{"id":578,"date":"2010-05-17T13:15:32","date_gmt":"2010-05-17T13:15:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sharefaithblog.wpengine.com\/?p=578"},"modified":"2011-02-08T20:31:54","modified_gmt":"2011-02-08T20:31:54","slug":"church-sundays-social-media-helps-stay-connected-congregation-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sharefaith.com\/blog\/2010\/05\/church-sundays-social-media-helps-stay-connected-congregation-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Church Is Not Just for Sundays \u2013 How Social Media Helps You Stay Connected to Your Congregation Throughout the Week"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>If we understand that \u201cchurch\u201d doesn\u2019t refer to brick and mortar, and \u201cSunday\u201d isn\u2019t the only day that spiritual activity can happen, it ought to change the way we live. One aspect that it may change is the level of connectivity that we have with the other people in the church. Social media is one way to release the church from its brick and mortar shell, and break the mold of Sunday as the only day on which the church interacts.<\/p>\n

A Look Backwards<\/strong><\/p>\n

When we think of \u201cchurch\u201d today, images of large buildings, a steeple or two, and perhaps a stained glass window may come to mind. No such images come to mind when you think \u201cearly church.\u201d There\u2019s a reason. The early church was less about buildings than it was about people. In fact, the building as an attendant manifestation of \u201cchurch\u201d wasn\u2019t becoming an issue until the 3rd century A.D. Before that time, \u201cchurch\u201d was probably happening in homes. Church was probably also a local event, not requiring a lengthy commute. Local neighborhood assemblies most likely constituted the church, and people lived, worked, shopped, and interacted in the area of the city in which they attended church. Thus, fellowship, interaction, and community were fostered almost without trying. (See Acts 2:42-47 for more about the early church.)<\/p>\n

Present-Day Assessment<\/strong>
\nToday, house churches have given way to megachurches. Shared property (Acts 2:44) has given way to American-dream capitalism. Waling-distance churches are substituted for the 15-minute drive from the suburbs. Rubbing shoulders with fellow worshippers on a near-daily basis is replaced by daily interaction with one\u2019s work colleagues, country club golfers, and neighborhood friends. This is not a plea to return to the early church model. Obviously, the progress of 2,000 years of Christianity has provided some blessings. What is necessary is a tenacious grip upon biblical principles and practices\u2014fellowship and exhortation (2 Cor. 13:14; Gal. 2:9; 1 Tim. 4:13; Heb. 3:13; 10:25).<\/p>\n

Okay, that was a pretty long introduction, but hopefully it will help emphasize the point. The level of fellowship and interaction among church members today is probably scanty. Hopefully, your situation is different. Most people in a megachurch culture, in which church attendance is once weekly and subsequent fellowship is nearly nonexistent, need more fellowship. It\u2019s the biblical practice. Since we\u2019re not the First Church of Antioch, or one of the Community Churches of Jerusalem, we need some means of facilitating that fellowship.<\/p>\n

The Church Should Utilize Social Media, Not Merely React to It<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today, we have social media. The church is invested with the potential of utilizing social media for kingdom causes. Yes, there are dangers. Dangers lurk in every aspect of life (even in church), but that is no excuse to shelter ourselves and react negatively against its encroachment. Rather, it is a prerogative to advance and redeem. Social media has the remarkable potential for reaching into people\u2019s lives, and offering a level of fellowship that they may not have experienced before. Starting a church Facebook page, a blog, and a Twitter feed are simple and practical ways to stimulate fellowship and interaction.<\/p>\n

The Church Should Provide Opportunities for Fellowship Outside of Church<\/strong><\/p>\n

Social media is one such way to foster fellowship and interaction. Social media ought not be offered as a fellowship means as a substitute for other forms and modes of fellowship. Small group, church picnics, and other church groups are important. Social media is just one way that the church can enhance spiritual interaction among its members.<\/p>\n

If there is one command that we can call \u201cthe biggest command in the Bible\u201d it would be the command to love (Mt. 22:37; Mk. 12:30). Jesus repeatedly spoke about love, commanding it as identifying mark of believers (John 13:31-35). With the blessings of social media at our disposal today, we can and should use these channels as means to fulfilling the law of love.<\/p>\n

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If we understand that \u201cchurch\u201d doesn\u2019t refer to brick and mortar, and \u201cSunday\u201d isn\u2019t the only day that spiritual activity can happen, it ought to change the way we live. One aspect that it may change is the level of connectivity that we have with the other people in the church. 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