Who doesn’t love social media?
Social media has become a part of our everyday lives. Like you, I am constantly updating my Facebook status, posting a photo on Instagram or publishing a Tweet for my followers on Twitter. Social media allows you to have an audience and it allows your voice to be heard.
Here is the question I want you to think about.
Do you post with a purpose?
Over the past couple of years, I have had to ask myself this same question. Does what I post make a difference? Does it spark a thought about something deeper and more meaningful? Let’s be honest, sometimes our status updates or Tweets can be so random that even you would keep scrolling down your own social media newsfeed.
I am reminded of what Jesus told His disciples before ascending into heaven. He gave them a crucial instruction that we can find in Matthew 28:19 which says;
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”
Can we do this on social media?
Absolutely!
There are a lot of people in this world today, but guess what, there are a lot of people on social media. Take a few moments and check out how many Facebook friends you have on your profile or the number of people who are following you on Twitter. They are following you for a reason. Are you giving to them something worth reading? Are they reading status updates or tweets about what kind of pizza you are currently eating, or are you allowing them to read something that has the potential to turn their lives around and give them a sense of hope?
The Gospel can change someone’s life, and when we begin to share the message of Christ on social media, then the Word of God is being exposed to those who have maybe never accepted Christ, or to those who perhaps walked away from the faith.
Let’s take a look at three questions that can change the way we post on social media.
Do you Post with a purpose?
Let’s be honest here and admit that some things that people post can get annoying fast. Like for instance, posting the same things and hardly ever posting anything new. The coffee you’re drinking, the problems you’re having at work or in school. You want to bring something new and refreshing to the social media world.
I am passionate about sharing the Gospel and I use social media as a platform to get that message out. I will tweet a scripture verse, an inspirational quote, and often times a thought provoking question that is going through my mind. What you have to say is important, so why not take the opportunity to share that message? Which then leads me to my next question.
Do you Post with Passion?
Who is your target audience and what do you want to say to them? Are you finding that you are tweeting random things, or are your posts showing your passion? Think of the last conversation that you had with someone. I’m sure at some point in that conversation you talked about something that you were passionate about. Maybe it was theology, the last sermon that you listened to, or you went on for a long period of time talking about your dog. Whatever you’re passionate about, why not do that on social media? Ask questions, ignite a thought, and get the conversation started. Lastly, I want to touch on the heart of using social media to proclaim the Gospel.
Do you Post to proclaim the Gospel?
When Jesus told His disciples to “Go and make disciples….” He was telling them to do what they needed to do to get that message out there. The founder of The Salvation Army, General William Booth once said; “Go for souls. So straight for souls, and go for the worst.” Maybe at one point in our lives, we can reflect the worst in ourselves, our old self. There is a lost and hurting world, yes, even on social media, and you can be that light to shine forth and pierce the darkness with that one Facebook update or tweet.
Allow social media to become a part of your ministry. Take the time to share with your followers something much greater than what you had for lunch. You can become an inspiration, an encourager, a life changer. You just have to post with a purpose.
Larry Fulmer is a Pastor and Corps Officer within The Salvation Army in Western Pennsylvania where he has served for 3 years. He is responsible for the day to day ministry of The Salvation Army, while taking every opportunity to share with those within the community the good news of the Gospel. He is married to his wife Ashley and both serve in ministry together.
Follow Larry on Twitter | @FulmerLarry
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