The Church and Social Networking Tools

The incredible rise of social networking tools on the Internet is a phenomenon that should not be ignored by the Church. Web 2.0 applications and dedicated Social Networking sites offer the church very real and very practical opportunities to share important information, make lasting contacts, establish virtual relationships, and coordinate missional activity on scales that go well beyond the local environment. For the first time ever, perhaps, we can share field stories, suggestions, tips, and successes in real-time without time or geographical borders or barriers. It is truly a remarkable phenomenon.

That said, social networking in the virtual realm will never - and can never - replace social networking and relationship building in the real-time world. Some may mistakenly think otherwise, but they would be hard pressed to cite an edifying virtual alternative that is authentically comparable to the building and experiencing of real-time relationships. There is something in face-to-face human encounters that acts as something of a prerequisite to authentic missional activity and living. Online Social Networking can and does in fact compliment the act of relating in real-time relationships, and it can even act as a catalyst that ultimately leads to more mature relationship building in real-time, but it can not and will not ever replace it. So, it is worth repeating: virtual exchanges compliment real-time relationships; they don’t replace them. Hold on tightly to this fact as you journey into the fruitful online social networking world to harvest all the fruit you can for the Kingdom of God.

There are a many, many ways to leverage social networking to compliment missional activity. The following only represent a few of these opportunities.

The most obvious being the ability to exchange information at lightning speed. The ability to do so should not be taken for granted. The exchange of information on the local level through e-mail, blog, CMS (Content Management Systems) application, and other web platforms can compliment community leadership and organization building through increased interaction and member exchanges that do not require a formal meeting in a physical location. Obviously, this can reduce the normal demands placed upon schedules, time, energy, and resources, and free us to concentrate on making new friends and building new relationships. Again, it should be noted, that just as online social networking will never replace real-time relationships, these virtual compliments to community building and organization will not render formal meetings and physical spaces obsolete, but compliment them in an edifying and practical fashion.

One of the best examples of a web platform that can be used to complimentary facilitate leadership and community building is Groopik, an online application for managers of small groups.

The benefit of online applications and social networking goes well beyond the local setting too. Laborers for the Gospel the globe over can now interact, communicate, share, and engage and pray for one another immediately through e-mail lists, blogs, and CMS applications. Larger events and/or conferences can now be planned completely online and targeted towards those who have been connected online. It’s quite remarkable. Movements within the Church can now be facilitated, planned, and experienced in real-time because of this ability to exchange, engage, and share virtually. Churches and church plants can work locally while a globally networked team watches on and prays like they never could before, simultaneously. This new ability is bearing real fruit.

Our church plant in Lancaster City is making use of this new virtual reality through the social networking phenom known as Facebook. We are benefited by the local and global interaction facilitated by this web platform. Local participants and a growing network of global friends, supporters, and prayer partners are members of our church plant’s Facebook page. We can share, engage, encourage, and pray together for our missional work in the city, while we watch the progress like we’ve never been able to watch it before! This is possible because of the opportunities facilitated by the rise of online social networking. These are fascinating days!

For more examples of online social networking platforms that your ministry can leverage for the Kingdom of God, check out: MyChurch, Xianz, HolyPal, ShoutLife, MyGodlyPlace, and Facebook.

Be creative! Search for new and cutting edge ways to connect and interact with the people locally and globally! The impact this local and global interaction, encouragement, and sharing has a way of enlarging vision. We all could use bigger vision, right?