You can make statistics say absolutely anything you want them to. Well, almost anything, that is. Yet regardless of which side of an issue you happen to be on, you just can’t ignore certain facts regarding social media trends. Social media trends, such as why more men are now on Facebook than women, and how this will impact the relationship you have with your church’s pastor.
Social Media Trends
For example, in 2008 the average age of a Facebook account owner was well under 30 years of age. According to the below infographic created by SocialBakers.com, in 2010 the average age climbed to 29.53 and today it is roughly 30.11. The social media trends are churning toward an older user, but that is partly due to the fact that people are aging right along with their Facebook accounts.
However, one of the interesting stats is that the average user of Facebook is no longer female. In 2010, females dominated Facebook at 51%, but it’s been a man’s world on Facebook ever since. In fact, the percentage of male Facebook users in 2011 was 50%, 52% in early 2012, and it hovered around 53% at the end of 2012.
Social Media Trends and Christianity
When you take these statistics from the world’s largest social media platform and place it up against American Christianity, there are some interesting things to notice as well. The main thing is that American Christianity is drawing closer and closer to the Tipping Point of social media interaction.
And here’s why.
Malcolm Gladwell wrote a best-selling book in 2000 called, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. It’s an interesting book about how the accumulation of small factors can lead to dramatic change. In fact, Gladwell defines the tipping point as,
“the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point.”
And I think that’s about where we’re at today in the American church. We’re closing in on critical mass and nearing the boiling point of greater things to come.
When it comes to Christianity and the effective use of social media, I personally believe we are significantly nearing that critical point in effective social media interaction. I believe this is an epic moment in the life of American Christianity and contemporary social media trends.
Research And Christian Social Media Trends
According to the Hartford Institute For Religion Research, 59% of all Christian churches have less than 100 members. The average church in America is around 70 regular attenders. A church of this size will typically have only one pastor, and many times this pastor will be bi-vocational (much like myself), as the active membership can’t support a full-time pastor financially. These pastors are not elderly, but they certainly are not in their younger 30’s, either.
Regarding the average age of church pastors, here’s what was determined from the information provided by the larger mainline denominations across America:
“In the past few decades, men and women have been entering the ministry at older ages. Most had another career before going to seminary, and by the time they settled into the role of minister they tended to be middle-aged. In a recent study, the median age of senior or solo Protestant pastors was 51. The median age of senior or solo black pastors was 53. Roman Catholic priests are the oldest; their median age was 56. Associate pastors and those serving in non-church settings tended to be slightly younger.”
So the average age of senior pastors, for the most part, is in the low 50’s. The average aged user of Facebook is in his/her early-to-mid 30’s, and that age seems to be trending ever upward. More technologically-inclined young men are graduating from seminary in order to pursue pastoral ministry. The less-technologically inclined, older pastors are retiring from the ministry and younger smartphone-totting pastors are filling those positions.
Pastors are getting nearer in age to the average person at their church and, as far as a church’s use of technology and social media is concerned, this can only be a good thing regarding the usage of social media by pastors. Churchgoers want to communicate with their pastors and other church leaders, but the fact of the matter is that an hour on Sunday is simply not enough time to develop open and honest communication.
Social media trends in contemporary Christianity are pointing towards a social media tipping point.
What do you think about that? Lord willing, it will create much more accountability in local congregations, as church leaders will likely become more involved in the virtual lives of their sheep. (Whoa, now wait just a minute! Is that a good thing?) Well, the jury is still out on whether or not this is a positive trend, but the social media trends do seem to be pointing in that direction.
ACTION TO TAKE: Leave a comment below regarding what social media trends you’ve noticed in your own local church regarding the use of technology and/or social media?
Thank you for an insightful piece. I am a member of a very large church (North Point Community) and I believe social media platforms are being used in a positive way thus far.
Is that Andy Stanley’s church, in Atlanta?
In what ways is your church using social media to reach out to the membership? (I’m always looking for good ideas). Thanks!
Yes, NP is one of five area campuses in Atlanta of which Andy Stanley serves as Senior Pastor.
I believe social media has been a great way for the membership to stay connected with our pastors and leaders, their thoughts and wisdom sharing throughout the week instead of just on Sundays. Our online offerings provide a huge array of topical teachings that allows us to go back and revisit a series or provide a link to pass it along to a friend. We can even watch our service online which is great when you’re traveling or can’t make it on a Sunday.
Most, if not all of our pastors, leaders, staff and worship teams have a twitter account, linkedin, facebook, instagram, some even have blog sites; each campus can be followed by twitter as well.
It is great at getting the word out quickly when changes have to be made in the moment, for example this past Friday inclement weather rolled in that threatened a “Married Life” event called “Concert on the Lawn.” Frequent updates started rolling out via Twitter a few hours before the event ultimately leading to its cancellation.
In a church our size I do believe it promotes a sense of family and accountability when you are able to hear from your pastor and church leaders via social media; it maintains the connection and the importance of being a part of something that’s impacting the world.
Loretta Willis
Loretta, thanks so much for these examples. They are very, very helpful.
As a pastor myself, I’m always trying to figure out ways to communicate better with the people at my church. It is encouraging to me that people like yourself find the social media communication so beneficial.
Tell Andy I said, “Keep it up!”
LOL
I have found that too often, ministers who write blogs really don’t want them publicized. Their followers know where to look, but the blog is almost a secret. I also think that the blogger minister is doing his best to keep everyone happy. His leadership and his congregants get his old style sermon and his young followers get a blog posting. This is not the most ideal way to do intergenerational ministry, but seems to be the going method.
Now I said male ministers here, but that Is only because there are more of them. The growing group of female ministers just say or write what needs to be said and figure they will be disregarded for their gender or respected for what they said or wrote, regardless of their gender.
The young would say that blog postings would make really good sermons and the old, entrenched congregants would likely be appalled at some of the topics being discussed. (P.S. Get out the Torah and start reading and you will find laws regarding incest and other topics that do not make for great dinner conversation.)
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