Complete Member Guide

Get the account useful before you worry about every feature.

1.1 Complete the onboarding steps

Ministry Feed asks for enough context to make profiles and discovery useful. The current onboarding flow includes your full name, ministry role, Church or organization context, location, years in ministry, a professional headline, current ministry challenges, interests, and an optional short bio.

• Enter your full name.
• Choose the ministry role that most closely matches your current service.
• Add your Church or organization size and ministry context when relevant.
• Add your location, years in ministry, and a short professional headline.
• Select current ministry challenges and topics of interest so recommendations can become more relevant.
• Add a short bio that helps another member understand who you are without needing to visit another website.

1.2 Make the Feed useful immediately

• Follow several people or organizations you already know.
• Connect with one or two people you actually know personally.
• Open Discover and follow at least one new person or ministry.
• Save one post you want to return to.
• Visit the Prayer Wall and pray for one real request.

1.3 Your first post

A good first post does not need to be polished. Introduce yourself, share what kind of ministry or Christian work you are involved in, and mention one subject you hope to learn from or discuss.

Understand where things live before you start hunting through menus.

2.1 Main navigation

2.2 Feed modes

The Feed includes multiple ways to look at the network. Use the mode that matches what you are trying to do instead of assuming one view is always best.

• For You: a mixed view intended to surface relevant posts and conversations.
• Following: a more intentional view centered on people and organizations you chose to follow.
• Latest: a recency-oriented view when you want to see what was posted most recently.

2.3 Why some posts stand out

You may see posts with enhanced treatment such as Featured or Spotlight. These posts are being given additional visibility. The author shown on the post remains the real author; the special treatment is about distribution, not fabricated popularity.

2.4 Feed filters

Use post-type and topic filters when the main Feed is too broad. Prayer, questions, updates, events, polls, and other post types are easier to scan when you intentionally narrow the Feed.

2.5 Left and right discovery areas

On larger screens, the Feed may include side areas for your network, Channels, first-party ecosystem properties, featured podcasts, events, and missions content. Treat these areas as shortcuts into deeper parts of Ministry Feed rather than as another feed you must keep up with.

Your profile is the context behind every post, comment, Connection, and podcast appearance.

3.1 What belongs on your profile

• A recognizable profile photo.
• A clear headline, such as "Lead Pastor at Grace Community Church" or "Missionary serving in Romania."
• A short bio.
• Location, if you are comfortable sharing it.
• Your current ministry role and Church or organization information.
• Denomination and Church size when relevant.
• Website and social links, if you want people to be able to continue the relationship elsewhere.
• Ministry challenges and prayer needs when you intentionally want them visible.

3.2 Follow versus Connect

3.3 Profile activity

Profiles show public activity such as Posts and Prayers, along with follower, following, and Connection counts. Organization affiliations can also appear when your account is connected to a Church, ministry, or other organization.

3.4 Keep your profile current

Update your headline and organization when your role changes. This matters because Ministry Feed uses profile context for discovery and because podcast appearances and organizational relationships are more useful when attached to the right person.

Use the right post type, give enough context, and add a meaningful next step when one exists.

4.1 Open the composer

From the Feed, select the composer that says "Share a thought, prayer, or update..." or choose one of the quick post-type buttons.

4.2 Post types

4.3 Publish as yourself or an organization

If you manage one or more organizations, the composer can let you choose whether a post comes from your personal profile or from an organization you represent. Check this before publishing so authorship is accurate.

4.4 Anonymous Prayer and Question posts

Prayer and Question posts can include an anonymous option. Use anonymity when the content needs privacy but still belongs in a public community conversation. Do not use anonymity to evade accountability, attack someone, or create artificial consensus.

4.5 Answered prayer and praise

Prayer posts can be marked as answered prayer or praise. This makes it possible to share not only needs but also how prayers have been answered.

4.6 Add media and links

• Upload images when a visual helps people understand the post.
• Embed video when the video is the main content or supporting context.
• Add a link when the reader may need to visit an external page.
• For Events, add date/time and a location or "Online".
• Use AI-suggested tags when they accurately describe the post; remove suggestions that do not fit.

