Pastor Keith Anderson recently blogged about his church’s new practice of putting up a slide on his church’s screen encouraging people to post on different social networking platforms that they are at church.
What this is encouraging is making church, our Christian disciplines, an ordinary part of our regular lives just like you update on other events during the week. It is another way of spreading information about your church. Evangelism. Of being inserted into the 21st century.
If your church uses a pew-sheet rather than a screen, a similar notice can be put on that. If your church encourages silence and switching off cell phones as you come into the worship space, you could encourage people to update after the service – with a similar notice to that effect.
Pastor Keith: “Thanks to this little slide our social media engagement has exploded.”
What does your church do to engage with 21st century social media?
I can see the headlines now…
“Pastor implicated in spate of Sunday burglaries”
“Alarming trend: rise of the church-stalkers”
LOL! Jesse. I am one to always caution people’s online information – for those who do not give away when they are at any other place: well spotted. Blessings.
Store not up treasure upon earth where moths and rust doth corrupt and thieves break in and steal… 😉
Meanwhile, we have a sign at our church:
“God may be calling you! But probably not on your cell phone. Please turn it off or to silent during services.”
Thanks, Peter. I think you point (for me at least) to a whole other very important thread – our culture’s addiction to the cell phone. This manifests from a couple, acquaintances, or friends not making (previously normal) conversation (light or deep) at a cafe, to, as you highlight, even time set aside to be totally in the presence of the Creator of the Universe. I think Pastor Keith’s encouragement still has a point: if one normally would tweet arriving at a cafe (then I might encourage you after that to leave the cell phone alone while you were with your partner, acquaintances, or friends), then, church being integral to your life, you might tweet similarly as you arrive for worship – and then as you suggest, switch it off. What do you think? Blessings.