Interview -- Mediating Faith: Faith Formation in a Trans-media Era by Clint Schnekloth

Like just about everyone else in my universe of colleagues, Clint Schnekloth (@Schnekloth) is someone I met and now horse around with via social media. In this case, "horsing around" basically means me digging my virtual elbow into his virtual ribs for using complicated big words to discuss theologically complex notions about faith and Clint coming back with a good-natured riposte.

All this generally happens on Facebook where, thanks to Clint, I'm routinely invited to think about church at the meta-level. Now his new book, Mediating Faith: Faith Formation in a Trans-media Era invites me to do so as well. Because this is neither a fast nor easy read, I asked Clint to unpack it a bit for those of us who are "in the trenches" of church communications. Read on!


Meredith Gould: In which theological tradition do you locate yourself and what, in practical terms, does that mean about how you view the world? 
Clint Schnekloth: I tend to think of myself as practicing "open confessionalism" as a Lutheran. This means I consider myself centered and grounded in my tradition, but not bound by it. It’s like a starting place for conversation with those of other faiths rather than a wall separating me from others. 

MG: You present some complex concepts, so to make it simple and easy for readers, please define “trans-media” in plain language. 
CS: The best example of trans-media is "The Matrix." It started as a movie, but then between the first and third movie, an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) Matrix game was developed. To understand everything happening in the third movie, viewers needed to have some knowledge of the story within the game. Trans-media is where different forms of media layer and mutually influence each other. Meredith, this Q&A is also trans-media, because it's a blog post about a book and we conducted the Q&A via e-mail. 

MG: How might your work help close the gap between scholars who are crafting a theology of social media and church communications practitioners who use it “in the trenches”? 
CS: I think people in the trenches tend to think of old and new media as in opposition to each other, so they ask, “Some of our people don’t do Facebook, so how do we engage those who aren't migrating to or native to digital social media?” 

Although that's an important question, we sometimes forget that everyone in the church still engages with media even if they don’t engage with social media. My book helps practitioners think through how a wide array of media form us in faith. Awareness of media effects can help practitioners approach new media not as being opposition to old media, but layered with it in fruitful ways. 

MG:  You started the ELCA Clergy group on Facebook in 2011 and do write about changes you’ve observed over the years. Please give readers your headline about what has changed most relative to using a FB group to build and sustain community. 
CS: Large Facebook groups like the ELCA Clergy page have an effect in our denomination almost as significant as the denominational structure itself or synods. Sometimes I think of that Facebook group as a seminary or a synod. Recently, I asked everyone active in the group to “like” a post just to see how widespread the engagement. Within a week, there were 1,000 "likes," which meant at least 1,000 of the 9,000 active clergy in our denomination were reading that post.  

MG: If someone had time to read only one chapter in Mediating Faith, which one would you want them to read? 
CS: I’d encourage preachers to read the first chapter on preaching and neuroscience. I'd encourage laity or anyone interested in the “what’s next” of digital media, to read the chapter on MMORPGs and Second Life. I'd suggest theologians read the sixth chapter on pneumatology. Anyone into the synthesis and creative aspects of the book, should read the last chapter. 

MG: What do you hope readers will begin doing—or doing differently – as a result of reading your book? How do your hoped-for outcomes change relative to readership (e.g., clergy, lay leadership, theologians, church communications professionals)? 
CS: My biggest hope is that church leaders will take whatever they learn from one medium and apply it to others, and think through how faith is forming in those mediated contexts. For example, I hope clergy will help foster more prayer in social media contexts, or build community in online groups. I also hope more Christians will think of new media as a potential context for mission, and then go live and share life there. 

MG: Anything else? 
CS: You ask really good questions. Thanks for engaging the book and #chsocm!

Interview: Sister Susan Wolf, founder of Catholic Web Solutions on Social Media and Communities

Sr. Susan Wolf (@srsusan), an Internet and social media strategist, blogs at CatholicWeb Solutions, which she founded in 2010. Follow her on Twitter and/or contact her via email.   

MG: You've been at this for a while, please tell readers a bit of your history with Catholic Web Solutions and how it has evolved over time. 

Susan Wolf: I served in executive positions at two different national Catholic organizations for 21 years. I’d always used computers in my work and got on the Internet when that came to be and became very committed to providing online services to members: newsletters, webinars, courses, and even multi-day conferences. I also started using social media for marketing and networking. 

During the summer of 2010 I founded Catholic Web Solutions because I saw the power of web-based services and could also see that other organizations, especially religious communities, wanted to become more active online, but had no idea where to begin.

