Originally Brent sent an email response to “What Twitter Can’t Do for My Church“. I thought his comments needed to have more room and asked if we could turn his response into a post. He graciously agreed and here we are ! – Craig Littlejohn Media Outreach
As a leader of a video ministry, I am aware of the lure for techno-geeks such as myself to be fascinated with video, photography, computers and other electric gadgets.
Yet, I have learned that in approaching any project where I utilize a passion I have acquired, I must always be careful not to let the passion get in the way of the project.
We need to be cautious of when our service to God is so much on our terms that it no longer requires sacrifice or commitment.
Example: when I stay up all night supposedly doing God’s work, am I really sticking with it solely for the sake of the calling or because of the enjoyment of working with the media? Does staying up all night result in me being too tired the next day to attend to the needs of others?
Therefore, I have learned to always be aware of what profits me in any and all ventures and projects I undertake, examining any underlying motives for anything I become involved in, and to stay painfully aware of keeping my focus on Christ, rather than using Christ to justify my focus on self and the things my flesh loves.
The Biblical admonition that “we are to be in the world and not of the world” is not saying that we can’t utilize technologies and mediums developed in the world. We simply are always to be guarded against anything taking the primary focus away from Jesus Christ.
The most successful enemy of the best is not the worst; it is the second-best when it draws attention to itself from the best.
As we bring ministry to those that are lost; and edification to those that are growing in Christ, we must stay consciously and constantly centered on the Word of God, with preeminence always upon Christ.
In light of this, I don’t see any positive benefit for using Twitter during a worship service. A sermon that is used to teach the Word of God to the congregants is not in need of their input. Also, will people be tempted to go elsewhere using their electronic devices whenever the sermon hits a lull, or the preacher starts speaking about things which are uncomfortable?
God’s Word is not a book of suggestions or a manual on human relations (though it does contain great insights into human interactions). It is God’s Word to man, His revelation concerning His will, and His desires for us. With this in mind, we must always be watchful to keep our focus on what God’s Word has to say to us and not be distracted by anything that can draw attention away from it.
Technology has the ability to preempt, preoccupy, and therefore predominate. How easily we get sidetracked and end up doing the wrong thing for the right reason. The Pharisees fell into this trap. It is easy to typecast these individuals simply as religious hypocrites. However, their major problem was that of letting the medium get in the way of the message and of allowing their own preoccupations to supplant God’s mandates (the most important thing become HOW they followed the law, the form – the delivery; as opposed to the law itself, the function – what was delivered). All of which eventually led to ego service, as opposed to God’s service. As we see the final ends of these individuals, we forget how they got there, we only concentrate of their doing things “to be seen of men,” never considering how they got to this state. We forget the fact that we all enjoy receiving attention from others; and to a Christian nothing feels better than others acknowledging our godliness. However, it must always be remembered that the effective sin is the small sin that takes our focus away from God.
In consideration of the Pharisees, we see Christ teaching in Matthew chapter 6 addressing the subjects of giving alms (acts of free will charity) , praying and fasting; He commands us to make sure they’re done in secret (giving in secret, going into your prayer closet, refusing to appear to be fasting), as an act of faith in God alone. This motivation is needed when we serve each other, pray or fast; and with everything that we do unto the Lord. Jesus did not give these instructions as a cure after the sin had matured, but as a form of prevention because given time anyone will fall victim to the temptation.
How many prayers do we hear that serve to bring guilt to the hearer, as opposed to petition to God? There is never a right reason for doing the wrong thing, and speaking to men through prayer is dishonest and an insult to God. How many pews have family names on them, how much credit comes from the pulpit for monies given. All of these started out with good intentions (?), or at least we can suggest so; yet it is when we do not exercise proper discernment which mandates diligence, that “the little foxes spoil the vines” (Songs of Solomon 2:15).
Therefore, it is for these reasons that utilizing technology must be done in caution (which again necessitates discernment ~ which is really what this issue is about1), and it is my belief that using Twitter during a worship service is the misuse of one of those technologies at an inappropriate time.
