Pastors are obviously influential people.  Their job (among other things) is to influence people towards a closer relationship with God and others in Christian community.  That said, pastors also have the ability to influence to what degree a church adopts social networking and how church members relate to each other on social networks.  Two recent blog articles touch on that.

One the one hand, (as John Saddington wrote on Monday) by getting into social networking a pastor could initiate a wave of new online connected in his church.  On the other hand, (as I wrote in a guest blog post) a pastor’s entrance into a social network could stifle authenticity if some people have a tendency to put up a false front around the pastor.

What do you think the pastor effect is in social media?

If your pastor has gotten into social networking (or you are a pastor who is using social networks) what has your first hand experience been of the “pastor effect?”