While my intention was to help Catholic organizations and religious communities, I realized that it might be good to narrow the niche even more. So now I’m focusing on using the Internet and social media to support vocation ministries.

In February, I did a webinar with Christian Brothers Services on how vocation ministers are using the Internet and social media in their work.  And I do Internet and social media audits to help communities assess their online activities.  I just published my first e-book, Create A Facebook Page forMinistry, An E-Guide for Beginners and hope to publish others on the use of social media for ministry in the future.

My own community, the Sisters of Notre Dame, Chardon, Ohio asked me to lead the redesign of our website and incorporate social media into our ministries.  In less than a year, we’ve launched three Facebook pages and Twitter profiles, a YouTube channel, five blogs in addition to mine and a brand new interactive website.  More than 40 sisters and 8 lay staff contributed to these achievements.  I’m very proud of my sisters and our staff members.

MG: What lessons learned from working with a community of religious sisters apply equally well to working with or even developing an online community via social media? 

SW: The make-up of religious communities reflects the leadership demographic of many ministry groups today.  Members and group leaders are very often not digital natives.  The Internet has not been a ministry or communication tool in the past and given all they have to do, they’re hesitant to add something more to their plate. 

At the same time, they recognize the potential of the Internet and social media and want to use them to advance their mission. Key to success is engaging stakeholders in an efficient and thoughtful planning process, recruiting and training the right people for what is needed and breaking up the work into manageable pieces, so no one person feels over-burdened. Once people actually see the impact of what they are doing and how it contributes to the overall mission, they’re hooked.

MG: As an Internet and social media strategist, how do you persuade audiences or clients that strategy is an important factor? 

SW: We cannot convince anyone that strategic planning is important.  I've been a strategic planner all of my ministry life which goes back more than 40 years. I've written planning processes, facilitated and implemented them.  It is hard work and demands discipline and commitment to get results.

Groups that succeed in strategic planning have leaders who already know strategic planning is needed, will see the process through and hold people accountable for results. 

Strategic planning is not just about writing a plan. It is about getting buy-in from all the stakeholders from the beginning and then getting results—easier said than done. Some leaders come to this insight naturally or from previous experiences, others come to it from a compelling need to change or grow.

Unless, they have the motivation and conviction needed to begin with, I don’t think it is possible to convince them. They may say they want a strategic plan—but at best all they get is more paper on the shelf and members/staff who are frustrated that planning never goes anywhere.

MG: ‘Fess up!  What’s your favorite form of social media and why? 

SW: My favorite social media tool is Twitter.  I love Twitter.  It’s quick and easy to use.  It’s a great source of information on topics I follow.  I love that I can tweet links to blogs and other articles that I read to my followers with just a mouse click. Using Twitter, I've come to connect with people I never would have met otherwise, including you, Meredith.  It is just fun to use.

Can Church Learn from Secular Social Media Mavericks?

Regina Heater (@reckshow,  Tumblr, Pinterest), podcast producer and prayer leader at A Nun’s Life Ministry will be moderating our #ChSocM chat on Tuesday, June 12 at 9:00PM ET.  Enjoy her interview with Richard Simms (@howrudeareyou), zoom in on her questions for us at the end of the interview, and let’s chat!

Regina Heater: Imagine a world where people were as passionate about sharing their faith as they are about talking about Doctor Who or Justin Bieber or Game of Thrones?  This is the world I long for, where the passion for faith is the same as our passion for fictional characters on TV and pop stars we love to hate.

One genre of television exhibiting this level of passion and commitment is the soap opera. Despite declines in viewer ratings and cancellations of four shows in the last three years, soap opera fans are still committed to their shows and increasingly using social media to show support (and express displeasure!) 

My friend, Richard Simms, the Executive Editor of Soaps In Depth magazine (@soapsindepthabc, @soapsindepthcbs) has embraced social media to connect with subscribers and fans. Richard was kind enough to share some of his insights about using social media.  I pose some question to you, ChSocM-ers, at the end of this interview.

How did you get started using social media?

Richard Simms: MySpace was sort of my gateway drug. It led to Facebook and Twitter and my own blog (HowRudeAreYou), although I've so far managed to avoid things like Foursquare, Tumblr and Pinterest. So far.

RH: You host a weekly podcast on BlogTalkRadio called Tune In Tomorrow.  How did you get the idea for it?

