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COLUMBIA (WACH) -- First Baptist Church of Columbia’s television broadcast is seen my thousands across the Palmetto State but their reach doesn’t stop here.

Their just one of the many churches using Twitter and Facebook as tools to reach the masses.

“We've had conversations with people on our Twitter and Facebook page from Brazil, Europe. We've connected with lots of different people and we love talking to them about Christ,” says Janine Mikell, First Baptist Church.

Janine Mikell is the churches Director of New and Social Media. She was recently hired to help handle the churches growing following online.

She says their Twitter page gives them so many different opportunities to minister to a hurting community.

“We also tweet about songs, lyrics or just people getting baptized. We try to take screenshots and upload those to Facebook, Twitter so people can see something rather than just read it,” says Mikell.

First Baptist is not alone, another churches like Bibleway of Atlas Road has a twitter account.

D'nar Young manages the churches youth twitter page.

“In service if I hear Pastor Jackson highlight a specific topic, I’ll shoot it up on the page and we’ll get various amounts of retweets, replies, comments and just dialogue back and forth with the youth,” says D’Nar Young, Bibleway Church.

But even with churches establishing themselves on the social media stage some worry about the disadvantages.

“We have experienced the sight drop in attendance due to having our services air live over the internet,” says Andrea McCoy, BibleWay Church.

And it doesn’t stop there the economy is also playing a factor.

“Especially with the cost of gas alot of people are now turning to the internet to watch the services live,” says McCoy.  

Despite the choices by some McCoy says Bibleway church leaders are still utilizing the online platform because it helps to bring the theme for the church alive this year which is, outreach.

“In terms of spreading the gospel each week we post a teaser to our Facebook page as well as our Twitter page,” says McCoy.

As for Janine and First Baptist..

“We were designed to need fellowship. I think that nothing can replace being here on Sunday mornings,” says Janine Mikell.