As technology evolves faster and faster, it’s important for church leaders to keep up with the communications channels that people are using in their everyday lives, says Bob Fisher, assistant to the bishop for mission interpretation.

With six generations living in our congregations and communities, church communicators have to be fluent with media from print and email to web, video and social media. “Which media should we use? All of them,” Fisher says.

Often generations adopt and move past technology platforms faster than the church can deploy them, he says. Some congregations are still challenged to develop effective websites, even as younger generations adopt social media. Facebook is also losing share among millennials, while it is more popular among baby boomers. Even so, churches can’t count on Facebook to deliver their messages. Fewer than 10 percent of a page’s “fans” see the typical, non-sponsored post.

Forward Together in Faith’s Communications focus seeks to support and equip congregations as they consider all of the communications options and challenges they face. Twitter, Periscope, YouTube and e-mail are all like different languages, Fisher says. “We want to help our congregations tell their stories in all of those languages, and more.”