Social Media Ministering: Four Ways to Reach Out in Love

We can use social media to further God’s work and minister to our brothers and sisters using four simple L’s.

In August 2014, David A. Bednar gave a devotional called “To Sweep the Earth as with a Flood,” counseling us to use technology for ministering and missionary purposes. He said, “an important aspect of the fulness that is available to us…is a miraculous progression of innovations and inventions that have enabled and accelerated the work of salvation.” So how do we use technology, particularly social media, for the work of salvation? In my training as a social media ministering trainer, there are four L’s that provide a framework:

1. 

   Photo by Sara Kurfess.

   Look: As we scroll through our feed, it is important to keep our eyes and hearts open to what people are sharing.

2. Like: Studies have shown that when we like our friends’ posts, our friends will feel positively toward us. As we look through our friends’ feeds, we should freely like posts.
3. LUV: Leave Unsolicited Validation. This means we should leave comments on posts, but focus them on the person rather than the content of the post.
4. Listen: We should pay close attention to what people are saying beyond the words. For example, if someone posts about a death in the family, they may be looking for comfort. Such a post would give us the opportunity to minister to that person and, if appropriate, share the gospel with them.

President Joseph Smith said, “The greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel.” As we use the four L’s to guide our social media practices, we will bring a flood of “messages filled with righteousness and truth” that Elder Bednar said will “ultimately sweep the earth.”

To learn more about the impact technology has in the world, read Elder Bednar’s talk “To Sweep the Earth as with a Flood.”

Source: ChurchofJesusChrist.org

—Sarah Harris, Mormon Insights

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Learn more about social media ministering by joining the Social Media Ministering Facebook page.

Read about Brother Joseph Smith’s thoughts on missionary work.