3 Goals for Using Social Media to Partner With Parents in Children’s Ministry

For better or worse, social media is one of the main places today’s parents spend their time. That means it is also one of the biggest opportunities children’s ministry leaders have to support, equip, and partner with families beyond Sunday morning.

The goal of kids ministry social media is not to entertain kids or keep up with trends, or even to go viral and grow your reach. It is to come alongside parents and remind them they are not alone in the work of discipling their children. When used intentionally, social media can build trust, offer encouragement, and create meaningful community with the families you serve.

So when thinking about your children’s ministry social media, keep these 3 goals in mind:

1. Connect: build trust, clarity, and understanding

Remember that your audience on social media is the parents in your ministry, not the kids. This should change what you post about. Choose 1-2 platforms to start with and focus on those. How to choose? Be where your people are, and ask them if you aren’t sure. A simple “What’s the social media app you use most?” question can reveal a lot and give you guidance on what platform to focus your energy. Respond to messages, reply to comments, and more. Use Instagram Stories or Facebook polls to ask fun, thought-provoking questions related to Bible stories or upcoming events. Encourage families to share their own photos and stories related to your ministry’s activities, then repost this content on your account, giving credit to the original posters.

2. Encourage: affirm, reassure, lift pressure, equip, speak to felt needs

Parenting is hard work, and many parents find encouragement online. Leverage social media to be one of those encouraging voices for the parents in your ministry. Use social media to speak to the felt needs of parents. This might look like quotes, Bible verses, practical, simple things they can do at home to have faith conversations with their kids, etc. Ultimately, let your social media serve their purpose, not just yours. There’s one mistake I often see ministry leaders make when it comes to their ministry social media accounts: They use social media as a digital bulletin board. If your social media accounts are just posts of reminders or upcoming events, you are missing out on a great opportunity to connect with your people. Instead of using your social media as an announcement monologue, change your posting approach to foster conversation and engagement instead. Use the 80/20 rule – let 80% of what you post be about your people, not you, so about things that serve, inspire, engage, encourage, or equip your parents and families, rather than asking them to attend something or go somewhere. Then 20% of your posts can be service times, event invites, and other reminders.

3. Build Community: invite shared mission, values, and belonging

Invite families to interact and participate, not just observe. Social media should feel human, relatable, and fun. It is okay to show personality and joy. Use polls, questions, this-or-that posts, and comment prompts. Share user-generated content when possible, with permission. Highlight events afterward with photo dumps, thank-yous, and stories. Create a social media team of parents or volunteers whose role is to interact with posts through commenting, sharing, liking, saving, and more. This is not about chasing metrics. It is about connecting people to each other and to Jesus.

Want a one-month posting calendar with ideas for each category/goal? DKM Subscribers can download it free here!

Partnering with parents does not require a perfect feed, daily posting, or mastering every new feature. It requires purpose. When your social media consistently connects, encourages, and builds community, it becomes an extension of your ministry instead of another task on your list.

So the next time you plan a post, pause and ask yourself which goal it serves. If it helps parents feel seen, supported, or connected, you are doing important ministry work. Even through social media, God can use what you share to strengthen families and point them toward Him.