Today’s church leaders know that going digital is essential for making disciples and reaching more people with the gospel. That’s why 73% of churches have a Facebook page. Yet studies show that Big Tech corporations censor and deplatform churches on a regular basis. This suppression of religious expression can have a chilling effect on freedom of speech and the Church’s right to teach the Bible.

Let’s take a look at what you can do today to protect your online church from technology platforms that limit your impact—instead of furthering your mission.

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Get to know your current tools & software

The first step toward protecting your church’s online presence is to get informed. Start by familiarizing your leadership and media teams with your current digital tools, how they work, and how their guidelines may be limiting your ministry.

Evaluate your social media strategy

Have you ever taken a step back to ask, “How is my church benefiting from social media?” If it’s been a while since you last evaluated your church’s social media strategy, now’s the time! To help get started, gather your team and walk through the following questions together.

Acquire a church streaming copyright license

Churches sometimes complain that their live streams have been interrupted due to claims of copyright violations. Why does this happen? U.S. and international laws require authorization to stream or upload copyrighted material online, meaning that churches need permission from song owners to legally stream music during their worship services.

Keep a secure archive of your content

Uploading content to social media may help your church stay connected and relevant, but how safe is your content in the hands of Big Tech platforms? While free and familiar platforms like YouTube seem appealing at first, there’s always a price to pay. In this case, these services come at the cost of giving up control and ownership of your content.

Ensure your giving solution helps fuel your mission

The fact of the matter is that the more convenient it is to give to your church, the more likely your community is to partner financially with your mission. But giving isn’t just about finances—it’s also a matter of discipleship.

What to do if your church gets censored

The gap between Christian values and mainstream culture seems to be growing further and further apart. Today, many biblical doctrines are considered harmful or even hateful, leading many people to actively seek to silence the voice of the Church. So what can you do if your church experiences religious censorship?

Use a platform that respects religious liberty

The tension between Big Tech companies, contemporary culture, and the Church has been steadily increasing with no signs of slowing down. It’s become so commonplace that 23% of Christians report that they have been harassed online because of their faith.

Protecting Your Church From Censorship

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