Promoting Your Church through Social Media Marketing

I’ve had the privilege of sitting across from some of the most forward‑thinking communicators in the church world.

When Brady Shearer (founder of Pro Church Tools) joined me to discuss social media for church planters, he made the priority clear – consistency is ministry.

In the early days of a church plant, you’re raising funds, assembling a launch team, and preaching every weekend, so social media often feels secondary. Yet Brady explained that a thoughtful, weekly social rhythm is one of the most strategic investments a church can make.

I’ve seen it myself: when churches show up online week after week, those digital touch‑points translate into real faces walking through their doors.

Pastor Bob Moya from City Chapel reinforced that truth through his own story. He built his ministry by handing out flyers and organizing park events.

Pastor Bob Moya on Brady Sticker’s podcast show

For years, he ran three bus routes and hosted block parties because that’s how the gospel reached him. But as he explained to me, families stopped opening their doors. “We’d knock on doors near parks, invite everyone to a big event, but it started to get harder,” he recalled.

If you’re unsure about investing time in Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok, understand that these tools extend your ministry beyond the church walls and into the places where people now gather.

The pastors I spoke with are using digital platforms to build genuine relationships, and the fruit is undeniable.

Build a Rhythm Without Burning Out

Sustainable social media ministry comes from rhythm and consistency rather than chasing overnight virality. Brady Shearer describes a four‑stage framework he calls the Social Ministry Mountain.

The base is simply showing up consistently. He suggests that during the pre‑launch phase, church planters aim for two solid posts each week – usually two short videos (Reels) and two carousel posts.

Consistency means choosing a posting pace your team can maintain rather than feeling pressure to post daily. Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, has even noted that taking long breaks makes it harder for the algorithm to rediscover you.

What does this look like in practice? Pastor Bob told me he sends about seven personal videos every week to people who plan a visit to City Chapel. Those short, authentic clips have a higher impact than any generic announcement because they make families feel known.

When he sends ten video messages, he sees two or three families actually come. As pastors, we don’t need to choreograph elaborate scenes; we simply need to commit to showing up with meaningful content week after week.

A sustainable rhythm might look like:

• Two Reels or short clips pulled from sermons or devotionals each week. Brady recommends grabbing two 30‑ to 90‑second moments and repurposing them as posts.
• Two carousel posts that teach or inspire. Carousel posts allow you to share multiple ideas in one upload; Brady has seen carousels outperform Reels for reach when they’re specific and valuable.
• Consistent personal follow‑ups. Bob’s example of sending video invitations and prayers reminds us that private messages are just as important as public posts.

The key is to choose a cadence that won’t exhaust you. Stick to it, even when engagement feels low. As Brady notes, “Without consistency, any momentum you build is undone the moment you stop posting.”

Create Content That Resonates

So what should you post? Brady distinguishes between width and depth. Width content reaches as many people as possible – simple clips, practical tips, or scriptures anyone can appreciate.

Depth content goes behind the scenes – photos of your launch team praying in a living room, volunteers unpacking chairs, or your family eating dinner with new friends.

“Use photographs of church life … That’s the missing piece for most churches,” Brady told me. Don’t wait until you have weekly services to start telling your story; show people what you’re building and who you are.

Here are some ideas to balance width and depth:

• Behind‑the‑scenes photos: Take candid images of your team praying, scouting venues, or laughing together. Humans connect with faces.
• Short sermon clips: Clip a single compelling sentence or question that addresses a common struggle (e.g., “Confused by weird Bible passages? Try this approach”). On social media, the hook is everything; attention is won or lost in the first three seconds.
• Testimonies and baptisms: Share stories of life change. Show gratitude for families joining small groups or being baptised; Bob often shares videos of families being baptised and then invites viewers to be part of the next group.
• FAQs and myth‑busters: Address common questions about faith or your church: What should I wear? How long is the service? These pieces meet people where they are.

When crafting your posts, remember Brady’s Three Cs: Cliffhanger, Common, and Care. A great hook creates curiosity without giving away the answer (“The two words every parent needs to say to their kids”). It speaks to something universally relatable (family, money, purpose) and makes people care. In my experience at ChurchCandy, the posts that start with a compelling question and deliver on a felt need perform best.