RS: I just wanted to take our magazine into some new venues, and it seemed like podcasting might be fun.  When I started looking for a title, "Tune In Tomorrow” seemed like a natural since we’d be talking about soaps. At heart, that’s what all good soaps try to do: get you to tune in the next day.

RH: What’s the advantage to using BlogTalkRadio versus another podcasting service like UStream?

RS: I don’t know! When I decided to podcast, BlogTalkRadio was just sort of... there. I don't even know if I was aware of other options. I'd listened to one or two podcasts, including one that was sort of everything I didn’t want mine to be. BTR seemed easy to use and, for the most part, has proven to be. But I have actually considered seeing what else is available.

RH: Share with us some of the process behind starting to use Twitter to connect with soap fans via an official account for your magazines. 

RS: One day, I simply got the idea in my head that we should be on Twitter. I created the accounts and the rest, as they say, is history! At least 95%  of what you read on the two Soaps In Depth accounts is from me. Occasionally, one of our news editors will post a link, but all the live-tweeting of shows, the not-so-live tweeting, the interaction, the snark — that’s me.

At one point, we talked about having each show’s editor tweet during their show. But here’s the thing about Twitter: It’s real easy to say the wrong thing or have something taken out of context. I do it all the time, so it seemed smart idea to limit the number of people sending out messages on behalf of the magazine.

RH: Soap fans are notorious for the passion they have for their shows and are not afraid to be vocal about their preferences for plotlines and couples.  How does this both help and hinder you as you use social media?

RS: It really helps us because, in a weird way, we’ve become another soap opera to them. They know me and some followers love me, others hate me. I’m talking to them every day about something they love, and they know I share that love.

Every now and then the soap fans’ passion can lead to “difficulties.” Some people love their favorite couples to the point where they can be extremely nasty if the story doesn’t go the way they want.

I used to let some of those people push my buttons, but then realized I just needed a new policy.

I basically warn people when they start to cross the line. And every now and then, I break out my Twitter philosophy: “Embrace the madness, block the cray-cray.” I don’t have to actually block people all that often.

RH: What brands do you think are doing social media right?

RS: I've not seen a lot of brands that have done as good a job as we have! Too many businesses want to use Twitter to promote without actually interacting with people. To me, that’s just advertising. Sure, I want people to know what’s on our next cover or what exciting interview we might be featuring, but it’s just important to use Twitter to give the magazine a “face” and a “personality.”

I read every tweet we get, or try to.  We have nearly 26,000 followers, so every now and then, one might slip past! I've visited Twitter feeds for other magazines and don’t know of any that have this level of interaction.

As for brands or companies, I don’t really follow many, so it’s hard to say who does it well. I guess it says a lot because I’m incredibly active on Twitter and am also a consumer,  but can’t think of any brands I enjoy interacting with.  My must-follows tend to be people. And not even celebrities, but people whose conversations on Twitter I enjoy.  

RH:  So, what do you think, #ChSocM-ers?  

What can we learn about doing social media “right” from non-church personalities and brands?  

Which brands and personalities do you like best?  

Is my dream for a world of people who Pin and Tweet their faith with abandon a non-starter?  

I hope you’ll give that some thought for when we gather for our next #ChSocm chat on Tuesday, June 13 at 9pm ET.  

Interview: Getting #Married: Using Social Media to Celebrate the Sacred

My new book, Getting #Married: Using Social Media to Celebrate the Sacred is being officially launched this Friday, on the Feast of the Epiphany. Although I'm answering all sorts of great questions on other blogs, I thought I'd ask myself a few here. Weird, I know. So what else is new?


Meredith Gould: Didn't you just get married on November 5th? And now you have a book out on the topic? What's up with that?
MG:  I was so psyched about how wonderfully everything came together and how social media helped make that possible, I couldn't resist writing about it. And anyway, doesn't everyone write a book on their stay-home-honeymoon?

MG: Seriously, what were you thinking?
MG: Seriously? I was thinking about how social media makes it possible to expand the reach of celebration beyond church-the-building. I was thinking about how weddings have become so private and how social media can restore Holy Matrimony to the status of public sacrament. I was thinking we have more than enough "how to" books about using social media and need more "why to" books.

MG: Why did you use CreateSpace instead of a traditional publisher?
MG:  Control and speed, speed and control. All but one of my eight books have been published by traditional publishers, so I know lots about the glacial speed at which that process normally works. Social media also morphs very quickly, so I wanted Getting #Married to get into print and electronic formats before Jesus made a return trip. Fortunately, I have a background in graphic design and print production, so I know how to manage the process so the end product looks as great at it reads. Isn't my modesty overwhelming?

