System Owner:

Purpose/Scope:  Online Hosts are like the first impressions, next steps, and prayer teams — all in one. They play the important role of greeting attenders in the live video chat, answering questions, sharing helpful links and resources, and praying for people through one-on-one prayer. They do three easy but powerful things—welcome, discuss, and pray.

POLICIES TO BE AWARE OF:

Our Official Social Media Policy
theCrossroads UPC encourages all members and ministry to publish or comment via social media outlets. The social media policy will follow these guiding principles:
1. Stick to your area of expertise and provide unique, individual perspectives on what is going on at theCrossroads UPC and in the world.
2. Post meaningful, respectful comments- in other words, no spam and no remarks that are off- topic or offensive.
3. Always pause and think before posting. That said, reply to comments in a timely manner when a response is appropriate.
4. Respect proprietary information and content, and confidentiality.
5. When disagreeing with others’ opinions, keep it appropriate and polite.

Our Official Media Policy:
1. Read all content carefully to insure no inappropriate posts are made.
2. Be sure all comments on our posts are clean.
3. We want the church to be shown in a positive light, so if any one following and or being followed by theCrossroads UPC posts something that reflects negativly on the church that person may need to bu unfollowed and or blocked.
4. Do not "like" posts that are against theCrossroads UPC beliefs.
5. No political posts will be made. We dont want to alienate ourselves to one particular party. We want to reach the whole world with our content.
All social media outlets will need to follow the Rules of Engagement:
1. Be judicious. Make sure that all statements or posts do not violate any of theCrossroads UPC privacy, confidentiality, and legal guidelines for external commercial speech.
2. Be conversational. Talk to your readers like you would talk to real people in professional situations. Be yourself and encourage participation.
3. Be responsible. If you make a mistake in posting information own up to it and admit you made the mistake.
4. Be respectful. Always show proper respect to others and give them credit when quoting or using their material including that which belongs to theCrossroads UPC.
5. Be considerate. Be yourself and use your best judgement. Be sure that you make clear the views or opinions you express are your own and not those of theCrossroads UPC.
6. Be confidential. Do not conduct business with customers on social media outlets.
7. Be non-controversial. If you see misrepresentations of the church you may point out the incorrect information in a respectful manner. Avoid being argumentative with others. Be sure you post factual information.

Procedure: 
(Note, we currently are live on Facebook and YouTube and in our App...this process will apply mostly to Facebook, but we can adjust as needed).

Welcome
Hosts welcome each new guest into the chat area. A friendly welcome can be made even friendlier by using exclamation marks, emojis, and a follow-up question to get to know them.

Example: Hi @johnfromuganda, welcome to our church! We’re so happy you’re here today. How’s your day going so far?

Discuss
Next, Hosts can spark discussion in the chat area. Asking icebreaker questions, recapping key points from the message, or posting a quote from the speaker or song is a great way to engage attenders in the chat. Open-ended questions—those that can’t be
answered with a “yes” or “no”—and questions beginning with who, what, when, where, why, or how are always great conversation starters, too.

Example: I love that Pastor A.J. just mentioned _____. That’s so powerful! How do you think we can apply this into our everyday lives?

Pray
Finally, Hosts can offer prayer to guests in the chat area. They can pray with people right in the chat area or encourage them to call the church (270) 351-6060 if they’d rather talk and pray with a member privately. It’s amazing to see how loved people feel when someone reaches out to pray with them!

Instead of simply replying “Thanks for sharing; we’ll pray for you!” we found that typing out the prayer is a better way to meet the attender’s need.

Example: Hi @martha75, I’m so sorry to hear that you lost your grandfather this week. Could we pray together here for you and your family? Let’s pray: God, we lift up Martha and pray that you would be with her and her entire family today. We ask that you would bring them your perfect peace and comfort, and that you would surround them with people who can encourage them in this season. Thank you for loving us and being with us in every difficult moment. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.


COMMUNICATION TIPS: (SEE ALSO - ONLINE SERVICE HOST TIPS PAGE)

1.    Avoid all caps. TYPING LIKE THIS can come across as virtual yelling, so use standard capitalization and be sure your Caps Lock is off.