Embrace Sustainable Growth, Not Just Viral Moments

After establishing a rhythm, Brady’s framework moves into what he calls “viral‑for‑me” posts. These are posts that reach ten times your normal audience. In his case, a carousel went from 1,000–3,000 likes to over 12,000 because it was highly specific and valuable. Don’t chase virality for its own sake; aim to have three to five percent of your posts achieve that “viral‑for‑me” status. A single viral hit may give you a burst of followers, but consistent value builds trust.

From there, the goal is sustainable growth. Brady notes that a 4 percent monthly follower increase compounds into a ten‑fold increase over five years – “500 followers today becomes 5,000 in five years”. That may not sound glamorous, yet it’s realistic for any church that faithfully publishes content. In my own agency, one out of every ten posts “catches fire,” while the rest quietly strengthen relationships. Bob’s story backs this up: by sending seven personal videos a week, he added seventy people to City Chapel in one year.

Growth isn’t linear; seasons of apparent stagnation often precede breakthroughs. Rather than obsess over likes, track the metrics that actually matter. According to Instagram, sends (how often people share your post with someone else) are the strongest positive signal. I encourage churches to calculate their send percentage (sends ÷ reach). Identify which posts get shared the most and repeat those themes. Don’t be afraid to repost high‑performing content six to twelve months later.

Choose the Right Platforms and Accounts

One question I hear often is whether the pastor’s personal account or the official church page should carry the weight of social media. Brady’s answer is freeing: both can work. Humans connect more naturally with other humans, so a personal account often has a built‑in advantage. Instagram’s algorithm favours posts from people you know, and followers are more likely to engage with a pastor than a logo. That said, some pastors prefer to use a church page; success depends on your culture and capacity.

Choosing platforms also depends on demographics. Facebook tends to serve older adults, Instagram is the default for millennials, TikTok reaches Gen Z, and YouTube Shorts is emerging among younger generations.

Start with the platform that aligns with your team’s age and culture, then expand as you gain capacity. Wherever you post, keep your branding consistent – familiar colours, fonts, and design patterns help people recognise your content. As Brady notes, you don’t need a new look for every post; familiarity builds trust.

Respect the “No Promo” Code

A common mistake churches make is treating social media like a digital bulletin board. Brady cautions against turning your feed into a steady stream of event advertisements. People don’t open Instagram or TikTok to be sold to. Imagine promotions as seasoning, not the main dish. For every event announcement, share multiple pieces that inspire, teach, or encourage. This “no promo” mindset doesn’t mean you stop promoting; it means you earn the right to promote by consistently adding value.

When you do share an announcement, tie it to a story or a felt need. Instead of “Don’t miss our worship night,” share a clip of last month’s worship night with a quote about why it mattered. And always lead with the benefit to the viewer: How will this event help them grow? By respecting the no‑promo code, you not only keep algorithms happy, but you also earn trust with your community.

Case Study: From Street Ministry to Social Media – City Chapel’s Story

Pastor Bob Moya’s journey embodies the shift every church must navigate. He discovered the gospel on a street corner in Dallas and spent the early years of ministry doing what had worked for him: bus routes, block parties, and door‑to‑door invitations.

As he remembers, “We had no church background … For two and a half years, we just read our Bibles at home because we didn’t know where to go”. To reach others, he “ran three bus routes all over town” and picked up families wherever he could.

Those efforts bore fruit for years, but times changed. “We’d knock on doors … but it started to get harder,” he told me. Then the pandemic hit, and door‑to‑door ministry became nearly impossible.

Instead of giving up, City Chapel fed its community. They launched Feed the City, serving around 200 families every week and promoting it through Facebook. It was their first step into digital outreach. When Bob heard about ChurchCandy’s ads and follow‑up systems, he was hesitant. “Coming from my background, it felt strange. I didn’t want to just market the church,” he admitted. His Gen Z children nudged him forward: “Dad, this is how people find churches now.” He realised social media wasn’t marketing; it was ministry.

