)

I have now started to publish the weekly “Pastoral” on YouTube for pastors, youth pastors, deacons, missionaries, leaders of Christian organizations, Bible teachers, Sunday school teachers with practical advice on the work of preaching the gospel and discipleship.

Translated by Didina Vicliuc