MG: But you did get help with this, right?
MG: Right! As a working writer and author I know better than to release stuff without it being picked over by first readers and then copy edited by a pro. Anyone involved with church social media in general and the #ChSocM chat specifically will recognize the names of those who provided smart, swift editorial input: Father John Freund, C.M. (@jbfcm), The Rev. David Hansen (@rev_david), Ruth Harrigan (@rampracer), Regina Heater (@reckshow), Tami Heim (@TamiHeim), Brenda A. Keller (@BrendaAKeller) and Anjanette Wiley (@anj121).  More evidence of how Twitter rocks: @TamiHeim led me to designer Doug Cordes (@dougcordes). I have yet to meet either of them IRL!

MG: Anything else? 
MG: Of course, but I probably need to focus on something billable now. After lunch.

Interview: The Church and New Media

Brandon Vogt (@BrandonVogt1), interviewed here, is a Catholic writer and speaker who blogs at The Thin Veil. He was invited with a stellar group to discuss new media with church leaders at the Vatican this past summer. His book, The Church and New Media: Blogging Converts, Online Activists, and Bishops Who Tweet is a collection of essays by...blogging converts, online activists, and bishops who tweet! I especially recommend reading Brandon's compelling essay, "To Infinity and Beyond: The Future of the Church and New Media." Brandon's vision and passion for communicating church and faith has regenerated my ability to feel hopeful. Thanks be to God!

Meredith Gould: Some of the "new" media explored by contributors to your book have now been around for a while.  What shaped your decision to characterize these as new versus social or online media?  How does calling them "new media" change the conversation?
Brandon Vogt: Well, both terms are notoriously vague; there's no formal delineation between the two. But when people have talked about "social media" over the past few years, they're usually referring to the Big Three--Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube (though you could probably include Google+ and LinkedIn, too). We wanted to expand the focus to include tools like blogs, podcasting, text messaging, and interactive websites. 

Another reason we went with "new" instead of "social" is that it defines a clear shift between traditional modes of communication. It defines a split between traditional media like print, phone, radio, and television, and this new technology. The word "new" suggests a profound paradigm shift in the way we communicate.

MG: The "Church" in the title of your book, The Church and New Media, refers to the Roman Catholic church. From your perspective, what's the Roman church's unique contribution to current conversations about these media?

BV: A few things. First, the Catholic Church has been around longer than any institution on earth. Through her 2,000 years she has become, in the words of Pope Paul VI, an "expert in humanity." This means the Catholic Church knows the up's and down's, in's and out's of how people connect and communicate. And she brings this rich, relational understanding to the new media world.

Second, Catholicism is uniquely hierarchical. No other Christian tradition has such a dense, top-down authority structure. This brings many unique benefits as well as plenty of  unique problems. 

On the plus side, there's an established authority--a bishop's tweet on abortion holds more weight than that of a lay Catholic. On the negative side, it's often slow and difficult for the Catholic Church to adopt any new technology. Many Catholics have to wade through checks and balances and commissions and paperwork and bureaucracy to create a Facebook page for their parish. While much is the same across the Christian new media world, the Catholic Church brings some special advantages and concerns. 

Third, the Catholic Church offers unprecedented scale. Catholicism is by far the world's largest Christian tradition (about 1.2 billion people worldwide) -- we're talking one out of every six people on the planet. With that size and influence, any small move quakes the earth. Which means that if the Catholic Church embraces new media's power, she has huge, world-changing potential.

MG: As you know, the #ChSocM chat is (intentionally) open to and attracts Protestant as well as Catholic Christian participants. What would Protestant sisters and brothers in Christ discover by reading your book?

BV: Just about everything in the book is applicable not only to Catholics but also to Protestants. I would say even a secularist would learn a ton from the book. We're all using new media for the same purposes: to connect with other people, build relationships, spread our message, and grow our movement. This is as true for Catholics and Protestants as it is for Nike and Delta.

More specifically, the book focuses on four areas that transcend Christian denomination: evangelization, formation, community, and social justice. Those concerns are shared by all Christians.

(As a side note: I was an Evangelical for the first 22 years of my life; Catholic for just the last three. In many ways, I'm actually more familiar with the Protestant world than the Catholic one. I purposely kept my Protestant brothers and sisters in mind while producing this book.)

MG: I love that your concluding essay is titled, "To Infinity and Beyond: The Future of the Church and New Media." Given that some time has passed since writing it, what would you now add to that essay?

