Linger in Social Media

Linger Confrence uses social media to reach young adults.

What if when Jesus walked the earth, people pledged their allegiance to a person or cause by following them on Twitter instead of physically following them around?  What if Jesus’ followers could have just clicked “unfollow” at the crucifixion instead of fleeing the sight?  There is a Youtube video that depicts this idea.  The video is thought provoking, but it brings more to life than just the story of Jesus.  It is more than a pithy metaphor.  It is an example of how Churches and other ministries have started using social media to connect with their members and pursue others.  This use of social media is happening for the Linger Conference too.

linger logoThis weekend, Friday February 14 and Saturday February 15, thousands of Christians will gather at Watermark Community Church for the Linger Conference.  Men and women are coming to this conference from all across the country to be reminded of how to slow down and rest on the things that are important. This conference is all about learning to remain and linger in the presence of God. 

Even though this conference is all about slowing down for a moment, the methods of advertising for the conference are the exact opposite of slow.  The conference team has found it effective to use fast-moving social media to reach a crowd that is always on-the-go.  They have realized that Twitter and other forums have become one of the best ways to communicate with young adults.

The team is using Facebook religiously to give updates about availability, registration, and to get people excited.  They also created a YouTube video to inform people about the purpose of the conference.  There is even a Linger app that allows you to stay updated on information, have quick access to the schedule, and connect with other people attending the conference.  But, the real kicker is the Twitter handle @lingerconf.  Days before the conference is starting the handle is active.  In fact, it has already been active for more than a year: tweeting, retweeting, and being tweeted at.  There is even a hashtag that many are using: #letuslinger.  With all of this, it is evident that even in churches social media is now pivotal in reaching crowds of young adults.