Facebook: Friend or Foe?

Christianity goes to Facebook...   

Yeah, it's true.  300 million people use Facebook today.  Isn't that more people than the entire population of the United States?  It's close.  

Social networking sites - especially Facebook - have changed the way that most people connect or relate with others.  On college campuses, Facebook is replacing that old dinosaur affectionately known as "e-mail."  Most organizations, businesses, and churches have set up and maintain Facebook pages that have replaced or expanded their websites.  

Though some have yet to take the plunge, Facebook is here to stay.  For many of you, this is old news and you have 300+ Facebook friends and wonder how you ever lived without it.  

Personally, I jumped in early as a way to connect with friends from High School (Northeast Ohio), College (North-Central Indiana), home church and family (Akron, OH), and our current home (Central Ohio - Delaware).  I relish the chance to stay connected with long-time friends and improve interaction with current friends.

As a pastor, I love being able to connect with people and ministries through Facebook.  Our church has a Facebook "fan page" for DGBC, where people can read updates, learn of current events, and post pictures. 

For Christians who embrace the Facebook way, I think Facebook presents both great opportunity and great need for caution. 

Opportunity on Facebook?  Absolutely.  It's one more way to be "salt" and "light" (Matthew 5:13-16) and represent Christ and our faith in a natural way with people in our lives.  It has become a way of connecting, caring, laughing, and socializing.  Some people interact through live chatting, through the e-mail message feature, or through discussions and status updates in real time.  All great features!

Caution on Facebook?  Yes.

People sometimes share too much information.  Is your personal life really everybody's business?  Even if just for your "Facebook friends," that could be more than they need or want to know.  The Facebook way threatens our rights and proper boundaries of privacy.

People sometimes post offensive words or pictures.  If you're trying to live the Christian life, but I see profanity, sexual comments, or angry outbursts on your information page or wall... then maybe you're not trying to live the Christian life.  Maybe you're living a double life. 

Note: If you claim to be a follower of Jesus, then people do notice when you contradict those claims with obviously non-Christian words, pictures, or attitudes...

People sometimes just post what they're doing at the moment.  Yes, on Facebook you get the joy of telling people what you had for lunch, or describing your experience at the mall.  Sometimes I read that and think it's funny, and just part of people expressing thoughts.  Other times, I wonder about why we need to share or broadcast or interact all throughout the day.  Maybe we don't.  Just something to think about. 


I think it's interesting that Facebook still has it's naysayers.  "I don't have time for that."  "I don't need to know who ate a donut."  "I'm too busy."  And that's fine.  Facebook isn't for everyone.

But it's still 300 million people, and most of the people you know.  They have accounts and pages which they look at - some do it weekly, and others by the hour.  Consider the words of Peter...

"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." (1 Peter 2:12)

Facebook is one of the best places to "live such good lives among the pagans..."  Around people.  Some who are close to God, and some who are far from God.

If nothing else, Facebook presents a revolutionary way to stay connected with people, which I think is very much a "love your neighbor" kind of thing.   And, just as any time you're around a group of people, be wise and use caution in word, action, and status update. 

Here is the Church....

(from a note I wrote a few weeks back, and was very inspired by people I know here in Delaware...)

Here is the church…Early in the morning, while it’s still dark, a man shows up early to shovel snow, throw down some salt, and unlock the doors.  Nobody really knows he’s doing it.  Yet it’s his personal act of worship.  He’s got a song in his heart as he serves the Bride of Christ and worships the King – with a snow shovel.

  

Here is the church…a group of friends hears about a couple who has struggled with some home repairs.  Four or five guys get together and say we want to help you remodel your house.  We’ll pay for it, we’ll put in the time and we know how to do it.  So they get together and volunteer hours and money and sweat.  They’ve got a song in their hearts as they serve their friends and worship the King.

Here is the church… three nights a week, guys meet in different homes to hang out, talk about sports and cars and work.  After a while, the conversation goes deeper and they start to talk about God and His Work in their lives.  They read the Bible together and ask questions and challenge each other to grow.  They pray for their marriages, for their kids, and for each other. 

Here is the church… every Sunday, a young couple volunteers their time to teach first graders in Sunday School.  They take a few hours that week to read and prepare and pray, but then they show up faithfully on Sundays and almost never get the credit.  They get the joy of seeing kids learn, ask questions, explore God personally, and tell their parents about Jesus. 

Here is the church... he doesn’t make much money and he never has.  But every month, he somehow sticks to his commitment to give back to God.  Sometimes he wonders if he can afford that check, but every time, God provides for his needs.  Friends at church have helped him out when he needed it most. 

     Here is the church… This is still the place where hurting people can find healing.  Where desperate people can find hope, and where broken people can find love.  Where any and all sinners are welcome, and all of us can find forgiveness and new life in Christ Jesus.  This is still the place – and we, the church, are still God’s people, for better or for worse… He’s committed to us… purchased us with His blood shed on the cross…

            We are still the people devoted to Jesus Christ…  We are devoted to Him… We pray, we serve, we give, we love, we stretch, we sacrifice, we depend, we persevere, we learn, we confess, we draw near….  We experience the power of God.    Here is the Church. 

Thoughts from Africa...

First of all, forgive me for not posting about Africa since the trip! 

Not a day goes by, though, that I am not seized by thoughts, impressions, memories, and lessons I've experienced in Africa.

This picture (left) is from our last full day in Bangui, when I got to spend much of the morning in Sakpa village.  Pastor Tizokoe and his wife are on right, and then the previous pastor's wife on the right end in yellow.  Hortence, our school teacher, is on the left in the picture.

If you want to hear the fresh memories and passion from my trip, I'd love for you to listen to the sermon I preached just two days after landing in Columbus.  Click here to listen. 

I may continue to use this blog as a journal... just sharing some random thoughts (and not-so-random ones) about what God's doing in my life and in the world. 

If you aren't currently involved in some way of helping people who are physically and spiritually poor, you are missing out, big time.  It's a great opportunity to really BE a follower of Christ... and a desperately-needed contribution to anyone in need. 

America is mostly financially blessed.  We have too much, and we hoard too much. 

Kids, parents, and grandparents really do suffer and die around the world because they can't get clean water, they can't get basic medications, or they can't get one good meal.  In my mind, I had heard that stuff before.  In my Africa journey, I came face to face with some of those people... some of those situations... some of those needs. 

One day, I believe we will all give account to God for how we lived our lives. What did we do with all the resources we've been given? 

Can we really be called a "Christian nation" when we've obsessed over our own freedoms and rights and happiness, while at least THREE BILLION people in the world live at or below the poverty level? 

Yeah, Africa has messed me up good.  I really hope to make some sort of difference...