Not about preaching from a one-sided pulpit.
For me, one of the greatest benefits of the social media, twittersphere, blogging world is not that we take for ourselves a platform that makes us known but that in it we find a means to make ourselves more accessible, better understood and, most importantly, accountable.
Posting on Facebook on any of the other social media sites is not about being 'down with the kids' or evangelising. In fact if the only reason you post on a social media site is to 'win' people then might I most respectfully* suggest that you stop it and go buy yourself a sandwich board and at least have some integrity.
We don't win people to Christ by posting trite stuff, nor do we do it by posting contextually isolated (and often confusing) passages in cyberspace**; we win people to Christ by making ourselves open, honest and transparent.
I post here because, as I have said many times, it is a place of reflection and internal dialogue with the added benefit of inviting others to offer correctives where they might be required and to enter into the dialogue that I might better understand, be better understood and perhaps (for those reading and especially for me) shine a light on the world of faith that is Christianity.
God became man and was found among the people He came to save. This is what blogging, twitter and social media offers us - an opportunity to be part of the people around us and to learn of their needs and to make ourselves known in the hope that the same Spirit that raised jesus from the dead, that IS in fact Jesus, who is present in us, might just shine out, like a diamond in the darkness of a mine, in the darkness of our lives.
So - a Plea - to all who engage in making themselves known across the many facets of the internet.
Do it with integrity
Think about who the focus is in your scribbles
Remember that once posted it is there for ever - even if you delete it!
Remember that Jesus and His bride, the Church, might well be judged by what you write and think before you post.
Pax
* Well, with as much respect as I can honestly garner that is!
** And to then render it in the King James version is double-folly and compounds your first silly act into something of gigantic proportions in my book!
3 comments:
Hi Vic, helpful post and I like the fact that you include the idea of being accountable.
Often people seem prepared to post things on the Internet (speaking generally not just about Christian "posters") which I doubt they would be prepared to say face-to-face.
So, as a friend, if you see me posting something which you think is not helpful or dishonouring to God please tell me.
Amen and amen.
Yes, think and pray before you hit that "Enter" key.
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