I recently had the privilege of sitting down with my friend and namesake, Brady Shearer (founder of Pro Church Tools), to talk about what every church planter needs to know about social media.
Why Church Plants Need a Social Strategy
When you’re planting a church, the work never stops. You’re building a launch team, raising funds, finding a meeting space, preaching, discipling people and learning the tech stack at the same time. In all of that busyness, it’s easy for social media to become an after‑thought. However, Brady Shearer argues that a consistent, thoughtful social presence is one of the most strategic investments a church plant can make. He explains that his Social Ministry Mountain framework has four stages – and the very first one is simply showing up every week.
“No weeks off… The minimum threshold we like to say is two posts per week.” – Brady Shearer.
Posting consistently doesn’t mean spamming people with low‑quality content. Brady suggests aiming for two solid posts per week during the pre‑launch phase, and there’s no upper limit if you can maintain quality. He recommends a rhythm of sharing two short videos (Reels) and two carousel posts each week. As a rule of thumb, create content that serves people where they are – not just promotional teasers for your launch service.
What to Post: Depth vs. Width
When I asked Brady what church planters should post if they don’t have weekly sermons yet, he introduced the idea of depth and width. Posts that reach wide are snippets of content that anybody can appreciate – short sermon clips or practical tips rooted in Scripture. Posts that reach deep are the behind‑the‑scenes photos that show people who you are and what you’re building.
“Use photographs of church life… That’s the missing piece for most churches.”
In other words, don’t wait until you’re holding weekly services to start telling your story. Share pictures of your team praying in a living room, visiting potential venues or unpacking chairs. Humans connect with humans; those candid images of faces, laughter and community will draw people into your journey.
Stage 2 – Finding “Viral‑for‑Me” Posts
Once you’ve established a consistent rhythm, the next stage in the Social Ministry Mountain is what Brady calls “viral‑for‑me” posts. These are pieces of content that reach ten times your normal audience. They aren’t true viral hits; instead, they’re indicators that the algorithm has picked up your post and shown it to new people.
Brady notes that Reels have been the default format for reaching wide, but recently he’s seen carousel posts perform exceptionally well. One of his posts jumped from the usual 1,000‑3,000 likes to over 12,000 because it was highly specific and valuable, and 65% of those views were from non‑followers. Your goal is to have three to five per cent of your posts qualify as “viral‑for‑me”.
Why Specificity Matters
Those viral‑for‑me posts usually start with a strong hook. Brady teaches the Three Cs: Cliffhanger, Common, and Care. A great hook doesn’t give away the answer; it creates curiosity (“The two words every parent needs to say to their kids”). It also speaks to a subject that’s universally relatable – avoid jargon like “worshipful heart”. Finally, it has to make people care. Issues like family, finances and purpose are much more compelling starting points than abstract virtues like gratitude.
Stage 3 – The 10× Growth Rate
The third stage is about sustainable growth. Brady defines the 10× growth rate as achieving roughly 4 per cent follower growth per month, which compounds into a ten‑fold increase over five years. That might not sound glamorous, but it’s a realistic target for any church that publishes good content week after week.
“500 followers today becomes 5,000 in five years.”
Remember: the majority of your posts won’t go viral. Those “normal” posts still strengthen your connection with existing followers and remind them of the good news. In my own experience with ChurchCandy, I’ve seen exactly what Brady describes – one out of every ten posts catches fire, while the rest build trust and community.
Stage 4 – The Summit: Crossover Events
At the top of the Social Ministry Mountain is what Brady calls the summit – the moment when your online presence translates into real‑world ministry. He calls them crossover events: visitors filling out connection cards because they “found you on Instagram,” parents recognizing you at the grocery store thanks to a TikTok clip, or families telling you they followed online before ever attending. This is the payoff for weeks (and months) of faithful posting.
Choosing the Right Account and Platform
Should a church plant invest its energy in the pastor’s personal account or the church brand account? Brady’s answer is both encouraging and freeing. Humans connect with humans, so a personal account often has a built‑in advantage. Instagram’s algorithm prefers content from people you know, and followers are more likely to engage with a pastor than a faceless logo. However, it’s not a deal‑breaker – you can still succeed with a brand account if that fits your context or personality.
When choosing platforms, think about the demographics you’re trying to reach. Brady points out that Facebook skews older (Boomers), Instagram is the default for millennials, TikTok is where Gen Z hangs out, and YouTube Shorts may become the Gen Alpha platform. Start with the platform that aligns with your team’s age and culture, then add others as you have capacity.
How to Repurpose Sermons
As your church starts holding regular services, your pastor’s sermon becomes the engine of your content strategy. Brady recommends pulling two 30‑ to 90‑second clips from each message and repurposing them as Reels. You can transcribe those clips with AI to create carousel posts, pull out punchy quotes, or even compile longer excerpts into standalone YouTube videos. The key is to respect the craft: the hook still carries 90% of the weight, and no AI tool can replace a human listening for the heart of a sermon.
Final Thoughts and Next Steps
If you’re a church planter feeling overwhelmed by social media, let me encourage you: start small, be consistent and tell your story. Brady Shearer’s Social Ministry Mountain framework reminds us that success on social isn’t about random viral hits – it’s about faithful rhythms that eventually translate into in‑person impact.
At ChurchCandy, we live and breathe this stuff. We handle the paid ads and strategic execution so you can focus on preaching, pastoring and building your launch team. If you want help developing a social strategy that attracts people far from God and connects them to your church, let’s talk. You can reach me directly through this site, or download a copy of my upcoming book Launch Big (pre‑orders include a free ChurchCandy hat!).
God is doing something incredible in this generation. Let’s climb that mountain together.
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