Exploring the Use of Blogs and Social Media in Ministry
According to AVG, the Internet security firm, nearly 92% of children in the U.S have some type of online presence by the time they reach just 2 years of age. The young children either show up in articles and pictures in their mothers social net page or they have their very own site.
We are seeing the rise of a new phenomenon with the lives of people receiving full documentation on the Internet from the time they are born and even before.
Holidays present a number of unique opportunities for ministry on-line but also can bring on quite a few scheduling problems with added church and family commitments. Sometimes it is a balancing act.
Nevertheless, I have found that around Christmas time folks are looking for posts telling the Biblical story of the birth of Jesus. Then around Easter, articles about the Resurrection are very popular. These holidays give ministers an opportunity to reach people on-line with the gospel story like no other.
Here’s an interesting internet case. An 8th grade student was suspended from school for “cyber-bullying” and humiliating another student online in a YouTube video. Her parents took the school to court and last month a federal judge in Los Angeles ruled that the school had gone too far. Students do have a 1st Amendment right to be nasty in cyberspace. Implications for internet ministry:
Integrity and credibility are two issues that everyone online are going to be involved with one way or another. Whether you are writing a blog, publishing a website, or just reading and commenting. For the Christian blogger or social networker it should be absolutely crucial and obvious.
We really should be asking ourselves before we hit the ‘publish’ or ‘send’ button –How will this reflect upon who I say I am. If I am presenting myself as a Christian does it reflect favorably on Christianity or the church? Is this article, comment, or observation really reflective of what I want to do and be Online?
We have written about how the Internet is a new ‘Roman Road’ making it possible to reach the ‘unreachable’ all around the world. In the first century the roman roads made it possible for Christianity to spread quickly around the known world. Not only that but English is the dominant language (the new Greek) and many people around the world are becoming literate in it through its use on the Internet and in new media.
The First 11 tips:
1. Have something to say
2. Be specific
3. Choose simple words
