Ed Stretzer on why ignoring social media is no longer an option for church leaders. LifeWay published a study that found most pastors use social media primarily for 'outbound messaging.' In other words, they are using these media as a virtual bulletin board, rather than for two-way conversation. Pastors are used to delivering monologues. But we can't think of social media as a sermon. It's a conversation. It's no mistake that the first word in social media is social.