Church staff: You've signed a contract that might include social media

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This is the fourth of a series of posts from Matt Ward, associate pastor of FBC Thomson. Read the previous posts here:


The primary difference between leaders and paid staff is the employment contract; expectations are otherwise the same. In addition to statements about harassment, child protection, office security, and confidentiality, most churches have a formal social media policy that can be summarized in these statements: 

  • Be responsible with online communication. 
  • Let official church accounts be operated by the proper church member. 
  • Respect intellectual property rights. 
  • Be proactive with the church’s online reputation. 
  • Respect the church’s mission, beliefs, and values. 
  • Do not promote your personal beliefs as the church’s beliefs. 
  • Pay close attention to confidentiality. 

Just as with a secular company, violating the church’s personnel policies can result in termination of employment. We take social media very seriously. 

With personnel policies in mind, I found it very instructive to research social media policies for major companies whose bottom lines are heavily influenced by their social media presence. These are the “experts” in social media; their opinions are valuable. Next week's post will include three lists that were helpful in crafting this document: biblical passages related to communication, a business approach to social media, and a short list of applicable websites. 


church staff, employment, social media