SHOULD CHURCHES GO INTO SOCIAL MEDIA?

I love the latest June-July 2012 issue of Asian Beacon with the theme on Social Media where many views and facets have been presented.

I like especially what Pastor Kenneth Chin shared: "Social media is not a substitute for human contact in ministry. There is this thing about one-on-one interaction – the human touch, the care and compassion shown while crying together with a hurting person that is irreplaceable."

Church leaders should emulate ACTS church which has moved much into social media. Its potential to reach youths is immense. Reach the young tech-savvy people through the medium they are familiar with. *

A young boy was considering suicide. When he found out through social media about an event at ACTS church, he came to church, gave his life to Jesus and said he wanted to carry on living.


Social media stretches the finances and manpower of the church. But when it comes to changing lives, or snatching lives from the brink of destruction, we have to ask ourselves: "Is going into social media too heavy a price to pay?" After all, “How do you put a value on that?” Pastor Kenneth asks, referring to this boy who was saved.

To know more, get the June-July 2012 issue of Asian Beacon from MPH stores or your church. The above story is found in Pages 12-13: THE CHURCH THAT CONNECTS.

Pastor Kenneth’s views concur with what I shared in Page 7 and 8 of the same issue that we should use social media wisely and why we should not fail to nurture friendships on a face-to-face basis.

http://limpohann.blogspot.com/2012/04/making-connections-that-matter.html 

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Footnote:

Paul’s ability to adapt to the hearers *

 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.  To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.  To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).