About seven years ago, I read a book that encouraged its readers to look beyond surface problems to the root issues and seek answers there. Ever since, that’s what I’ve tried to do in my life: find the hidden issues that create the conditions on the surface. That’s why, when many have turned their hands to writing about social media strategy, I decided to write a book that looks more at social media theology and philosophy.
Too much gets added into our lives without much consideration?music, movies, books, television?we absorb so much without question, even more so thanks to social media. I could go on at great lengths about fake news, vaccine conspiracy theories, and the annoying posts about “Money Bags” every time a month has five weekends, but it’s more than that. We ingest post after post about our friend’s supposedly perfect lives, and their good news slowly begins to turn our stomachs as we compare our lives to theirs. And then, of course, there’s the fact that porn (sort and hardcore) is far more accessible thanks for a largely unfiltered feed of social media posts.
All of this should cause us to ask the purpose of social media and whether or not it can be redeemed. To be absolutely honest with you, I was largely absent from Facebook last month. I posted items occasionally, but I intentionally didn’t scroll. Mindless scrolling is the enemy of a well-lived, thoughtful life, and I needed a serious break. Even now, I stay away for extended stretches, and I’m finding that I feel better as a result. I don’t say this to encourage you to leave social media. Rather, I want you to be a conscientious, Christ-like user.
Social media has reached one of the highest levels of societal integration faster than any other technology in the modern era. This is dangerous: we have moved so fast to adopt and adapt to this new norm that we’ve never questioned what we might be risking. We cannot allow social media to become a ubiquitous part of our lives and ministries without attempting to ask and answer questions of the purpose, proper use, and redemption of social media.
Social media will be a major part of what defines the twenty-first century. If we’re going to live for Christ and advance His kingdom in this century, we’re going to need to take a look beneath the surface of social media. That’s why ChurchMag Press has released a new resource for you.
If you’d like to find out more about, The Social Christian: A Theological Exploration of Social Media, including how you can purchase a church-wide license, head over to ChurchMag.Press.
Whether you purchase the individual license, the church license, or don’t buy anything at all, ChurchMag and Cornerstone Church, where I am a minister, would like to offer you the audio recordings of my class at no charge. Why would we do this? Because we want to see social media become civilized, safe, and filled with the light of Christ.
Good luck as you look deep, beyond the surface of social media. May God illuminate it, and in so doing, may you be an example of how to have a social media presence that is filled with the presence of God.