2.    Use proper punctuation. Proper punctuation prevents misunderstandings, helps Google Translate accurately translate your messages into other languages, presents your church in a tidy light, and clarifies meaning for non-native English speakers.

3.    Use emojis! Written communication can sometimes seem emotionless or impersonal, but it doesn’t have to. To convey joy, sorrow, or virtually any other emotion, try adding some emojis to your posts!

4.    Avoid using slang or churchy words that can cause confusion, such as “What’s crackin’?” or “sanctification.” The best approach is to use simple language and provide explanations for any words or jargon that unchurched guests might not understand.

5.    Tag a person or use someone’s name when responding. You wouldn’t want someone who just said in chat that their dog died to see your “That’s amazing! Praise God!” comment and think it was meant for them. @ tagging or using the person’s name helps make it clear exactly who you’re talking to in chat.

Remember, in the online realm, our communication truly is our ministry—that’s why we strive to make it as excellent as possible.

I have read, and understood what is expected of me while serving as an online service host at theCrossroads.

How to Handle Sticky Situations

Critics of online ministry often say accountability is missing in an environment where people can hide behind anonymity. But we’ve found that oftentimes people will share more openly online than they might in face-to-face conversations. Church Online attenders often tell us they were too hesitant to attend a traditional church setting, worried about what people might say or think. But they felt comfortable enough to try Church Online, and when they did, they found a place they could belong before they believed.

With anonymity can come messiness—people saying or doing things that may not happen in a physical building. But, as believers, we embrace the messiness and use those opportunities as a way to minister to people in need.

Here are a few situations we have experienced at theCrossroads and the process we follow.

Disruptive Behavior

If a guest continually exhibits inappropriate behavior, Hosts have the ability to mute them through the Church Online Platform. Muted guests can still watch the message and see chat. They will also see their own posts appear, but their posts will not show up to anyone else. Before a Host mutes a guest, they should be given a friendly reminder in both public chat and then in direct chat if needed. Remind them that this is an open and welcoming space for all.

Muting should be a last resort—and sometimes it’s hard to know if it’s the right thing to do. Here are a few things to remember:

MUTE…    DON’T MUTE…
- when they continue to use profanity after being asked not to do so     -  they discuss off-topic things
- they post any pornographic links or phrases    - they have a weird username
- they post racist or hateful remarks    - they say they don’t like God or Christians
- they bully others    - they annoy you

Suicide
When we learn that someone in our community is contemplating suicide, the church can respond to their need and introduce them to the hope of Christ.

Assess the Risk Level:
How does someone know how serious a suicide threat really is? The truth is, they can’t—so we always take a suicide situation seriously, even if it’s possible it might just be a cry for attention.

Here are four factors which may indicate professional intervention is needed right away (these are just some examples):

●    Intent: “I want to end my life.”
●    Plan: “Here’s how I’m going to do it.”
●    Means: “I have access to what I need to do this.”
●    Timeline: “I have picked out a day and time for this to happen.”

If these factors are present or if the person says they are in immediate danger of committing suicide, Hosts urge the guest to contact emergency services, and then the Host immediately gets in touch with a minister. If the Host or minister knows where the individual is and believes self-harm or harm to others is imminent, that Host or minister considers contacting local emergency services directly

Take Action:
In a Host’s interactions with a suicidal person, we have found it is valuable to provide a listening ear, a caring prayer, and helpful resources. These steps are some of the ways we’ve learned to guide the conversation:

Ask → Notify → Listen → Pray → Resource → Follow up

1.    Ask:

If a Host suspects someone might be suicidal but isn’t sure, it’s all right to talk to them about the concern. It’s a myth that this will plant the idea in their mind—in fact, they’re often hoping someone will ask, since it’s a difficult subject to bring up. One example of a way to approach this topic sensitively is by saying something like, “I’m worried about you. Have you ever thought about harming yourself or taking your life?”