Brent L. Bolin, faithvideoministries.com
- 1. Judgment / Discernment Commanded ~ It is in realizing that many times judgment is demanded in God’s Word concerning the ability to “Watch, “or “Guard,” or in warnings such as: “Be not deceived,” the point is that the Bible is filled with admonitions to judge as seen in the following examples: Mark 4:24; Acts 20:28-30; Romans 16:17-18; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 2:4; 2:8; 2:18-19; I Corinthians 5:12,13; 6:2-5; 11:31;14:29; I Thessalonians 5:6; 5:21; II Thessalonians 2:1-4; I Timothy 4:16; 6:20-21; II Timothy 2:23-25; Titus 1:9; I John 4:1-3; and Jude 1:3. Judgment is even demanded many times in the Bible as seen in Christ’s command (“beware” in the Greek is in the imperative, which is a command) to believers to judge the behaviors (idiomatically referred to as fruit) of their spiritual leaders to affirm that they are not false prophets, as seen in Matthew 7:15-23. Jesus also commanded judgment in John 7:24, yet “righteous judgment,” which Biblically speaking is always according to God’s Word. The largest amount of text concerning judgment is the Biblical admonition to judge, which in comparison to those passages which speak against judging (because it is either in condemnation, which is reserved for God alone; or in condescension, which is based on pride, not love), are minimal, as seen in James 2:4; 4:11, 12. Or where conditions are required, such as: Matthew 7:1; or areas where judgment is not allowed due to an incorrect application (their interpretation of fulfilling the laws of Moses), such as: Mark 2:16-28; Romans 14:1-17; Colossians 2:16. Without judgment we have no ability to perceive danger when it is presents. This is why Jesus spoke so often about deception. The only protection against deception is God’s Word and its application as seen in proper Biblical judgment. Jesus repetitively warned: “Take heed that no man deceive you,” and “be not deceived,” as recorded in Matthew 24:4; Mark 13:5; Luke 21:8. As well as Paul and others warnings concerning deception as recorded in: John 7:24; Acts 20:28; Romans 16:18; I Corinthians 3:18; 5:1-13; 6:9; 15:33; Galatians 1:6-9; 6:3,7; Ephesians 4:14; 5:6; 5:11; II Thessalonians 2:3,10; 3:6; 3:14-15; Titus 1:10-16; II Timothy 2:15; 3:5-7; Hebrews 5:14, James 1:22,26; II Peter 2:14; I John 1:5, 8; 3:7; 4:1; II John 1:6-9; as well as the seven times that the word deceive is used concerning the Devil in the book of Revelation. Discernment is necessary for survival, physical as well as spiritual.
pic by zigazou76
August 14th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Brent… very thoughtful and insightful post. I definitely can read and hear your heart that Christ remains first in all things. To this I say "Yes and Amen"… but I think you may be throwing the baby out with the bath water (so to speak). While I would not suggest "tweeting" while the preaching is being done (I hold in high regard for the office and function of the preaching of the Word) I would suggest that afterwards would be a great place/ time to tweet. The best example I see of this being done is at http://www.marshillchurch.org/ with Mark and his team. After the sermon people are encouraged tweet their questions about the sermon and then Mark answers the questions of the cuff. IMHO this is an excellent example of redeeming technology for the purposes of Christ. It allows for the whole church to participate in furthering their understanding of Christ in a corporate manner.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Anivus, I'm sorry for not getting back to you sooner, I thought that I was signed up with subscribe to replies, which apparently I wasn't. Excellent point concerning Mark’s utilization of Tweeter regarding questions concerning a sermon. This sounds like an excellent example of utilizing this tool for ministry in a way that no other tool might work as well. After presenting a sermon or making a presentation, I would love to have the opportunity to explain things that sometimes either I complicate, or lack proper clarity on, and utilizing twitter this way is a perfect remedy. This also gives a teacher the opportunity to advance further on any subject or offshoots, and as a teacher I love the possibilities that this presents. You and I couldn't agree more on this subject, thank you very much for your comments. Brent
August 19th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Brent, I really appreciate your post. I think my takeaway from your post is the high place that the word of God should have. While a conversation may be going on, that conversation is not superior to the ultimate authority of God's word and God's presence. Twitter, in and of itself, is not bad. But Twitter can create very self centered thinking. So harnessing its use for the kingdom takes wisdom. Thanks for your thoughts and making me think more.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Tony, your takeaway was exactly the point I was trying to make. Having specialized in the criminal justice system in addressing substance abuse, the first issue is always out of denial. And part of the problem that people have in our current day and age is denial concerning personal responsibility as compared to self-centeredness. Probably the greatest amount of denial is found in the rationality utilized in our culture that, “the ends justify the means.” Many of our biggest action adventure movies are based upon this premise, there's always a right reason to do the wrong thing. And it is this form of denial which Satan has a field day with. Another one he loves is to replace the first with the second. The problem with both of these types of rationalization is that they look good on the outside. And whereas technical tools can be such a blessing, it is with caution that we should utilize anything for God's kingdom. Thank you for your comment. bb
October 10th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Brent, You say above, "…as I am a sinner through and through…" How do you reconcile that statement with 1 John 3:6, "No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him"? Or verse 9 which says, "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's nature abides in him…"? Or Heb. 10:26: "If we deliberately keep on sinning after having a knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left…"?
