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In 2012, CEO of Monk Development Drew Goodmanson said in a post by USA Today, "Jesus would not have a Facebook page. He wouldn't be stopping in an Internet café to update his status." But times have changed. You don't need an internet cafe to check out your Facebook page and social media has become more and more woven into everyday life.
The power and utility of social media is something that Christians can no longer ignore. A huge majority of the world is living out life via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, whether it's for news or entertainment, tapping into the latest trends, or keeping up with friends and loved ones.
A lot of organizations and people are using it, and that includes those who try to lead people away from Christ. Should we not then be jumping in to counter those measures?
In Jesus' earthly ministry, He would go where the people were – to the capital cities, the temple grounds, the wells, the weddings and the homes of distinguished people. It's likely that if He were alive today, He'd get into the social media sphere as well. However, here are a few pointers that would most likely set the tone for Jesus' social media use and how it should set the tone for us as well.
He wouldn't be on it the whole time
Social media can be extremely helpful for work, business and ministry, but it can also be counterproductive when it takes up the better part of our day. Jesus walked in the Holy Spirit and as 2 Timothy 2:17 says, walking in the Spirit means walking in "power, love, and self-discipline." We too are called to walk in these areas as we use social media as a productivity tool and not as a time waster that sucks our whole day dry of its true purpose and value.
He wouldn't let it define His ministry
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Because social media is such a free space for expression, unhelpful and unbiblical ideas are mixed up with God-honoring ones. And that means hate is a big part of social media. Just remember what Jesus received from the Pharisees, Sadducees in real life; the comments under Christian posts are not too different sometimes.
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We've all been recipient of life-draining comments and reactions – even sometimes from other Christians – but we shouldn't let them define our life and ministry. Philippians 4:8 tells us, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
He'd be connecting
Social media can be very un-social at times, but when used in the right way, it can actually boost the way we build relationships and connect with others. Jesus would have definitely loved that idea and capitalized on it, and we should too. That means sharing things that build others up and, of course, that point to Him.
He'd be supplementing, not replacing
Some have questioned whether social media may eventually replace face-to-face communications. While it's powerful, it's not that powerful. Social media is a great supplement to real-life relationships, but not a replacement of them. Jesus definitely wouldn't swap His disciples or the crowds for a solely social media-based following so we shouldn't either.