4.7 Polls

Polls support 2-6 options. Current duration choices include 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, and 2 weeks. You may add optional context below the poll question. After a member votes, the results become visible with percentages and vote counts.

4.8 Schedule a post

• Turn on Schedule post in the composer.
• Choose a date and time.
• Confirm your account timezone is correct.
• Publish the scheduled post. It remains unpublished until the scheduled time.
• Use Scheduled Posts from your account menu if you need to edit, publish early, or delete it.

4.9 Ministry Feed Actions

Actions are one of the platform's most useful publishing tools. They let a post lead somewhere instead of ending with reactions and comments.

You can add up to three Actions. One is the Primary Action and receives the strongest visual treatment.

• Write a clear label, such as WATCH THE EPISODE, REGISTER, PLAN YOUR VISIT, PRAY WITH US, or READ THE ARTICLE.
• Add an optional supporting line when the destination needs context.
• Choose the destination type. Current options include external URL, user profile, organization, Church, ministry, podcast/show, episode, publication, article, book, Discover Channel, Discussion, Event, Join link, or custom resource.
• Choose the CTA type that best describes the action, such as Watch, Listen, Read, Join, Pray With Us, Support, Claim, or Learn More.
• Keep one obvious Primary Action. Two quieter secondary Actions can support it.

If a basic CTA field also appears in your composer, prefer the richer Ministry Feed Action system when you want the strongest experience.

Use engagement tools to build relationships, not simply to increase numbers.

5.1 Follow from the Feed

On posts from people or organizations you do not yet follow, a Follow control may appear directly in the post header. Following changes what you are more likely to see without requiring a mutual Connection.

5.2 Send a Connection request

When a post comes from a person you are not connected with, you may be able to send a Connection request directly from the post or the person's profile. The other person must accept before the relationship becomes mutual.

5.3 Comment

Open the comments area, type your response, and send it. Comments are public. Use them for substantive questions, encouragement, clarification, and respectful disagreement.

5.4 Save

Save a post when you want to return to it later. Saved Posts provides a dedicated place to retrieve what you bookmarked.

5.5 Share

Use Share when a post, episode, Church page, or other public item is genuinely useful to someone else. Public Ministry Feed content can also become an entry point for people who are not yet members.

5.6 Mute and Report

Mute is appropriate when you do not want to keep seeing a person or organization but do not need to report them. Report is for content or behavior that may violate safety or community standards.

Prayer is a first-class activity in Ministry Feed, not simply another reaction.

6.1 Prayer Wall

Prayer Wall is a dedicated area for prayer requests and praise reports. It currently includes three views: Pinned by Orgs, Community, and My Prayers.

6.2 Share a prayer request

• Open Prayer Wall.
• Write the request or praise report.
• Choose Public or Private.
• Choose Anonymous if you do not want your name displayed.
• Turn on Praise / Answered if the post is primarily an answer to prayer.
• Select Share Prayer.

6.3 Prayer Pause

On supported Prayer posts in the Feed, selecting Pray Now opens Prayer Pause. Instead of recording a prayer immediately, the Feed is replaced by a quiet full-screen view of the request.

• Select Pray Now.
• Read the request again without the rest of the Feed around it.
• For approximately 10 seconds, Ministry Feed asks you simply to pause and pray.
• After the pause, the I Prayed button appears.
• Select I Prayed when you have actually prayed. Ministry Feed records your response and returns you to the network.

6.4 I Already Prayed

If you already prayed before selecting the post action, use I Already Prayed rather than opening Prayer Pause again. The point is not to force a timer; the point is to connect the record of prayer to actual prayer.

6.5 Prayer List

My Prayer List is for requests you want to keep in front of you. Requests marked for your prayer list can be revisited later rather than disappearing into the Feed.

• Return to a request and pray again.
• Mark a request Answered when appropriate.
• Remove a request from your list when you no longer need to track it.
• Save the underlying post separately if you want it in Saved Posts as well.

6.6 Prayer etiquette

• Do not copy a sensitive prayer request outside Ministry Feed without permission.
• Do not use prayer needs as sales opportunities.
• If a request involves someone else, share only what you have permission to share.
• If the situation is private, use the private option instead of publishing unnecessary details.

Use discovery intentionally to expand beyond your existing circle.

