How Facebook Changed the Church

Social media has become a catch phrase in our conversations today. Websites like Facebook and Twitter have become verbs as we communicate our interactions with others. There are over 350 million people registered on Facebook today while over three million messages are sent on Twitter each day. Wikipedia has replaced encyclopedias, Google has become the answer to any question we have, and many of us turn to YouTube before turning on the TV for our news.

With so many forms of media out there, how does the Church respond to this? The Church is notorious for shunning multimedia and technology and sticking to our organs and hymn books. If we are to be “in the world but not of the world,” shouldn’t the Church be one of the primary users of technology? For the Church to effectively reach this generation, their local community, or even their friends and family, they must understand how to utilize the tools of social media and communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ in ways that people will actually listen to.

If Ashton Kutcher can unite over a million people through Twitter, what could the body of Christ accomplish if it came together? Raising awareness about human trafficking, the dangers of abortion, aid for the people of Haiti, all of these concerns could be dealt with more effectively if the church appropriately understood the power of social media.

There are some incredible churches out there though that are not only utilizing technology, but they are also creating new tools for the church to use. Organizations like Monk Development and churches like Lifechurch are developing new forms of communication, networking, and sharing the gospel that are critical for the body of Christ to utilize and train their members how to use.

Social media is not a passing fad. It is not something we can ignore. It is time we enter the conversation and contribute something to the mix. Some of you have seen this video before, but the facts presented are too important to ignore. Here is Social Media Revolution:

This is not a complete list, but I believe every church should be using these tools right now:

- Interactive website

- Facebook and Twitter

- iTunes Podcast

- Video blog or streaming

Other recommended sites to use: Vimeo.com, WordPress.com, Tumblr.com, Flickr.com, Youversion.com, Cobblestonecn.com, Ustream.com,

If you don’t have a website yet and on a budget, I’d recommend: Clover.com or Ekklesia360.com

If any of you have questions about making this practical for your church, please contact me and I would be happy to provide more information or help direct you on where to go.