BV: Matthew Warner, a Catholic new media expert, recently proposed an idea I love. He said, "The Catholic Church is out of control." What he meant was that in the online arena, the Catholic Church can no longer manipulate her message into the precise form she desires. She can no longer smother it for, like sand, the tighter she grasps it the more of it she'll lose. 

Thousands of conversations concerning the Church are happening everyday through new media, conversations far beyond her governance. Some Church leaders consider that a big problem. But others, like Matt and I, see it as a tremendous opportunity.  It means that the Catholic message must be more human, more authentic, more textured, and more alluring if it's to resonate throughout the "digital continent."

If I could go back and add a section, I'd discuss what happens when the Catholic message is not managed or controlled, but unleashed and thrust into perilous online spheres.

MG: What's the one question you wish interviewers had asked but didn't?  Feel free to ask and answer it for #ChSocM readers!

BV: Here's a question I hear over and over, not only from my own work but from others (including #ChSocM readers): how should I respond to a pastor, leader, or administrator who doesn't want the church to use new media? I offer a three-pronged response.  

First, quell the fear. A favorite phrase of the late Pope John Paul II was, "Do not be afraid!" He of course echoed Jesus and the angels who roared the same words before many encounters. But this is the message so many Christians need to hear when it comes to new media. Yes, there are dangers.  Yes, there are reasons for concern. Yes, these tools do introduce new problems. But, "do not be afraid!" We Christians should never let fear drive any decision we make.

Second, demonstrate success. One of the best ways to get someone to "see the light" is to show them luminaries. Point to the churches, ministries, and people who are doing great things through new media. Highlight success stories and imitable examples. That's precisely what we do in The Church and New Media book.

Third, offer to do a trial-run. Suggest your church try a Facebook page for three months and see whether church members feel more connected. Propose a few short YouTube videos and survey reactions. Help the pastor produce a handful of blog posts and note how people respond.  

Mitigating fear, pointing to success, and taking small steps will help you win over new media skeptics.

Interview: Outspoken: Conversations on Church Communication

I'm always on the look-out for items about church communications in general and social media especially, hoping to find resources to share. Sometimes resources rate much more than a tweet or RT, resources like this new book from the forward-thinking folks at the Center for Church Communication. 

Here's my interview with Tim Schraeder (@Tim Schraeder), lead editor for this collection of thought-provoking, inspiring, and useful reflections. Thanks be to God!  

Meredith Gould: In his post about Outspoken: Conversations on Church Communication, Kevin Hendricks mentions seven years have passed since someone thought about gathering content and a book – this one – appearing. What have been the benefits of having that amount of time elapse?

Tim Schraeder: Seven years ago things like Facebook were just being conceived and Twitter was still two years away from coming into existence. Smart phones were still a luxury and most churches still thought Yellow Pages advertising was the most effective use of marketing dollars.  

Outspoken is coming on the scene while we're still on the leading edge of this cultural communications revolution.The need for the resource is still great and the lapse in time has allowed us to provide first-hand accounts of how churches have used new media to reach people in our hyper-connected world.

MG: Outspoken is about church communication in general. What do you hope folks focusing on church social media will gain from reading this book?

TS: The future of church communication is social. While there will probably always be bulletins, brochures and websites, the reality is that as our world becomes more social, so will the church. I hope those engaged in social media will find affirmation for the work they’re doing and glean new insights and ideas from contributors to this book.

One thing that's unique is that instead of providing lots of how-to’s, Outspoken provides a context for understanding the role of communication in the church, as well as encouragement and affirmation for those involved in communicating on a day-to-day basis, whether through print or social media.

MG: Looks like 99.9% of the contributors to Outspoken hail from non-denominational and evangelical megachurches in the forefront of using technology. So, here’s a three-part (!) question:  What do you hope ordained and lay leadership from liturgical and mainline churches will learn by reading this book?

TS: Let's be honest: the idea of Facebook, Twitter, websites, microsites, texting during services, etc. all seem a bit foreign and out of place in churches, but it's the world we live in. I often think about Jesus reminding us to be in the world but not of it.

I hope that regardless of denominational tradition, we recognize the role and responsibility we have, as believers, to be engaged and involved where people are. Today, many people live great portions of their life online. So, if people are online, so should be the Church. This doesn't mean online relationships or "online church" replaces face-to-face interaction or physically gathering with other believers. It means using what's available online to create offline experiences and relationships.

MG: What might the contributors to Outspoken learn from their sisters and brothers in liturgical and mainline churches?

