How to Use SnapChat for Churches

Updated September 2026 with what’s changed since 2015 and where I’d tell churches to focus on short-form vertical video today.

We love SnapChat. It’s confusing, but we love it. It’s a big hit with the kids these days and it’s growing. It has a user base of 55+ million and it’s not stopping there.

But what’s to SnapChat? Just quick pictures, right?

Well, not exactly. It’s about capturing a moment, a memory. Kairos is a Greek word for the right moment. SnapChat is for capturing the “right moment”. I had to put some Greek in here–we are Christians after all.

So what have I learned since posting the SnapChat Guide for Churches on ChurchM.ag a couple of months ago?

1. Don’t forget to actually snap.

I could go weeks and forget. It’s easy to do cause we don’t actually have any friends. I go into an explanation on that in my earlier post. But you have to snap and do it on the daily. Hustle, y’all.

2. You don’t have to snap worship.

People love the mundane as much as they love the extreme. Take a picture of your latte. Grab a picture of a staff meeting. People want to see your staff being silly. Let this be an outlet of authenticity in your ministry.

3. Just do you.

SnapChat is loved because it was personal. Our audience is getting to know me through this. Is that ok? I guess so. I’m the face behind all the social anyways. :)

What’s changed since I wrote this

When I wrote this in 2015, Snapchat was the confusing new app all the students were on, and the numbers above were from that year. A lot has changed. Snapchat is still around and still popular with teens and young adults, and it has added features like Spotlight, its feed of public short videos, and Memories for saving snaps.

The bigger shift is this: the “capture the right moment” idea didn’t stay on Snapchat. Casual, vertical, behind-the-scenes video is now everywhere. Instagram Reels and Stories, YouTube Shorts, Facebook Reels, and TikTok all run on it.

The good news? The three lessons above still hold. You still have to actually post. You still don’t have to film worship to connect with people. And people still want the real you, not a polished commercial.

Where I’d tell your church to focus in 2026

Be honest. How many platforms is your team trying to show up on right now? If you’re a team of one (and most of you are), you can’t do them all well. Short-form vertical video is worth your time, but pick the place where your people already are.

Here’s how I’d choose:

• Start with who you want to reach. Ask your students, young adults, and members where they actually spend time. Then look at your own analytics.
• Tie each platform to one goal. Instagram works well for connecting with your congregation and their friends. YouTube Shorts makes sense if you already post sermons to YouTube. Facebook Reels fits a church whose people live on Facebook. Snapchat mostly makes sense for student ministry.
• Film once, share a few places. One vertical video can go to Reels, Shorts, and Stories with small tweaks. Save a clean copy without another app’s watermark so it looks native everywhere.
• Keep the gear simple. A phone, good light, clear audio, and captions. A lot of people scroll with the sound off, so captions are not optional.

Not sure what to film? Try a 30-second welcome from your pastor on Saturday, a “what to expect on your first visit” walkthrough, a volunteer sharing why they serve, a peek at Sunday morning setup, or a one-minute recap of the sermon’s main point.

For more on choosing channels, read Your Church Doesn’t Need to Be on Every Social Media Platform.

A word on student ministry and safety

If your student ministry uses Snapchat or any app built around private messages, set guardrails before you start. Use church-owned accounts with more than one adult admin. Keep adult leaders out of one-on-one private messages with minors. Tell parents which platforms you use and why. And follow your church’s child protection policy every time. If your parents want help thinking this through at home, point them to 8 Tips for Kids and Social Media.

Remember, the platform will keep changing. The mission won’t. Capture the right moment, point it back to Jesus, and keep showing up. If you want a second set of eyes on your church’s plan, that’s what I do.

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How are you using SnapChat? Are you using it to build a brand? Tell a story? Just personal? Let me know in the comments below!

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