Going social with gospel truth

A bewildering social media and internet-connected revolution is reshaping the world and relationships, even how we think and act.

This Information Revolution has gathered a socially transformative pace unseen since the Industrial Revolution, thanks to smartphones, cloud computing, data mining and a global COVID-19 lockdown.

How should we 21st-century Christians engage with social media and the internet? I believe everyone should act as their prayerful conscience directs.

The LCA/NZ now shares great content on Facebook and Instagram and has expanded its YouTube output, such as live-streaming worship. Sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ is more important than ever. If you want to share something helpful, positive and irrefutably true on social media, share the truth – God’s word and his unfailing love through Christ for everyone.

Pandemic isolation has accelerated the whirlwind Information Revolution. As church we talk about reaching the lost in this short-term lockdown, and longer-term in that paradoxically interconnected, anxious and lonely world.

Acts reflecting Jesus’ kindness and love can bring love and community to those who badly need it. Let’s encourage one another to do a simple, loving act in person or online to shine Jesus’ truth and love in this strange new world.

Facebook reshaped what ‘friend’ means and gave us the terrible term ‘unfriend’. Nothing will shake the truth of Jesus’ permanent friendship with humanity.

The right question is not whether to use social media, but: How can I be the type of friend Jesus is and wants us to be? And, can I use technology to be such a friend in these challenging times?

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