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I hope by now you’ve seen the most recent viral video of a woman sitting in her car laughing at herself in a Chewbacca mask. I’ve watched it multiple times and have even watched her on some late night talk shows. It got me thinking - out of all the videos that have gone viral, why have I paid a ton of attention to this one? What is drawing me in to watch her laugh over and over again? 

The answer is simple: It’s the joy she has. It’s the positivity that radiates from her. It’s the fact that you can tell it’s her natural demeanor to be full of life.

It’s also what drew me to Fishhook just about three years ago. It was the laughter, the positivity and the natural demeanor of all the people to be full of life and full of Jesus. 

With all the things we read and consume on social media, there’s a ton of opportunity to get lost in a sea of negativity. Fishhook chooses positivity. We don’t get caught up in any banter and bickering but try to add value and radiate Jesus.

We all need more Candace Payne, the Chewbacca Mask Lady, in our life and in our churches. I wasn’t surprised to see that she was a Christian who helps lead worship at her church in Texas. Because people who know Jesus know His joy. And she surely does. 

We coach a lot on how churches can use social media to really engage with people. They often ask us what kinds of posts get the most engagement. They want to know a formula for how to connect. The answer is there isn't really a formula. But Candace Payne has the right idea. As the Church, let's choose to post about joy, inspiration and hope. Give people something they can share that will brighten the days of the people in their circles, something that will help them get through their hard times and reach for Jesus when they don't know what to do. 

Many times, great social media content comes from blog posts or timely content on your website. A good example of this is a recent article published by our friends at Orchard Park Presbyterian Church. Rev. Dr. Shelly Wood wrote a blog post, "Gratitude in Grief," after she was inspired to motivate those grieving over the passing of a little boy in their community. After posting it on their Facebook page, the article was shared by people all over the state, and almost 2,000 people have visited their website to read it in the last couple of days.  

People are sharing it because it fills a need in their lives and the lives of those around them. It's the same reason Chewbacca's joy filled our timelines. People are looking for joy, hope, inspiration and motivation, and the best news is your church has just that to give.