Make your ministry stand out with these 20 church social media post ideas

By Shunte Gamble – Entrepreneur, speaker, writer

Social media is one of the best tools available to share the purpose and mission of your ministry. This is a place where ministries can be seen, heard, and experienced. 

How you use social media will impact how many people you reach and their level of engagement. I don’t know about you, but my feed is loaded with posts from churches–some that I follow and others that are sponsored posts/ads. Some of what I see captures my attention and other posts fall flat.

So what are people posting about? What can you post about? And even more important, what makes some posts stand out from the rest?

Based on what I see in my feed, I pulled together 20 content types and examples to help you improve your social media game and get your church the attention it deserves.

Not a fan of reading? Watch the video here:

Let’s dive in.

20 ideas for church social media posts that will make your ministry stand out

1. Promote service times and locations

Providing your service times and location will give visitors the information needed to attend your church. Your congregation can share these posts on their page or forward them to other people they’d like to invite.

What I really liked about this post from The Lighthouse Church are the colors. The graphic is very clean and organized – the information is grouped which makes it easy to understand. It provides service information for all of the church’s locations at once. And it’s just easy to read.

Pro Tips: 

• Post designs that display service times for one day at a time. Any more than that will look too cluttered. 
• Keep your graphic clean and easy to read.

2. Countdown to a special service or event

Countdowns get your audience excited about what’s to come. You can count down the days, number of tickets left, or hours leading up to an event. A countdown can also motivate undecided attendees to join.

Sarasota Baptist Church uses this technique effectively to count down to the start of its streamed services.

Pro Tip: 

• Create your designs and videos to display numbers that countdown from ten or less for better engagement. This can be 10 minutes, 10 hours, 10 days, etc.

3. Announce services or an event

Make special events even more special through your announcement style. Use this opportunity to spotlight event highlights, people, and most important, the tone of the event. Let your church’s unique personality and brand shine through.

This post from Woman Evolve features a clear call-to-action, two prominent participants, and a brief overview of the event. It gives just enough information to spark curiosity and sales. 

It stood out for me because it features the two main people that attendees will want to see. The design is great too. It’s crafted as a snapshot – literally like a Polaroid. The placement of the photos is great too. They are somewhat stacked, not just two people next to each other. 

I like the language they use. They refer to you as though you’re a sister or friend. If you know this group, it’s kind of their thing. So this is on brand for them.

Pro Tips: 

• Create your design based on the mood of the event: semi-formal, formal, fun, family, etc.
• Don’t be afraid to have a little fun with the language.

4. Spotlight someone specific (and don’t be afraid to make it personal)

Your ministry is filled with special people; your pastor, leaders, staff, congregation members, and guest speakers. Spotlighting these people is a great way to share what your ministry is all about.

And it doesn’t have to all be professional. Personal content is what stands out on social media. So if someone is celebrating a milestone or has accomplished something interesting, don’t be afraid to share.

This post by The Potter’s House brought people together for one cause, to celebrate Pastor Phillips’s birthday. Over 1,000 people joined in to like, comment, or share the post. Some even tagged the pastor!  

People like to look at photos of other people, so I like that they use a very clear picture of him. And it goes beyond the surface to be personal. A birthday is as personal as you can get.

Pro Tips:

• Always use clear (high-resolution) images of people.
• Don’t be afraid to make your content personal.

5. Share a live stream or pre-recorded service

The great COVID pivot to online everything has shaped how many people participate in church. Why not bring church to them? 

Plus, after your live event has streamed, the post remains online so people can continue to watch, share, and comment on it.

The secret of great online services is letting the personality of the church and the Pastor come through. This post was a Facebook Live of Pastor Keion Henderson of The Lighthouse Church sharing his message. The Lighthouse Church’s casual, warm brand, comes through in every element of the stream from what the pastor is wearing to the setting he’s being filmed in.

Pro Tips:

• Make it simple for you by streaming through providers that allow you to broadcast to multiple platforms at once. 
• Make sure every element of your stream: lighting, attire, and setting conveys your church’s unique brand.

6. Capture images that tell your ministry’s story 

Your choice of photos is another way to share your ministry’s memories and moments with your online audience and congregation. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sarasota Baptist Church (@sarasotabaptist)

Sarasota Baptist Church promotes its family-friendly nature by filling its Instagram feed with   photos that feature different families and members of all ages.

Pro Tip: 

• Shoot candid and minimally posed photos to convey a more relaxed mood.

7. Share service reels or images

What are your services like? One way to translate the in-person experience to online is to take photos of captured moments or clips from your streams to post as reels. The key is to get in close so your online viewers feel like they’re part of the action.

This post from Church Family of Hope gives us up close and personal visuals of Friday night revival. Church Family of Hope shared several candid pictures of worship, the congregation, and touching moments. They had service, baptisms, worship, and then they had prayer. You felt like you were there, even if you missed it.

Pro Tip: 

• Get in close with your photos so people feel like it’s just them and the people in the photo.

