Confessing My Facebook Sins

I'm not Catholic, but this is funny no matter who you are.

HT: Catholic Memes

Face and Book

HT: Ed Stetzer

Get On-Line...But Don't Be A Jerk About It

10 Tips for Christian Leaders Who Don’t Want To Become Self Promoting Jerks Online - By Mark Sayers

Social Networking can be a fabulous tool for leaders to advance the kingdom. However like so many other things it can also lead us into dangerous territory if unexamined.

Below are some tips on how to use social networking well in our celebrity obsessed, image based culture without falling into the sin of pride. I have probably broken several at times, but hopefully they will be of help to you.

1) Avoid being a fame-vampire. Just because you had coffee with someone well known doesn’t mean that you have to tweet about it. We tend to do this because sub-consciously believe that if we broadcast the fact that we are associating with someone well known, that their fame/influence will rub off on us.

Would you be willing to tweet that you just met with a person who had no influence or social capital?

2) Don’t add to the Hubbub. We live in a culture of incredible distraction. Just because we can broadcast to thousands the first thought that comes into our head doesn’t mean that we have to. Just communicate the important stuff.

By refraining from the cacophony you just might give others space and silence. Is your broadcasting of the mundane robbing others of the silence they need to encounter God?

3) Real life Followers>Online followers.

4) Platform never beats spiritual authority. Lot of people talk about platform these days. Platform sells books, generates hits and followers and results in speaking requests. However platform doesn’t always equate with spiritual authority.

You can have a massive platform with little spiritual authority, and you can have significant spiritual authority and a terrible Klout score.

5) Promote resources not yourself. Beware the thin line between selling books, resources, events, Churches, others you wish to champion, ministries you believe in and selling yourself.
Do your social networking patterns push people towards resources that will build up their faiths, or are you allowing some of the glory to bounce off onto you?

6) Avoid humblebrags. Don’t ever use the hashtag #humbled. My friend Amy said to me the other day that if someone uses the hashtag #humbled there is a 90% chance they are bragging.
We know deep down that social networking naturally tilts towards self promotion, so we try and self promote whilst trying to be humble, check out the humblebrag feed on twitter to see why this approach doesn’t work.

7)Ask the dangerous question ‘why?’ Before posting always ask yourself ‘why am I posting this instagram pic/tweet/status update?’ Deeply search your heart for your true motivations. If you struggle with this find a social networking accountability buddy who will ask you the tough questions.

8) Take breaks. Take regular technology sabbaths. This is one of the best ways to ensure that you keep social networking as a tool rather than an idol.

9) Be Patient with God. God will advance your ministry if he so desires in His good time. Just because we live in a time where it is easy to push our own carts does not mean that we need to. Both the bible and history is littered with the tragic tales of people whose influence exceeded their spiritual development.

10) Track your time. Keep a track of how much time you are devoting to social networking. Not just in real minutes and hours but also in mental energy. Do you find yourself thinking about what you could say online when you are even off line? Are you robbing your family, friends and neighbours of your complete presence and attention? Sit down and plan how much time you wish to spend a week online and stick to it.

If Joseph and Mary Had Used Facebook....

 HT: Igniter Media,  The Master's Table

The Journey Continues on Facebook

All the content from this blog can also be found on Facebook. Just "like" The Journeyman's Files page... and you don't even have to "friend" me to read it.
   

Checking Messages

Worth a Look

Some links worth a look:

Why Doesn't God Always Heal the Sick? - Sam Storms

Warning About Fake Facebook Pages Asking for Money

Is God's Presence Limited to Scripture? - Rachel Held Evans

Church Should be a Taboo Free Zone

Friend Request

The Act of Contrition Via Internet

From politicalcartoons.com

Other Social Media Connections

Did you know you can access this blog on Facebook  -The Journeymans Files.? Yes you can! I'm also on Twitter @bg_simmons.

Love to see you there also

Journeyman on Facebook

You can also follow this blog on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/TheJourneymansFiles?ref=hl

Would love to see you there also!

Don't Believe Everything You Read on the Internet!

There is a quote supposedly from C.S. Lewis currently circulating on Facebook, Twitter and some blogs that says ”You do not have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.”

When I saw the quote, my first thought was that it did not sound like C.S. Lewis at all. My second thought was that it's not Biblically accurate, no matter who said it. The Bible looks at human beings as unified souls and bodies, and to be without the body is to be unclothed (see 2 Corinthians 5:1-5). Hence, God's promise of new resurrection bodies.

Saw today confirmation that this quote is not from Lewis at all, but from George MacDonald. See Mere Orthodoxy and Justin Taylor for more details and proof.

Oh, and Francis of Assisi also never said “Preach the gospel; use words if necessary." Totally apocryphal.

This shows that you can't trust everything that you read on the Internet. As Abraham Lincoln said (and he would know) "The problem with quotes on the Internet is you can never be sure the guy didn't just make it up!" 

Turnout Reality

Hat Tip: The Thinklings

Remember the Outernet?

Hat Tip: Vitamin Z

Facebook Transparency

Hat Tip: Shaun Groves

I'm Not the Center

Read an interesting post from Tim Chester this morning about the danger of Facebook narcissism, how Facebook (and other social media) allow us "to recreate my image and my world through my words to gain approval." But buried in the discussion of that problem was this gem about finding true identity in Christ.

Am I trying to do self-identity or am I finding identity in Christ? Or, Am I looking for approval from others through my words or approval from God through his gospel word?

The gospel of Jesus says that Jesus recreates me in the image of God and Jesus is recreating the world. God’s kingdom is extended as his word is proclaimed.

•      Jesus recreates me – not me
•      Jesus recreate me in God’s image – not my image
•      Jesus recreates the world – not me
•      Jesus recreates God’s world – not my world
•      Jesus creates God’s world with God at the centre – not me at the centre
•      What creates and recreates are God’s word – not my words

It is these truths that enable me to be truly human, fit for the purpose for which I was created. And this is what liberates me from self-obsession to enjoy the goodness and grace of God. Knowing the real God is better than Facebook.

Tim used the British spelling "centre", but I still get his point.  I'm not the center, Jesus is the center. It's less about bringing God down into my story; It's about bringing me up into His story. Amen to all that!

Friend Request

The Facebook concept has invaded all parts of life. Better not ignore this one!

Hat Tip: Vitamin Z

New Facebook Page

I've set up a new Facebook page for this blog. This is an experiment, and I do not know if it will work or if I will keep it.

Let me know what you think!

The Writing on the Wall

Biblical reference: Daniel 5:1-6,25-30

Hat Tip: Ron Brackin

Back Off

Okay, this cute picture has been all over Facebook recently, but, over-exposed or not, It is still totally true.