Connecting through Facebook Live

The “I” initiative of Daring FAITH is to interconnect our growing fellowship through new technologies. Helping fulfill this vision are members from our online campus, who are connecting as a community through Facebook Live events.

In April of this year, Facebook released the feature so that people could share live video with their followers and friends on Facebook. This technology is the best way to interact with viewers in real time, while filtering questions, promoting engagement, and hearing immediate reactions.

In recent months, the growth of Saddleback’s Online Campus resulted in Online Pastor, Jay Kranda looking for alternate ways to connect with members. Currently, Saddleback’s online community is comprised of 16,000 members watching weekly messages across mobile, TV, tablet, and computer.

In September of this year, we reported that online members began simultaneously watching services with others in their areas through conferencing software and Regional Meet-Ups.

These new methods of connecting have resulted in an even greater need for Pastor Jay to offer additional tools for engagement. Since Facebook is free, and already used as a standard means of communication, Jay began hosting Facebook Live events to encourage interaction and discussion in the comment section and through private messaging.  

“People are able to interact with each other without me being involved,” says Pastor Jay. “It’s a patio experience online, as people connect with each other. I encourage them to communicate through my Facebook Live events as well as through written posts.” 

Now with more than 16,000 people in the online community, Saddleback’s Online Campus continues to grow by 30% from year-to-year.There are presently 800 people viewing Jay’s Facebook Live events, and 1,550 people who are part of the Facebook community group.

Between Facebook Live events, and scheduled local-and-online Meet-Ups, this number will only increase. Those who live in the Minnesota area are invited to join the Online Meet-Up on Thursday, January 26 at 3 PM. Using zoom.us conference software, people can call into the meeting and connect with other Saddleback members in their own state.

This event follows other recent Online Meet-Ups including an in-person event in London on December 22, and another Meet-Up in Atlanta last month.

“We’ll be hosting more Local and Online Meet-Ups,” says Pastor Jay. “It really helps foster local community.”

For more information, visit the Facebook page for Saddleback’s Online Community Campus Group.