Rachel
October 15th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Rachel, excellent question. Good catch in my attempt to maintain some type of humility after boasting, it appears I went too far in stating my own fallen nature. The book of First John was written to believers (1 John 5:13), 1 John 1:8, says: “if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” The Greek words: "we have" (echo) is in the: present tense, meaning it is: A Continuous Action – Never stops ~ active voice, meaning: The Subject (person) Causes the Action ~ indicative mood, meaning it is: A Mood of Certainty – A Reality ~ first-person, meaning it: Applies to the Speaker & all ("I"/"We") ~ plural number, meaning it: Applies to All. So what we plainly see from this verse is that every one of us, including John, will continue to sin throughout our life, in fact to say otherwise is a sin (1 John 1:10 ~ “sinned” is in the perfect tense in the Greek, in spite of being in the past tense in the English). Concerning Hebrews 10:26, things are what they look like, if you wish to e-mail me I will send you a long explanation which makes it clearer. blb@lcdc.info. Thanks, bb
October 15th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Rachel, Concerning 1 John 3:6, the idea is one of “the habit of sin,” “the lifestyle of sin, which the unbeliever lives.” The Greek linguistic expert, Archibald Thomas Robertson (in agreement with Vincent), wrote concerning this verse: Sinneth not (ouch hamartanei). Linear present (linear meno?n, keeps on abiding) active indicative of hamartano?, “does not keep on sinning.” For meno? (abide) see 1Jo_2:6; Joh_15:4-10. Whosoever sinneth (ho hamartano?n). Present (linear) active articular participle like meno?n above, “the one who keeps on sinning” (lives a life of sin, not mere occasional acts of sin as hamarte?sas, aorist active participle, would mean). Hath not seen him (ouch heo?raken auton). Perfect active indicative of horao?. The habit of sin is proof that one has not the vision or the knowledge (egno?ken, perfect active also) of Christ. He means, of course, spiritual vision and spiritual knowledge, not the literal sense of horao? in Joh_1:18; Joh_20:29.
October 15th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Warren Wiersbe’s states: “John gives several reasons why Christ was made manifest: (1) to reveal the Father & enable us to fellowship with Him, 1Jn 1:2-3; (2) to take away our sins, 1Jn 3:4-5; (3) to destroy (annul) the works of the devil, 1Jn 3:8; & (4) to reveal God’s love & bestow God’s life, 1Jn 4:9. The fact that sin resulted in Christ’s suffering & death ought to be reason enough for the Christian to hate sin & flee from it. John defines sin as transgressing the law. The Christian who abides in Christ (the fellowship of chaps 1-2) will not deliberately break God’s law. Every Christian sins, perhaps without knowing it (Psa 19:12); but no true Christian will deliberately & repeatedly defy God’s Word & disobey Him. 1Jn 3:6 ought to read, “Whosoever abides in Him does not habitually sin.” Eph 2:1-3 makes it clear that the unsaved sin constantly because they live in the flesh & for the devil. But the Christian has a new nature within & is no longer Satan’s slave.” Hope this helps, bb
October 16th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Rachel, Both the Hebrew and the Greek have their own particular differences which are utilized by God. The Hebrew (OT) is very poetic and necessitates many more English words in its translation due to the vagueness; and its ability to utilize puns, and many other rhetorical devices; which add color and nuances to the language beautifully. Whereas in comparison, the Greek (Koine) language (NT) is a very specific language; technical, efficient and effective for debate, philosophy, logic, and science. It takes many more English words to translate a single Greek word yet for a different reason than the Hebrew because of its specifically and exactness. It is a technical language that is very precise, far beyond the English. This is one of the closest to perfect languages in man's existence. Both of these languages are dead languages meaning that they do not change (which is great for us), whereas English is alive, always changing and therefore creates translation problems. If you check out our website, the “something to think about” page, this makes a little more sense.