8. Exhibit passion with a worship reel

Take video clips from worship to post as reels. This is a great way to spotlight the power of your worship team when they’re in action.

This post from Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church gets right in there. You can feel the singer’s passion and the energy of the room just from watching the video. You’re instantly hit with the power of that worship service and the intensity of the woman singing. 

People need that when they come to worship. They want to feel God’s power.

Pro Tips: 

• Use video to capture emotion and intensity.
• Capture high-quality audio whenever you can. 
• Don’t use copyrighted music. Social media platforms will take down your video!

9. Encourage clicks with an intriguing question

Spark curiosity by asking a big question. It will act as an invitation to engage and people will click to find the answers they need.

This post from The Lighthouse Church asks a question that many can relate to and may even wrestle with. If this were a question you’re asking yourself, you would certainly click to see the answer. It really does the job of both sparking curiosity and motivating people to learn more. 

Pro Tip: 

• Ask thought-provoking questions to peak people’s curiosity and invite them to click.

10. Drive traffic to podcasts or blog posts

Encourage your audience to listen to or subscribe to your podcast. Share the latest article with your online audience. 

This post from Woman Evolve encourages listeners to engage by offering to tackle their problems on the show. It provides both a way for listeners to be heard and an incentive to participate. 

I like that she used the life preserver as a metaphor for rescue. It visually communicates a key component of this show. People are asking for her help with their problems. The image communicates that she’s going to provide the help you need.

Pro Tip: 

• Select images that convey your message non-verbally.

11. Spotlight ministry merchandise and products

Let’s be honest. Many churches have products to sell. If that’s you, there is no shame in taking to social media to plug your products.

Don’t be shy. Let your audience in on the products, resources, and services your ministry offers. 

This works especially well for events. You can promote the event before it happens by telling people. Then, when people show up, they’re wearing the merchandise. The people who didn’t buy merchandise before the event will purchase it at the event because they’ll want to wear a shirt, too. Think of it like this, you can promote the event after it’s over to remind attendees what a great experience they had by showcasing the merchandise again. You can even give a little plug for “Don’t miss next year’s event,” at the same time.

This post features merchandise for the Women Evolve event with an urgent call-to-action–” limited inventory.” I like this post because It is multi-purpose–it shows lots of merchandise options. 

Pro Tip: 

• If you want to sell it, flaunt it!

12. Promote ministry groups, clubs, classes, and workshops

Open your doors to the public by posting about events and activities people will want to attend. Your congregation members can share to their own pages and forward to those they want to invite. Post each event individually or share several at once.

This post, also from Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, features upcoming events for the month at a glance. Each event and its date are listed in the caption and supported by a graphic flyer. This way, the audience gets a broader view of what’s coming up.

All of the flyers are well-designed. They are clear and have just the right amount of information. The graphics are fun, and creative, and let images do the bulk of the work to tell people what the event is about. 

Pro Tips: 

• Keep your flyers clean, clear and easy to read.
• Use images to help tell your story.

13. Use polls to ask questions that spark engagement.

Everyone has an opinion, and asking them to share it is a great way to spark engagement. Spice things up by turning this into a game to generate a little friendly competition.

Questions are a great way to fill gaps in your content. This way, you always have something to offer your attendees and you never have to go dark. Also at the end of the day, that’s really what most of us have, more questions than answers. So it’s helpful to see somebody else’s response and possibly to get a useful answer or some hope.

Just make sure your questions are related to your ministry. That’s important. If you ask questions that don’t support your mission or brand, they’re going to go against the grain of what you’re trying to communicate. In other words, if you ask off-the-wall questions, you’re gonna get off-the-wall answers.

This poll posted by Trinity Broadcast Network gives the audience a chance to share positive outcomes and interact with one another. This in turn, gives hope to those facing similar or otherwise difficult circumstances.

Pro Tips: 

• Ask questions that fit your ministry and provide helpful feedback. 
• Use questions to fill in gaps between other types of content.

14. Seek and spotlight volunteers

Posts that share your plans and ask for help are a great way to attract volunteers. After the event, show gratitude by spotlighting those who answered the call to serve. 

This post from Church Family of Hope captured the magnitude of why the volunteers were needed and the job they did for their community. 

Another benefit of this kind of post is that they show, rather than tell what you’ve accomplished. People can see it for themselves. They know that you did what we said you were going to do. And they understand why you needed their help.

Pro Tips: 

• Shoot photos and videos that tell the story of the event.
• Include a short message of gratitude.

15. Offer a prayer

Someone in your audience needs a word of encouragement. Posting a prayer can serve as a reminder of hope. 

This post from Lakewood Church is a simple yet sincere prayer that struck a chord in the hearts of their audience members.

Not sure what to offer prayers about? Ask your prayer team what’s weighing on the minds and hearts of your members. Then you can create an appropriate prayer. 

Pro Tips: 

• Keep your prayer posts simple: just share the prayer without any flyers or images.

