Book Review: The Social Church

Today, The Social Church by Justin Wise is available for purchase. I’d highly recommend it.

One of the biggest flaws of most social media books (and blogs for that matter) is they’re too concerned with the tips and tricks. The “how” gets put before the “why.” Don’t get me wrong–you’ve gotta study up on the ever-changing digital scene, but if you aren’t grounded in a overall philosophy, you’ll wash away with each social media tide that comes in and goes out.

This is one of the things The Social Church gets right. Justin takes us through many stories in church history (don’t worry–it’s not boring), but also covers modern times and trends. Without first knowing the past, we can’t understand the present.

I also appreciated Justin’s honesty about the role of social in an overall strategy. He writes, “Starting a Twitter account will not magically bring scores of young people through your church doors.” Having an office phone doesn’t mean that on it’s own, your sales will blow through the roof. Why would a Twitter account or Facebook page be any different? Social media is a tool that requires a plan.

In the end, Justin really gets to the heart of social. “This is where the value of social media lies—to facilitate connection and relationships between real people.” Social media is a tool for building community and telling stories.

Even if you don’t work on a church’s marketing or social team, I think you’ll benefit from reading The Social Church.

You can download the first chapter of The Social Church for free or buy the full book now.