Staying Connected Through Facebook Groups

In 2020, people around the world have experienced an unprecedented time of separation. This time apart has not only reminded us of what’s most important, but it has also forced us to rely on a variety of tools to stay connected with our friends and loved ones. One of those tools has been Facebook Groups.  

At the start of the pandemic, Nona Jones, head of global faith-based partnerships at Facebook said, “Your Facebook page is your front porch. Facebook Live is you opening the front door and Facebook Groups is you inviting people into your living room for a conversation.” During this season, let us invite our missions-discipleship group members into our living room for a conversation.

Step 1: Create a Private Facebook Group

Start here: Visit facebook.com/groups and select the ‘create group’ button in the left sidebar menu.

Create a private Facebook Group, invite your missions-discipleship group members to join, and assign admin rights to your missions-discipleship group leaders. Your admins will be responsible for managing the Facebook Group and creating content.

Once your admins have been assigned, set the posting permissions to allow any group member posting rights. Under post approval, you can check the box requiring admins to approve all posts before they appear in the group's news feed.  

Step 2: Create a Content Template/Schedule

Create a content schedule to keep your group active. Post at least once a day for the first couple of months, and possibly longer depending on the engagement in the group. If your members take it upon themselves to post consistently, reduce your content schedule to 2-3 times a week.

To create a content schedule, you must first create a content template. This template will determine the type of content for each day of the week. Here's a sample content template: 

• Sunday: Post the church's livestream service
• Monday: Post a motivational quote or scripture
• Tuesday: Post a missions activity for your members to enjoy at home
• Wednesday: Ask for prayer requests
• Thursday: Post about the current missions-discipleship lesson
• Friday: Post a Facebook live devotional (inside the group page)
• Saturday: Post a helpful resource, article, or tool

Once your content template has been determined, it's time to create your content schedule. Take out a sheet of paper and write down each day of the month. Referring back to your content template, write down your content ideas for each day. For example, if you're posting scripture every Monday, you can pre-select four scriptures to share throughout the month. If you want to visually showcase your scripture, use a design app like Canva to create beautiful scripture graphics from their pre-made templates. 

Step 3: Promote and Grow Your Missions-Discipleship Group

To make your Facebook group easier to find, ask your church's social media manager to link your missions-discipleship Facebook Group to the church's public Facebook page. Once your group has been linked, promote your missions-discipleship Facebook Group throughout the church to create interest. In the promotion, explain what your missions-discipleship group is about and the benefits of joining. When you create your Facebook Group, don't forget to send our team a link so we can join as well. Email the link to Brandi Jones at brandi.wmutx@txb.org.

Have additional questions about Facebook groups? Contact WMU Marketing Specialist Brandi Jones at brandi.wmutx@txb.org or (214) 828-5152. 

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Join WMU of Texas' Facebook Group

Connect with over 460 WMU leaders, members, volunteers, and directors from across the state in our WMU of Texas Facebook Group. This group is your safe space to fellowship, ask questions, request prayer, and encourage each other in ministry. Join by visiting: https://facebook.com/groups/wmuoftexas

This article was originally featured in the 2020 fall/winter edition of The Bridge magazine - a publication designed to keep you connected to WMU of Texas. To receive a free copy by mail, subscribe here.