16. Share a podcast clip or full episode

Posting a full podcast episode to social media is an easy way to make sure your episode is heard. Even posting a clip of an episode with a direct link to the full episode is an effective way to increase views. 

This post from Women Evolve shares a podcast clip where a vulnerable question was asked and answered. Clips like these motivate viewers to watch more of the episode for the answers they may need or could use.

If you want to increase views, you can pay to run your podcast posts as advertisements or boost them. On Facebook and on Instagram Reels and Stories you can add the clip so people can play it directly from the post.

And no, that’s not cheating. You created the podcast because you want people to hear it. Promoting it can work really well. (My best return was 1000 views, in less than a few days, on a post I ran as an ad.)

Pro Tip: 

• Create an attractive and on-brand graphic to serve as the thumbnail image people see in their feed.
• Keep the same basic thumbnail design for each episode so people recognize it–but do make minor changes so people recognize when it’s a new episode.
• Run your podcast clip as an ad to get it in front of more people. Remove buttons such as, sign up, learn more, etc to focus solely on the episode itself. You can always add the link to your podcast or the episode in the description.

17. Share a peek or tour behind the scenes 

People are curious by nature, so give them what they want. Take your audience behind the scenes for special sneak peeks. Narrate the experience for that extra dose of exclusivity. 

This post takes the audience behind the scenes for a look at the work it takes to produce service. 

Besides making people feel like insiders, behind-the-scenes tours demonstrate how hard you work to produce your programs. 

When people see that you put a lot into something, they value it more. They’re going to think, “Wow, they’re working hard,” and “I want to see this in person.”

If your event has an admission fee, showing behind-the-scenes content can help you justify your pricing. For instance, people might think $100.00 for a ticket is steep. But if they see, firsthand, what you’re planning, they start to understand what they’ll be getting for their money. It makes a big difference.

Pro Tip: 

• Help people see the value in what you do by showing the work that goes into planning, set-up, rehearsals, and prep time.
• Seeing sneak peeks of what you’re going to deliver helps people justify the ticket costs for your event.

18. Retweet or share a quote from your ministry’s hashtag

Start a hashtag for your ministry and post it everywhere you deem appropriate. Search your hashtag to share posts from others, then repost to your page or stories.

Reposts like this one serve as word-of-mouth advertising. When people see and hear things from people they trust, they are more inclined to want to know more for themselves.   

Pro Tip: 

• Create a hashtag that is specific or unique to your ministry to minimize usage by others.

19. Share a testimonial from a special guest, member, or staff

Testimonials are great at connecting people to one another through shared experiences, joys, or pains. When you hear someone else going through a tough situation, or a situation similar to yours, and they made it through, it’s gonna give you hope.

This post by Journey Church leverages the power of testimony. When we hear stories of overcoming, fulfilled promises, or faith in action, we are inspired and empowered to continue forward.

Pro Tips: 

• Focus on testimonials that reflect the message or mission of your ministry. 
• Pull people aside at events to capture their reactions and enthusiasm right away.

20. Post a scripture quote with a related Image

Last but definitely not least, post a scripture to empower, inspire, or encourage your audience. This is a great way to teach without delivering a sermon. 

Always include the reference so your audience can go and find this scripture for themselves to highlight or save it in their Bible. Don’t add any additional message so people are free to decide for themselves how the verse applies to them at the moment.

Pro Tip: 

• Write out the scripture, add the chapter and verse, and tag it with your hashtag.

How do I decide which types of posts to use?

Before you get overwhelmed, understand that you don’t have to use all of these post types in your social media. These are suggestions to get you going.

I recommend that you start by selecting five of these that fit your ministry’s personality and brand. Keep it fast and easy by developing a format and templates that work for you–then swap out the content.

The important thing is that everything you post consistently communicates your ministry’s brand, personality and message.

There are also tools to make it faster and easier to create and publish social media content. PosterMyWall is an all-in-one church marketing platform. You can select professional graphic  templates, customize them to fit your church brand, and add or delete additional information as you see fit. Then use PosterMyWall’s social media posting tools to publish directly to social media. They also offer an email marketing platform that enables you to add your designs to emails and newsletters without leaving the platform.

The free version of PosterMyWall includes thousands of customizable design templates, social media quality downloads, and publishing to one social media platform. The Premium subscription includes unlimited high-res downloads, social media scheduling, and publishing to all of your favorite platforms.

On a Final Note…

A lot of social media is trial and error. What works for one church doesn’t always work for another.

You’ll just have to experiment. Once you see what produces results for you, you can build on that.  No matter your social media skill level, you can create posts that can take your ministry to new levels. 

About the author

Shunte Gable is the CEO of Houston-based Mixed Talk Media. She is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, speaker, and radio personality. For over a decade, she has equipped leaders with the tools to achieve new levels in their professional careers, break barriers blocking their personal goals, and create action plans that promote continued growth.