Real Community

        

I have a confession- I am a techno-nerd.  I love easy access to information, the ability to keep up with friends and post comments to social media that make people think and perhaps even point them in God’s direction.

As I’ve watched the American church’s response to the ever growing impact of social media, I’m starting to sense that we have embraced it a bit too much. 

Here are some of the issues with social media that I see are having a horrible spiritual impact, and believe me, I’m horribly guilty of every point-

1. The ability to hide behind a profile- we put up a façade to the world that looks great, but is not an even close representation of who we really are.  It’s the equivalent of airbrushing a picture to take out the undesirable features and project only the good.  The problem with masks is the same problem the Phantom of the Opera faced- they will eventually fall off and people will be shocked to see what was behind it.
2. On the flip side of that coin, many people engage in conversations, or post things that they would never say in person or in public at all.  Much of what happens on Facebook or other social media is spiritually destructive and not God honoring at all.  For some reason people throw aside restraint when typing on a keyboard or staring at a screen,  particularly when it comes to being downright nasty and rude. 
3. It allows us to have a sense of relationship, but on our terms and on our schedule.  That is not relationship- it is narcissism cloaked in a false sense of community.
4. It creates an addiction to attention.  We constantly log in to see who has liked our status, or see what our friends have said so we can comment.  This is gathering attention to yourself (see the definition of worship!).
5. Spiritual leaders can be just as guilty (this one in particular)- we substitute actual face to face time with the people we serve and lead with a snippet of electronic conversation (and I include phone text messaging in that) and are lulled into a sense of being authentic shepherds.  Even worse, we directly confront bad behavior online, instead of actually being face to face with a person so they can see our heart and be influenced by the Holy Spirit’s presence in us.

Authentic Christian culture is meant to be lived face to face.  “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”  (Prov 27:17).  This scriptural principle tells us that we are all perfected into the image of Christ by actually being around each other.  We have to guard against the temptation toward the easy.  You don’t pet iron into shape for usefulness.  You heat it up, bang on it, hammer it, cool it, reheat it, and start over again.  That can’t be done through a keyboard- you need to get up close and personal with it.

Is it any wonder why the church is so anemic in this country?  Is it any wonder why there is so little spiritual discernment among God’s people?  We’ve traded the hard course of authentic community for the easy way of posting/texting a comment.  We (I most of all!) all need to repent of our selfishness and self centered lifestyle, and turn back toward Jesus and let Him and His word define how we live.

Does that mean all social media is bad?  No, but we to guard ourselves into thinking a post on a computer is anything close to what God wants for His people.  

Make up your mind to pursue honest and authentic relationships.  Use Facebook/Twitter or whatever social media you have to proclaim God’s greatness, and then turn it off and spend some time with His people.

Prayer thought-

Lord Jesus, remove the blinders from my eyes and show me the cost of following you.  Help me to discern the right, and refuse that which does not honor you or is effective for advancing your Kingdom on earth.    For your glory and name, Amen.