7.1 Discover people

Discover includes a People view. Profiles may show name, headline, ministry role, location, and verification status. You can follow people directly from Discover or open a profile for more context.

7.2 Discover organizations

The Organizations view lets you browse Churches, ministries, associations, brands, and other organizations represented on the platform. Follow an organization to make its activity easier to keep up with.

7.3 Topic and Channel context

When you enter Discover from a Channel such as Church Growth, Missions, Baptist Life & Leadership, Media, or Preparing for Ministry, Ministry Feed can narrow the people and organizations shown to that context.

7.4 Ministry Directory

The Ministry Directory is another way to browse organizations. You can search by name, description, or location and filter by ministry focus. Verified organizations are labeled accordingly.

7.5 Verified indicators

Verified badges help distinguish profiles or organizations that have been confirmed through Ministry Feed's verification process. Verification is a trust signal, not an endorsement of every statement or ministry decision made by that person or organization.

Use private messages for relationships and Discussions for conversations that deserve more room.

8.1 Start a private message

• Open Messages.
• Select New Message.
• Choose a Ministry Feed member.
• Start the thread.
• Type your message and send it.

Existing threads remain available so a relationship can continue over time rather than starting over with each interaction.

8.2 Use messaging well

• Continue a conversation that began publicly.
• Follow up after a podcast, Church event, ministry conversation, or Connection.
• Share a resource that the other person actually asked for or is likely to find useful.
• Keep sensitive information out of public comments when a private thread is more appropriate.

8.3 Discussions

Discussions are longer topic-based threads. Browse the Discussions page, search for a subject, open a thread, and add your message. Discussions may also belong to an organization.

Some Discussion threads can be pinned or closed by people with the appropriate permissions. A closed thread remains useful as a record even when new replies are no longer needed.

Ministry Feed turns podcast appearances into ongoing relationships instead of one-time links.

9.1 Browse Shows

The Podcasts area lists Shows available inside Ministry Feed. Open a Show to see its description, host, episodes, guests, and any external listening links.

9.2 Follow a Show

Select Follow Show when you want the Show to become part of your ongoing Ministry Feed experience. A Show may also include links to Apply to Be a Guest or Recommend a Guest.

9.3 Episode pages

Episode pages may include video, audio, cover art, description, publication date, external listening links, guests, related discussion, and guest-only Episode Pack materials where appropriate.

• Watch or listen from the Episode page when media is available.
• Use platform links such as Spotify or Apple when listed.
• Open a guest profile when the guest has claimed their appearance.
• Use Related Discussion to continue the conversation around the episode.

9.4 Claim your podcast appearance

If you were interviewed on a Show represented inside Ministry Feed, you may receive a secure claim link. The claim process connects the Episode to your real Ministry Feed profile.

• Open the claim link.
• Review the Episode preview.
• Sign in or create an account if needed.
• Optionally add or update your title, organization, bio, and website.
• Select Claim Profile.
• After the claim completes, open Guest Center or View Episode.

9.5 Guest Center

Guest Center is for members whose podcast appearances have been claimed. It currently includes My Appearances, Promos, Profile, Guest Network, and Resources.

Follow organizations as a member. Church and organization profiles may be created by Ministry Feed administrators from publicly available information for review; these profiles are marked unclaimed until an authorized representative claims them through the verification process.

10.1 Organization profiles

Organization profiles can include a logo, cover image, description, mission, location, denomination, website, team, follower count, and public activity.

Profile tabs may include Posts, Impact Stories, Events, and Discussions.

10.2 Follow an organization

Select Follow on an organization profile. Following is the normal relationship between a member and a Church, ministry, association, or organization.

10.3 Church and organization profiles

Church and organization profiles may be created by Ministry Feed administrators from publicly available information for review. These profiles are marked unclaimed until an authorized representative claims them through the verification process. To claim a profile, use the "Claim this Church" button on the organization page and submit your role and evidence for admin review.

10.4 Your Organizations

The Your Organizations dashboard shows organizations connected to your account and provides shortcuts to view or manage them.

10.5 Organization teams and roles

Organization managers can invite Ministry Feed members, assign roles, create teams or groups, review pending invitations, and remove people when appropriate. Use the least powerful role that lets someone do their actual work.