Bob began recording short videos for everyone who planned a visit. “Hey, this is Pastor Bob. Looking forward to meeting you,” he’d say. The response surprised him: if he sent ten video messages, two or three families would actually come. Contrast that with a fall festival where two thousand people showed up and only five returned. Personal connection trumps crowds every time. In one year, City Chapel added seventy people. Young families, biracial couples, and Catholics searching for a home church found them online.

Bob’s commitment is remarkable. “I’ve been in the gym for nine years trying to meet people. One guy came to church,” he laughed, noting that his weekly video messages now bring in multiple families. He also observes who responds to their outreach: “They start looking again when they have children,” he told me. That insight shapes the way City Chapel tells its story online and inside its foyer.

What keeps Bob committed to digital outreach? He told me, “There are still families like mine … hungry for God. They just haven’t heard the gospel yet. This is how we find them”. He no longer walks the streets with tracts; he stands by the highway and prays for his city on Instagram. And when visitors don’t show up after planning a visit, he follows up to ask how he can pray. Digital ministry hasn’t replaced relationship – it has amplified it.

He describes the change succinctly: “I’m not walking the streets with gospel tracts anymore. Now I share videos, offer prayers for the city from I‑20, and post weekly encouragements on Instagram”. Even when someone doesn’t show up after planning a visit, “If they planned a visit but didn’t show, I ask what we can pray for,” he said. Those touches build trust and keep City Chapel’s doors open to families who return months later.

If you’re sceptical about social media, Bob offers four reasons to reconsider:

1. Many of us grew up believing ministry had to be “boots on the ground.” Digital outreach feels foreign until we understand it’s another way to serve.
2. Marketing sounds business‑like, but tools like video invitations are simply personal touches delivered through a new channel.
3. The next generation lives online. Trust the young people in your congregation when they say this is how people find churches.
4. Digital connection builds friendships before people ever step through your doors.

City Chapel is also prepared to welcome digital guests in person. They updated their foyer, created clear signage, and trained a welcome team. Those practical steps ensured that when families arrived because of a Facebook ad or a personal video, they felt expected and loved.

Practical Steps to Start Today

Ready to move from theory to action? Here’s a roadmap based on the insights from Brady Shearer and Pastor Bob Moya.

1. Decide on a realistic posting cadence and stick to it. Start with two Reels and two carousel posts a week.
2. Balance width and depth in your content. Mix universal tips and behind‑the‑scenes glimpses.
3. Craft compelling hooks. Use the Cliffhanger/Common/Care formula to stop the scroll. Address questions at the intersection of faith and everyday life.
4. Respect the no‑promo rule. For every announcement, share several pieces of encouragement or teaching.
5. Repurpose your sermons. Pull two 30‑ to 90‑second clips from each message and turn them into Reels, carousels, or quotes. Use consistent designs so viewers recognise your content.
6. Choose the right platforms. Start where your primary audience spends time and experiment with a personal account if you’re comfortable.
7. Leverage personal videos for follow‑up. Send a short welcome video to everyone who fills out a “Plan Your Visit” form. Ask visitors who don’t show how you can pray.
8. Measure what matters. Track send percentage and follower growth, not just likes. Repost your best content after six to twelve months.
9. Iterate and repeat. Sort your last 90 days of posts by reach and engagement. Identify patterns, repeat what works, and discard what doesn’t.

Final Thoughts

Social media will never replace preaching, prayer, or discipleship, yet it remains a powerful tool that allows us to reach people we would never meet otherwise. When Brady Shearer says the summit of the Social Ministry Mountain is the crossover event—that moment when your online presence translates into real‑world ministry—I know exactly what he means. I’ve heard parents tell me they followed a church on Instagram for months before visiting. I’ve seen families baptized because a simple Reel sparked curiosity. As Bob Moya reminds us, there are still families like mine … hungry for God. They just haven’t heard the gospel yet.

If you feel overwhelmed, start small. Tell your story. Capture moments of authenticity. Show up consistently. Over time, you’ll not only see your online reach grow; you’ll see new faces at your services, new names on your connection cards, and, most importantly, new people encountering Jesus. That’s the heart behind everything we do at ChurchCandy: helping churches use digital tools to meet people, love them well, and lead them into community.

Let’s climb this mountain together.

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