Media Outreach

I’ve been working with my church’s junior high youth group for a little over a month now. Every Wednesday night, we have “Community Groups,” where we focus on building community as the believers did in Acts 2:42-47.

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

For my group of 6th grade girls, this is the first time they’ve been in a community group and really have very little understanding of what community is. In fact, since most of them are not even on Facebook, yet, I am having to come up with ideas on how to “connect” with them. *sigh*- What did we do before Facebook and cell phones?

As social media has grown and church leaders are using it to connect with their congregations, I think it’s important to remember that social media is only a tool. There have been several occasions where I’ve caught myself thinking that I’m more involved with church than I really am. All on the basis that I get the Facebook group updates about events in my church. Do I participate in these events? Depends. But whether I do or not, I tend to have this sense of having participated just because I know what’s going on.  It’s kind of like people who watch TV feel like they have more friends than they really do.

Interesting concept.

My thoughts as a church attendee- Make sure you’re connected not only in the cyber world, but also in the physical world. Don’t rely on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Myspace…etc.) as “Community” but think of it is as a community group tool. Use it to connect throughout the week, but don’t use it in place of being involved in your community.

Photo by WoodleyWonderWorks