2.    Notify:

If a Host encounters a suicide situation, they notify a team leader/pastor immediately. They will let the leader know if the person has expressed intent, a plan, access to means, and/or a timeline, or any other factors they feel relevant. If the attender is comfortable with it, Hosts may invite the team leader/pastor into the conversation so they can all talk together.

3.    Listen:

Hosts can encourage the person to tell them as much or as little as they’re comfortable sharing about their situation. They can show empathy by repeating what the attender says back to them and telling them how proud they are for opening up. We’ve found that a Host can keep the attender talking by asking clarifying questions and questions about their life. Above all, the Hosts show care and loving concern for the person and the difficulties they’re facing.

4.    Pray:

Hosts let the person know that God cares about them and their situation and that they’d love to pray with the attender to ask for His help. Here are some suggestions of things to pray for:

●    That they would know how much God loves and values them.
●    That God would bring them healing, comfort, and hope for the future.
●    That they would have the strength and courage to seek help when they feel overwhelmed.
●    That they would know that God is always in control, even if everything else in life seems out of their control.
●    That today would be the first day of a brand new chapter in their life.
●    Anything else that God brings into their heart or mind as they’re praying—let the Holy Spirit guide!

5.   Resource:

Before ending the conversation, Hosts can provide the person with some helpful resources to support them. Here are some resources that may be helpful:

●    Relevant Bible verses, such as Philippians 4:6-7, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 11:28-30, Psalm 139:14, Jeremiah 17:14, 1 Peter 5:6-7, and Psalm 94:18-19

        *  Crisis Text Line: text 741741.
        *  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: call 1-800-273-8255 or click the blue “CHAT” button in the top right corner of their website.
        * Find a local counselor: https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov.

6.   Follow Up:

People in crisis situations need continual support, so it’s important to follow up after the service. Hosts often let them know that they’d love to continue the conversation, and ask if they can have the attender’s email address or any other contact information. Hosts and Leaders can work together to develop a follow-up plan to continue praying for the person and suggesting additional resources. Continued support and friendship mean more than you know.




PRAYER RESOURCES:



Experiencing Grief

There are many ways people can be in grief and they all involve the same thing: loss. Most likely it will be the loss of a loved one but often it can involve a job, a divorce, or some other personal tragedy. There are several stages to grief (some sources say seven while others say four), and they are not always linear. Often a person will cycle back to an earlier stage to resolve it.

Stages of grief are:

4 stages

    1. Shock and denial
    2. Intense concern
    3. Despair and depression
    4. Recovery

7 stages

    1. Shock and denial
    2. Pain and guilt
    3. Anger and bargaining
    4. Depression, reflection and loneliness
    5. The upward turn
    6. Reconstruction and working through
    7. Acceptance and hope

Possible things to pray for:

●    Pray for them to experience God’s comfort.
●    Pray for people to be available to them to talk through their grief
●    Encourage them to keep faith in God and what He can do.
●    Pray that God will help them with strength and courage to make it through this time.
●    Let them know God does care for them.


Verses to share:
    ●    Matthew 5:4 (NIV)
    ○ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

●    2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)
○ “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

●    Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
○ “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

●    Psalm 23:4 (NIV)
○ “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

●    Psalm 34:18 (NIV)
○ “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”



Financial Struggles

People faced with financial difficulties can experience fear, guilt, uncertainty, and desperation. They may doubt God's goodness and promises. They may be seeking direction, hope, and peace. Imagine how you would feel in a financial crisis, and respond with gentleness and empathy. Pray boldly and in faith, confident that God promised to provide for His children.

Possible things to pray for:

●    Provision for basic needs of food, shelter, clothing and utilities
●    Wisdom for income-producing activities, debt repayment, budgeting, sources of community assistance
●    Faith to trust in God's promises to meet needs and provide guidance
●    Thankfulness that all of our resources belong to the Lord; we are managers of them, but not owners
●    The Holy Spirit to reveal the work God may be doing through this crisis (ie: refocus our hearts on heavenly treasure)
●    Forgiveness for financial carelessness, if they acknowledge that


Verses to share:
●    Philippians 4:19 ESV
○    "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

●    Luke 12:22-24 NIV
○    "Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!"