10.6 Publish as the organization

When the composer offers a Post as selector, choose the organization only when the post genuinely represents that organization. Personal commentary should usually come from your personal profile.

10.7 Impact Stories and prayer

Organization managers may be able to mark posts as Impact Stories and pin organization Prayer posts to Prayer Wall. Use these features selectively so highlighted content stays meaningful.

Use media features as part of your Ministry Feed experience rather than treating them as separate destinations.

11.1 Potter's Radio

Potter's Radio can be played from the Radio page. The page may show the current item, recently played content, and information about Potter's House Ministries România.

• Use Play/Pause to control the stream.
• Keep listening while moving around Ministry Feed through the persistent mini-player.
• If the station is offline, the Radio page shows the offline state rather than pretending audio is available.
• Use PHMR links around the Radio experience when you want to learn more about the ministry behind the station.

11.2 Books & Publications

The Books & Publications area lets you search by book title or author and open individual book records. A book may include description, author, cover, and a Get the Book link.

Depending on permissions and account configuration, publishing controls may also be available. Ordinary members can simply use the library for discovery.

11.3 Reading Room — Wholesome Book Community

The Reading Room is a community-integrated reading platform built into Ministry Feed. It lets you track wholesome books, discover your next read, and discuss what you are learning with other members — all within the same social network.

11.4 Finding and adding books

• Open Reading Room from the Explore menu or the Growth section of the mobile menu.
• Use the search bar to look for a book by title, author, or genre.
• If the book is already in our catalog, select Add to place it in your library.
• If we do not list the book yet, select Add with AI. AI researches the book's details and screens it for wholesomeness before it goes live.
• Books that pass the wholesomeness screen become available to everyone. Books that need a closer look are held for admin review.

11.5 Your reading library

Each book in your library has a status: To Read, Currently Reading, Finished, or Paused. You can rate books (1–5 stars), write personal notes, and track your progress page by page. Your library also appears as a tab on your profile so others can see what you are reading.

11.6 Book discussions

Every book has its own community discussion thread. Open a book's detail page to share a takeaway, ask a question, or reply to another member. Discussions are public to all members and help turn solitary reading into shared growth.

11.7 Similar books

Each book detail page suggests similar reads. If a recommendation looks interesting, add it to your library or open it to learn more.

11.8 Publications and long-form content

Where a Publication is represented in Ministry Feed, use it to follow longer-form writing connected to the network. Articles and publications can complement Feed posts by providing more room for context and substance.

Build a personal system so useful relationships and content do not disappear into the scroll.

12.1 Saved Posts

Saved Posts is a simple bookmark library. Use it for content you want to return to, not as a replacement for personal relationship management.

12.2 My Lists

My Lists lets you create private collections of people or organizations. A list can have a name, description, and type. Individual list items can also include your private notes.

• Open My Lists from your account menu.
• Create a list and choose whether it contains people or organizations.
• Add people or organizations from their profile pages.
• Open the list to add private notes to individual entries.
• Remove items when the list no longer needs them.

12.3 Scheduled Posts

Scheduled Posts lets you review content waiting to publish. You can edit a scheduled post, publish it immediately, or delete it before publication.

12.4 Notifications

Ministry Feed sends notifications for comments, prayers, connection requests and accepts, new followers, mentions, scheduled posts, and other activity relevant to you. The bell icon in the header shows everything in one place, and unread counts help you keep up. You can adjust which categories you receive by opening Notification Preferences from your account menu and turning off the types you do not need.

12.5 Timezone

Your account menu includes a timezone setting. Keep this accurate if you schedule posts or participate in events across regions.

12.6 Referrals

Referrals lets you bring people to Ministry Feed and get recognized for it. Open Referrals from the Explore menu or your account menu to find your invite link, see how many people visited and joined, and view the referral leaderboard.

• Copy your invite link and share it with people who would benefit from Ministry Feed.
• When someone joins through your link, you receive referral credit.
• Use Share → Copy My Link on any public Ministry Feed page to generate an attributed link that carries ?via=yourname.
• Stats track People Visited, Members Joined, and Active Members — members who completed onboarding and took a meaningful action.
• Bring in 5 or more active members to earn the Referrals badge on your profile.

