What Should a Church Post on Social Media? Five Content Pillars

Church social media often falls into one of two patterns. Either the account becomes a noticeboard of events, or the team feels pressure to invent something new every day.

Content pillars provide a better structure. A pillar is a repeatable category that supports the church’s communication goals. It helps volunteers plan without making every post look identical.

Five pillars are enough for most churches:

1. Sunday message
2. People and community
3. Practical welcome
4. Participation and conversation
5. Invitations and next steps

Together, they answer the questions a potential visitor is likely to ask: What does this church believe? What are the people like? Would I know what to do? Can I take part? How do I begin?

Pillar one: Sunday message

The sermon is the church’s most dependable source of original content. It reflects the current teaching, voice and concerns of the congregation.

Content can include:

• Short sermon clips
• Quote graphics
• A carousel explaining the main points
• A written takeaway
• A reflection question
• A Bible passage with pastoral context

Do not publish isolated quotes merely because they sound dramatic. Choose ideas that make sense outside the full service and represent the sermon faithfully.

Purpose: Extend the life of Sunday’s teaching and give new people an accessible introduction to the church’s voice.

Example: A 42-second clip answering the question, “What does faithfulness look like when nobody notices?”

Pillar two: people and community

People do not only evaluate what a church teaches. They also want to understand what it feels like to be there.

Show real community through:

• Volunteer introductions
• Short testimonies shared with permission
• Photographs from meals and community events
• Ministry-team stories
• Behind-the-scenes preparation
• Celebrations and milestones
• Local partnerships

Avoid turning people into promotional material. Explain how the content will be used, obtain appropriate permission and treat sensitive stories carefully.

Purpose: Build familiarity and show the real people behind the account.

Example: A short interview with a welcome-team volunteer answering, “What do you enjoy about helping someone on their first Sunday?”

Pillar three: practical welcome

This pillar reduces uncertainty for someone considering a visit.

Useful posts include:

• What to expect at a service
• Where to park or which entrance to use
• How children’s check-in works
• Accessibility information
• Public transport directions
• Service length and format
• What people normally wear
• Who to ask for on arrival

These posts may receive fewer likes than a dramatic sermon clip, but they can remove the exact barrier stopping someone from attending.

Write for someone with no church background. Replace internal terms with plain language or explain them.

Purpose: Make a first visit feel manageable.

Example: A 20-second walkthrough from the street entrance to the meeting room.

Pillar four: participation and conversation

Social media should not only broadcast information. Give people appropriate ways to respond.

Try:

• A reflection question connected to the sermon
• A prayer prompt
• An Instagram Story poll
• A question box about church or faith
• A request for local recommendations
• An invitation to share what encouraged them
• A live question-and-answer session

Do not use engagement tricks that have no relationship to the church’s purpose. Ask questions because the answer matters, and make sure someone is available to respond.

Pastoral or safeguarding disclosures should move into the church’s appropriate care process rather than continuing publicly in comments.

Purpose: Create genuine interaction and help people move from watching to participating.

Example: “What helps you hold onto hope during a difficult week?” followed by thoughtful replies from the church account.

Pillar five: invitations and next steps

People need to know how to move from interest to action.

This pillar includes:

• Sunday-service invitations
• Plan-a-visit links
• Small-group information
• Community events
• Courses for people exploring Christianity
• Prayer requests
• Volunteer opportunities
• Links to the full sermon

Every invitation should include the practical information required to act. A poster with a title and date may not explain where the event is, who it is for or whether booking is required.

Use one main call to action. Asking people to attend, register, share, follow, comment and subscribe in the same post creates unnecessary friction.

Purpose: Make the next step clear without pressure.

Example: “New to the area? Join us this Sunday at 11am. Here is what to expect and how to find us.”

How to balance the five pillars

The correct balance depends on the church’s immediate goal.

A useful monthly starting point is:

• 35% Sunday message
• 20% people and community
• 15% practical welcome
• 15% participation
• 15% invitations

This is not a rigid formula. A church conference month will contain more invitations. A sermon series may create more teaching content. Review the whole month rather than forcing every week to contain all five pillars.

A sample three-post week

Monday: Sunday message

Publish one clear sermon clip with a caption that adds context.

Wednesday: people or practical welcome

Share a community story or answer a first-visit question.

Friday: participation or invitation

Ask a relevant question, then make the weekend next step clear.

Stories can carry reminders, polls and informal moments between the main posts.

Turn each pillar into a list of prompts

Create five columns in a planning document and add ten prompts beneath each one.

For example, under practical welcome:

• Where should I park?
• Is there a children’s programme?
• How long is the service?
• Is the venue accessible?
• Will I be asked to speak publicly?
• Can I attend if I am not a Christian?

You now have ten useful posts based on real questions rather than trends.

Keep adding questions received through messages, conversations and visitor forms. Your audience will gradually build the content plan for you.

Common content-pillar mistakes

Treating pillars as visual templates

A pillar is a purpose and subject, not one repeated design. Sermon content can include video, graphics, text and carousels.

Making every pillar promotional

A testimony should not automatically end with an event advert. Allow some content to encourage, explain or listen.

Ignoring practical information

Practical posts may not be glamorous, but clarity is part of hospitality.

Using only generic Christian content

If another church could publish every post unchanged, the account is not showing your local voice and community.

Creating more pillars than the team can manage

Five clear categories are better than twelve categories nobody remembers.

Frequently asked questions

How many content pillars should a church have?

Four to six is usually manageable. Five provides enough variety without creating a complicated planning system.

Should every post include Scripture?

Not necessarily. Scripture should be handled faithfully when it is used. Practical directions and community information can still support the church’s mission without adding an unrelated verse.

Can the same post support two pillars?

Yes. A volunteer testimony may show community and invite participation. Choose one primary purpose so the caption remains focused.

How often should each pillar appear?

Review the balance across a month. Sunday-message content may appear weekly, while other pillars rotate according to the church calendar and audience needs.

Show the whole church, not only its diary

A useful social account communicates message, people, welcome, participation and next steps.

These five pillars give volunteers a clear framework while leaving room for the real life of the church. Start with three posts per week, review the balance after one month and adjust the mix around what people genuinely need.

For a wider plan, read A Practical Social Media Strategy for Small Churches or learn How to Turn One Sermon Into a Week of Social Media Content.