●    Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
○    "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

●    James 1:5-6 ESV
○    "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind."

●    Deuteronomy 28:12 ESV
○    "The Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow."

●    Malachi 3:10 ESV
○    "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need."

●    Proverbs 3:9-10 NIV
○    "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."





PRAYING WITH THEM TO MOVE TOWARDS SALVATION

Seeing people surrender their lives to Christ is one of the greatest joys as a church member—in fact, it’s why we do what we do! As you serve, you may encounter people who are ready to make this life-changing decision. Check out the guide below for a few tips on leading someone towards salvation through prayer.

 Before Praying - Find Out Where they are…
 
John 3:3,5 Romans 3:23, 6:23, Acts 2:28 etc… Discuss with them the need for repentance

* Ask them, “If God was to do a miracle in your life, what would it be?”
* Their answer to that question can be what you pray with them about. If it opens them up to deeper prayer - then follow the leading of the Holy Ghost. (Don’t force the issue - this may be a good first step).

PREPARE THEM TO RECEIVE
* Start with the seeker at their readiness level. (Determine where they are spiritually).
* Ask them specifically if they have received the Holy Ghost.
* If they say NO, then let them know that God wants to fill them with the Holy Ghost.
* If they say YES, ask them when was the last time they spoke in tongues.
* If they haven’t ever spoken in tongues, then encourage them that God is going to do something incredible in their life if they are open to it. (Try not to go into all the details, but explain the “evidence”).
* If they have spoken in tongues but it’s been a while, pray with them for a fresh and new anointing on their life, cleansing, renewal, etc.

PRAY A PRAYER OF REPENTANCE WITH THEM
* Explain the need for a prayer of repentance.
* Repentance is a matter of having a “changed mind” to submit to God now. Encourage them to make that decision. “Remove everything from your heart that would hinder Jesus from being on the throne of your heart.”
* Lead them in the prayer, if need be, have them repeat after you.
* Learn this prayer (not verbatim, but the content is important): “Lord, I have said evil words. I have done evil things with my hands. I have done evil with my body. I have had evil in my heart. I repent. I turn from all sin. Come into me NOW. Fill me with your Spirit, Jesus.”
* Have them repeat any part of it with emphasis, as you feel necessary. Tell them to “say it with all your heart and REALLY mean it!”

IT IS TIME TO RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST
* Believe in your own mind without doubting (before you start praying) that they are going to receive the Holy Ghost now.
* Tell them, “I am going to pray for you to receive the Holy Ghost and when I do, strange words or sounds will come into your mind or your tongue. That is the Holy Ghost. It is going to sound like baby talk or words that you have never spoken before in your life, speak them out loud. Don’t be hesitant or fearful. You cannot speak English and in tongues at the same time. When those strange sounds come when I say RIGHT NOW, speak them out immediately. Do you understand?”
* Have them lift up their hands and close their eyes. As you are speaking, tell them, “Here it is right now. Receive! Speak out those strange sounds the Spirit is giving you. Trust God. Don’t analyze it. Just speak out what is coming to you!” Pray in the Spirit with them and encourage them to receive the Holy Ghost right then.
* After they start speaking in tongues, tell them… “Keep speaking that, you’re doing great, don’t go back to your English. You don’t understand those words but He does!” Encourage them to speak loud enough for their own ears to hear it.
* Afterwards, have them acknowledge receiving the Holy Ghost. Once you know they have received it, and while they are praying, have them acknowledge, by head nod, etc. that they know they are speaking in tongues. It is important before you finish working with them that they know they heard themselves speaking with tongues.
* DO NOT allow them to keep repeating the same phrases over and over. They will receive the Holy Ghost immediately upon the release of their faith.
* If they don’t speak in tongues immediately or within a moment - Ask them, “Is there any reason why God should not give you the Holy Ghost?” If they confess something, pray with them and repent over that thing specifically, then pray with them to receive the Holy Ghost.