The following excerpt was written by Kris Beckert on October 21, 2020 as part of a blog entry for the Missio Alliance entitled The Church’s Social Dilemma. In it she refers to the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma and the issues of technology and Social Media on our lives.
She identifies 4 areas that the church can be aware of when using technology and Social Media as tools to reach an increasingly online world…
It Leads Somewhere in Real Life
A tool helps you get somewhere — it isn’t the “somewhere.” The way we use social media and online platforms as a tool leads someone toward a face-to-face encounter, next step in their discipleship, or action — not to another view, read, or scroll. What are you counting every week? What is your goal? Are you posting things that are meant to be consumed or intentionally lead somewhere, offline? Are you connecting digitally to avoid connecting IRL — in real life?
It’s a Supplement, not a Substitute
Gone are the days of handing someone a Bible — you just help them download an app. When a tool, technology is useful and can put people in touch and things at our fingertips that can help our growth in Christ. But while many would agree “the church is not the building,” would we also agree “the church is not the platform?” Just as COVID exiled us from our buildings, if we were exiled from social media and digital platforms, would we still be able to do ministry and share the love of Christ? One of the facades of a digital presence is to appear connected but be more isolated than ever. Do we know our neighbors and have real relationships with people in our vicinity, our schools, community services, and businesses? Or have Facebook events and broadcasts actually cut us off from our neighbors?
It Helps us Draw Boundaries
Social media and technology beckon our attention 24/7. During the film credits, numerous individuals give tips on how to keep it in the toolbox, including turning off notifications, deleting apps, and not giving kids smartphones until high school. We can help our congregations and neighbors by creating waves of positive influence in these areas. We can include fasting from social media as part of the fasts of the church calendar and church life. What are some creative ways your church could help families and individuals keep technology in the toolbox?
It Challenges Where we Think Real Life is
Scripture teaches us how human beings have always been in search of transcendence. Instead of looking toward the gifts created by our own hands as a way of pointing us toward our Creator, we get stuck in our fascination with the creation. And immersing ourselves in that “thing” leads to corruption of the “thing,” using the creation for that which it was never intended to do. Where is your real life? Where is your children’s real lives? Where is your church’s real life? And what is it you may be trying to escape from?
Some thought provoking questions that I’m sure we can all grapple with over the coming weeks
Blessings 🙂
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