Church and nonprofit leaders who understand how X works today can still build significant influence — but only if they stop treating it like a digital bulletin board or megaphone. A surprising number of pastors and nonprofit leaders have written off X (formerly Twitter). They assume it’s too political, too chaotic or simply not worth the effort anymore.
I think that’s a mistake.
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Yes, the platform has changed dramatically. While some may disagree, it’s still where journalists, authors, politicians, business leaders and many of the world’s biggest influencers gather to exchange ideas in real time. If your goal is to shape conversations — not just announce events — X still deserves a place in your communication strategy.
Know the rules
The problem is that many leaders are playing by rules that disappeared years ago.
Here are the lessons that matter in 2026:
Conversation beats broadcasting. This is the biggest change. X’s recommendation algorithm now rewards meaningful interaction far more than passive engagement. A thoughtful reply is worth dramatically more than a simple “like,” and ongoing conversations receive even greater visibility.
Think about that for a moment.
For years, churches have treated social media like a bulletin board: post the announcement and move on. X now rewards something much closer to what ministry should look like in the first place — listening, responding and having genuine conversations.
Post something, then stay around long enough to talk with people.
The first half hour matters. Early engagement tells the algorithm whether your post deserves wider distribution. Don’t publish something and disappear into a meeting. If you’re going to invest the time to post, invest another 20 or 30 minutes responding to comments.
Those early interactions often determine whether anyone else will ever see your content.
Be careful with external links. X wants users to stay on the platform. Posts that immediately send people somewhere else — your website, blog, or donation page — often receive significantly less distribution.
A better approach? Share the key idea in the post itself, then place the link in the first reply. It’s not elegant, but it generally performs much better.
People trust people more than organizations. This hasn’t changed. Your personal account will almost always outperform your church’s official account because people connect with faces, stories, opinions and personalities — not logos.
That’s why pastors, executive directors and ministry leaders should be far more active online than their institutional accounts.
Authenticity
Don’t just post polished victories. Share what you’re learning. Ask thoughtful questions. Celebrate others. Admit when something challenged your thinking.
Authenticity isn’t a marketing strategy. It’s how trust is built.
Stop measuring success by likes. A post with 300 likes and almost no discussion may look successful, but it probably didn’t move anyone.
A post with 25 thoughtful comments and genuine back-and-forth? That’s influence.
Too many ministry leaders chase applause when they should be building relationships.
Promotion should be the exception. One principle from the old Twitter days has survived every algorithm change: people get tired of being sold to.
If every post points to your latest sermon, conference, fundraiser, or book, people tune out — and increasingly, the algorithm does too.
Lead with value. Offer insight. Encourage people. Make them think.
Words matter
Promotion works best after you’ve earned attention.
Words still matter most. Unlike nearly every other major platform, X continues to reward well-written text. A thoughtful observation, a compelling question, or a memorable story can outperform an expensive video.
That’s good news for pastors and nonprofit leaders. Your greatest asset isn’t your production budget. It’s your perspective.
The leaders who thrive on X today aren’t necessarily the loudest or the most controversial. They’re the ones who consistently show up, contribute something worthwhile, and engage with people rather than talk at them.
In a world drowning in noise, that’s still one of the most powerful communication strategies you can have.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was originally published by Phil Cooke at philcooke.com.
