Today, we're diving into what I think is pastor Levi Lusko's best social media post ever (okay, one other post got a few more likes, but still).

This post is a goldmine for pastors trying to navigate the wild world of social media.

Which is exactly what some of you are asking:

We'll use this post as an example to answer these two burning questions:

1. What should go on a pastor's personal account vs. the church's?

2. What should pastors aim for (and avoid) on social media?

By breaking down what made Lusko's post so effective, we'll uncover some guiding principles for pastors online.

Who is Levi Lukso

Levi Lukso is the pastor of Fresh Life Church in Montana.

The other day, a post about his came across my feed.

The first clue that the post I'm about to show you was reaching a ton of people is that I saw it - because I don't typically see Levi's posts.

Now, that’s not reflective of Levi’s efforts on social, but rather how I've tailored my Instagram feed.

But this specific post resonated with so many people that Instagram's Discovery Algorithm was like, "Hey, I know your personal Instagram feed is more tailored to fashion and cooking, but you've got to see this one."

Side note: there *is* an intersection between fashion and pastors because just look at this navy sweater vest Pastor Levi is rocking.

I've had my eyes on a navy sweater vest for a little while; I’ve yet to find one with the right fit, though. 1994 was thirty years ago, believe it or not. And sweater vests are back in a big way. So, embrace the 90s, gents.

Now, as I was saying…

The fact that this post resonated with so many people that Instagram's Discovery Algorithm pushed it to me speaks volumes about its impact.

You’ll find the post below…

The Viral Post

The caption reads:

“life lately. sorrow and gladness. hope and mourning. tears and laughter. grief and glory.”

The first photo is a candid shot of Levi and his wife, Jennie, at his father's funeral.

Levi's dad, Chip, had pancreatic cancer, and Levi posted about this diagnosis about a year ago in April of 2023.

From there, he kept his followers updated on his dad's journey.

It culminated with this post (below) right around Easter weekend when Pastor Levi announced that his dad had gone home to be with Jesus.

So, that's the story behind the first photo in this post. But there are 13 other photos and videos on this carousel.

We call this post format a photo dump.

You'll notice none of these posts are shot with a professional camera. They're all just candid shots from phones. Some blurry. Some low resolution.

• He's got his kids in here

• Family stuff like taking them to sports

• Dancing around a hot tub

• Meeting up with friends on a work trip

It's the complete human experience in one post.

Which is captured perfectly in Pastor Levi's caption: “life lately. sorrow and gladness. hope and mourning. tears and laughter. grief and glory.”

The Deeper Lesson

Now, I want to pause here for a moment and be extremely clear.

I am not suggesting that Levi's post was awesome because it got a lot of likes.

Or that he got a lot of likes by posting about his father passing away after what was surely a terrible fight with an awful disease.

My own mother passed away after a multi-year fight with cancer. She was 54. It was awful.

There's a more profound lesson to be learned here.

Pastor Levi has surely preached from stage and counseled hundreds of people over his many years of ministry about life's darkest moments.

About tragedy. About terrible things happening that feel like they shouldn't be happening.

In this case, what do you do when you lose your role model?

That was my mom for me. Levi says that role model for him was his dad.

It's one thing to preach about it. It's one thing to counsel people through it.

But when the pastor that talks about these kinds of things from stage goes through it himself, and then, instead of keeping it private (which is his right because this stuff is agony) he brings people into it - why?

To shout as loud as he can from his public platform online that Christ is still on the throne.

Jesus is still king.
Death has no sting.

At its simplest, this is a pastor taking what he says from the pulpit and showing you what it actually looks like in all the mess to live it out and walk with Jesus in real life.

The man is dealing with the loss of his father, but the kids still have tennis practice.

Who can relate to this?

I remember getting the call from my dad on a Saturday morning, his voice cracking, telling me mom passed in the night.

We knew it had been coming for a long time.

And what was I doing at that moment? I was putting on my shoes by the front door to take my daughter to the park.

Why am I talking about my experiences with grief and loss? Aren't we supposed to be talking about Levi's post?

This is the point:

When you invite people - as Pastor Levi did - into the pain and suffering you're going through, you give others permission to confront their own sorrow.

You build faith in people to believe, "Yes, God is still good."

The reason this post resonated with so many people is because we all see ourselves in it. It's the human experience on full display.

"life lately. sorrow and gladness. hope and mourning. tears and laughter. grief and glory."

What Pastors Should Post

Now, let’s ask that broader question - what goes on a pastor's social media account if they care to have one? And how is it different from a church account?

Well, the principle I have for all digital media is: congruency.

Your online activity should be congruent with what you're doing in-person.

For example, what's the justification for a pastor having their own social media account in the first place?

My answer: Since the pastor preaching from stage is given the most significant chunk of time on a Sunday morning (typically), it's congruent for a pastor to have a similar level of visibility on social.

That approach to social is not being informed by best practices online. It's not informed by secular culture. It’s actually being informed by our approach to service order and programming in-person.

If you think a pastor shouldn't aspire for that level of visibility online, my first question is, if it's not okay online, why is it alright in person?

Let's start there because everything I recommend online is informed by in-person - congruency.

Now, that leads us to the question - what SHOULD a pastor POST on their social accounts?

And this is where I'd like you to consider your own church and preaching style.

Let that inform your social media content.

Congruency.

For example, if your pastor, like many, uses personal stories in their sermons, that would lend itself well to Pastor Levi's approach to social.

Show what life as a follower of Jesus looks like day to day.

Let's be clear: the post I've used as an example in this blog is the most extreme example.

Most of the time, a photo dump post like that might show you out for dinner with your spouse, you doing some exercise, then something at work, taking the kids to tennis practice, reading the Bible - it's still the "life lately" idea.

On the other hand, if your church's preaching style is devoid of personal stories, if it's more strictly Bible teaching, then let that carry over and inform your approach to social.

The Most Popular Post A Church Can Publish Every Year

I'd like to add another note: Do you know the most popular post a church can publish in a given year?

• It's not related to Easter or Christmas

• It's not a daylight savings post

It's a post wishing the lead pastor a Happy Birthday.

Guaranteed.

I've seen this play out hundreds of times. Churches struggle to get traction on social. They try and try.

Then they do a throwaway "help us wish our pastor a happy birthday today" post, which blows up.

Why?

The motivation for your followers to respond to the birthday post is the same underlying motivation that has them responding to a "life lately" post.

• It's humanizing

• It's relatable

• It's real life

Building Faith Through Authenticity

What's a common critique we hear of churches and pastors?

• It's all gloss

• Veneers

• Suit and tie

• Buttoned up

• Perfect people

But when you invite people into the mess, into the grime, into the real everyday life we all have, people respond.

And unlike a Happy Birthday post that you can only rely on once per year, the "life lately" style of photo dump post is a format you can return to repeatedly.

It builds people up in the faith. It's congruent with what you're doing in person. And it's aligned with best practices on social media.

That's the ideal intersection of values, mission, and tactics.

Conclusion

Levi Lusko's viral post is a shining example of using social media to inspire and encourage followers.

By understanding what made it so effective, pastors can craft their own social presence that is authentic, relatable, and faith-building.

Remember, let your in-person ministry inform your online approach, and be bold and show the real, messy, beautiful journey of walking with Jesus.

If you're looking for a deeper dive into social, check out The Church Social Media Masterclass.

It's a complete crash course on social for churches via YouTube. Plus, it's free.

And thanks as always for your time, attention, and trust. We’ll talk next week.

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