Emily Hope Morgan (@PresbyEmily) shared with a group her journey into social media and how that may or may not affect the church. The question posed is how can churches and pastors really use Twitter or Facebook.
Mostly it’s a tool to connect with colleagues, friends, members, according to Andy James (@andyjames). Emily shared that pastoral care is happening more and more via social media as people seem more comfortable posting concerns online than sharing in person.
More and more people, often younger folk, are using social media it as a substitute for face to face social interaction, but to expand their connection to others, whether known or not. Is the generation gap expanding and contracting at the same time? As the social media world changes dramatically and quickly, more older people are trying to engage.
So, how does your church use social media? Does it work or have there been problems? What does it mean to be a religious community in an age when more interaction is happening online than in face? Is it increasing communication, or is it creating isolated islands of sameness as folks congregate online in secluded groups behind passwords and locks?
Here at the General Assembly YAADs have created private networks where they can communicate across the assembly without anyone else knowing what they’re saying. The question remains: is this helpful or does it isolate them more without realizing it?
I ask these things not to make a statement but to really ask. I imagine there are pluses and minuses.