A Christian network still needs clear boundaries, discretion, and ordinary digital wisdom.

13.1 Public versus private

Assume public posts can be read, shared, or remembered by people beyond the immediate conversation. Use private prayer, Messages, or offline communication when the situation does not belong in a public Feed.

13.2 Protect other people's information

• Do not post confidential counseling details.
• Do not publish children's information or images without appropriate permission.
• Do not expose sensitive mission-field locations or vulnerable people.
• Do not copy private Messages into public posts without permission.
• Do not post another person's prayer request more widely than they intended.

13.3 Report versus disagree

Reporting is for harassment, scams, impersonation, threats, abusive commercial behavior, serious sexual content, and other genuine safety or covenant concerns. It is not a tool for winning theological or ministry-method disagreements.

13.4 Commercial behavior

Service providers can participate, but Ministry Feed should not be treated as a list of prospects to harvest. Publish useful content, answer questions, and respond to real interest. Avoid scraping, bulk unsolicited DMs, or repeated sales pressure.

13.5 Healthy use

Use the same platform differently depending on the relationship you are trying to build.

14.1 Church member

• Follow your Church and ministry leaders.
• Use Prayer Wall.
• Connect with people you actually know.
• Discover Christian media and ministries.
• Save resources worth returning to.

14.2 Pastor or Church staff member

• Complete a clear ministry profile.
• Add your Church or organization information to your profile where available. If your Church has an unclaimed profile, use "Claim this Church" to verify your role and take ownership of the page.
• Share sermons, events, questions, updates, and prayer needs.
• Use Actions for real next steps such as Watch the Sermon or Register.
• Follow other Pastors and Church leaders without treating the network as a comparison game.

14.3 Missionary or missions leader

• Share field updates with appropriate discretion.
• Use prayer posts intentionally.
• Create private prayer requests when public details would be unwise.
• Follow other missionaries and organizations.
• Use Actions for prayer, learning, or support when appropriate.
• Protect children, vulnerable people, and sensitive locations.

14.4 Director of Missions / associational leader

• Follow Churches and Pastors you actually serve.
• Connect with other associational leaders.
• Use Baptist-related discovery and Association Pulse content.
• Claim your Association Pulse appearance when invited.
• Use Guest Network to keep relationships with other guests moving.
• Share association updates without implying authority over autonomous Churches.

14.5 Christian speaker or author

• Use your headline and bio to explain your actual speaking or ministry focus.
• Claim podcast appearances such as Inspire Your Audience when invited.
• Connect books and media to your profile where available.
• Use Guest Center and media tools to make your appearance easy to share.
• Build relationships with Churches and ministry leaders rather than treating every contact as a booking lead.

14.6 Podcast guest

• Claim your appearance.
• Correct your profile information.
• Open the Episode page and share the Ministry Feed version.
• Use Guest Center to find your appearances and other guests.
• Respond to people who continue the conversation around the episode.

14.7 Organization manager

• Keep organization information accurate.
• Invite only people who should have organization access.
• Publish as the organization only when the content represents it.
• Use Events, Discussions, Impact Stories, and pinned prayer selectively.
• Follow up relationally when people engage with the organization.

14.8 Fundraiser organizer

• Be specific and honest about what the funds will cover and who they will serve.
• Post regular Updates so supporters can see progress and pray intelligently.
• Use prayer posts alongside the fundraiser to invite spiritual participation, not just giving.
• Share the fundraiser link with your existing circle first; do not spam strangers or cold-DM members.
• Protect the dignity of the people the fundraiser serves in every photo, story, and update.
• Close out the fundraiser with a final praise or impact update when the goal is met or the season ends.

You can learn the platform without turning it into another daily obligation.

Most problems are about identity, permissions, privacy, or finding the right place.

17.1 I want to...

17.2 Glossary

17.3 Final recommendation

The best way to get value from Ministry Feed is not to use every feature. Use the parts that strengthen real relationships: complete your identity, follow intentionally, participate in substantive conversations, pray for people, save what matters, message when private follow-up is appropriate, and take Actions when a post gives you a meaningful next step.