TS: I think liturgical mainline churches can teach us all about the reverence and sacredness of the message we are communicating. These churches have a rich history and depth of experience that's beyond what many of us have had. There’s a lot we can learn from one another, both in how to be respectfully relevant and how to brave new territory. 

MG: What needs to happen for these sectors of church communicators to start collaborating with one another?

TS: We need realize we’re all on the same team. Regardless of our different viewpoints on social or political issues or theological framework, if we’re preaching the Gospel, we’re on the same team. 

MG: Closing thoughts?

TS: The early church didn't have social media! No one was tweeting #SermonontheMount, no Facebook invites announced when Jesus was arriving at different cities, and no one used Foursquare to check in at the Upper Room. What the early church did have was a compelling story. People couldn't help but share what they’d experienced.

Salvation spread and the church grew-- person-to-person, household-to-household. Today, social networks help us define choices we make and shape our worldview. And, in an odd way, this new social media revolution is a 21st century take on how the 1st century Christian church spread the Good News. Person-by-person. Household-by-household.

We, as church, have the most compelling message out there: the Gospel. I hope all of us who carry the burden of helping churches communicate by using social media choose to be outspoken and share this message as widely as possible.

Interview: The Challenge of "Speaking Church"

During one of our weekly chats, Frank Santoni (@techreligious) made a comment about the importance of being able to "speak church."  I have a thing about jargon, so I wanted to know more about what he meant. The techreligious blog provides abundant, useful curated content about the intersection of religion and social media.

Meredith Gould: How did you become interested in digital media for churches and faith-based organizations? 

Frank Santoni: As a campus minister, using Facebook to engage students was a basic tool of my trade. Soon after Facebook launched in 2004, it quickly became the preferred platform for communicating with students.  We scheduled lectors and Eucharistic ministers for Mass via Facebook groups. We posted weekly "bulletin" material on our Wall. We even reached out to incoming freshman before they ever stepped foot on campus.

MG: What from your experience in campus ministry has been the most illuminating or useful in your work with churches and faith-based organizations?

FS: Two things: social media allowed us to become the ministry of presence that we wanted to be.

We never wanted to be about programs. Instead, we wanted to be present to our students, to be in their midst, providing support and guidance as they lived their life and moved along their journey. As students moved onto Facebook, it gave us an ability to "be" there with them anytime, all the time. We could be in their social space in a way that had never been available to us.

The second thing I learned is that social media offers a new means of distributing content. In other words, the message has stayed constant, but thanks to digital media, the methods of reaching people is wildly different. The good news is churchfolk tend to be pretty good at generating content. Harnessing this new distribution vehicle holds a great deal of promise for spreading the message.

MG: During one of our #chsocm chats, you talked about being able to "speak church."  What do you mean by this and how does it differ from simply using church jargon to engage church people?  

FS: To me, being able to “Speak Church” means more than my ability to translate techspeak into churchese. Speaking Church means understanding the unique ecclesial culture native to parishes and congregations and anticipating how it will shape a given project.

MG: What are some examples of ecclesial culture? Are there commonalities that extend across all Christian denominations? 

FS: I think one general quality of ecclesial culture is that its decision-making process can be tricky. Decisions aren't just made by committee, they're often made by multiple committees! And at the end of the process, you might find out that "decisions" are merely suggestions for "Father" to take or leave.

This has an impact on the pace of work, too. Once you see how things get done at most parishes, you realize why churches aren't always quick to adopt new methods or ideas. There's something good about that, but it also proves to be a high hurdle for integrating technology and social media into a church's game plan because by the time leaders arrive at a decision, the social media landscape has already evolved.

MG: In what areas does knowing eccesial cultural help you work with church leaders interested in digital media? 

FS: It helps to understand that the "bottom line" is very different. The bottom line for churches, broadly speaking, is connecting people to the mission of Jesus Christ.

Churches don't need "fans" for the same reason Coca-Cola needs fans. Communicating the value of digital media in terms of ministry instead of marketing is where I usually start.

One parish I'm working with has a vibrant, engaged community. They understand the social media provides a tool and a public space for their most engaged parishioners to bear witness to the vitality of their life together. By creating a virtual space for them to express what is already happening through their community, they hope to invite others to become a part of it.

MG: What's your best advice for church leaders who want to get started -- or move forward -- with digital media? 

FS: Just do something -- anything, but start by setting a clear goal. "Getting more people to Church on Sunday" is a worthy goal, but it isn't the only one.