If you’re reading a blog (and you are, by the way), then you probably already understand that this youngest adult generation in the church, the “social media generation”, is learning to do relationships a little differently than relationships have ever been done before. Between Twitter, Facebook, My Space, Linked In, and a host of other social networking worlds, this generation is more connected with one another than any generation before it. Reportedly, more than 95% of American college students today are actively connected in one or more of these social networks. Their culture has them receiving massive amounts of information about one another all day and night through steady streams of photos, videos, and text. Never before has an entire generation been more “connected” with one another. Tony Steward of church.tv observes, for example, that the concept of a class reunion will be completely foreign to this generation, who will have stayed “connected” with each other throughout the years following their graduation so that a “reunion” will seem superfluous.
An older generation of Christians has stood back and observed all of this “interconnectedness” with varying responses. While some of us have worked to embrace it and participate, others are more wary, calling into question the long-term ramifications. The concerns range from “what does this do to intimacy in relationships?” to “what does this fast-paced, fire-hydrant delivery of information do to the brain?” For purposes of my point here, I will not engage that debate. But I will say it is more than just a little bit interesting…fascinating, in fact.
No, the question I want to explore is this: what does this communication make-over mean in terms of how we experience unity in the church?
The answer will depend on how you define unity. I define it this way: living in community with one another in such a way as to regularly experience Christ Himself through each other. In that light, then, how this generation will experience Christ in one another is the real question. Does this new “connectedness” give us a leg up in that arena, or does it actually present us with new challenges preceding generations have not had to face? Here are a few of my observations:
1. Web-based social networking may create more opportunities for friendships, but it will not replace face to face encounters. This point has been made over and over again, and is actually old news by now. I suspect that few facebook friends or twitter followers are so disillusioned as to think they no longer need actual face time with their friends. Still, the point needs to be made right up front. My own experience is that the more connected I have become with casual friends and long-lost acquaintances, the more desire I have had for face time with them, not less. My conclusion, then, is that this generation may actually be more motivated for physical face time with each other than my generation has been.
2. This generation will value community more than we have. For them, there is no choice but to become interdependent on the community for information, expertise, and even counsel and guidance. Being “self-made” or “self-reliant” is nearly impossible in this culture. Those are icons of the Baby Boomers, but not of this generation. The social networking generation literally depends upon millions of people they do not know, have never met, and will probably never meet. Wikipedia, with all its flaws and critics, is a prime example of that interdependence. This generation needs and relies upon each other unlike any generation before it.
3. The prejudice and politics are not gone, they are just different. The on-line community (and the church which follows) will not struggle so much with racial or gender or age discrimination. Political power will not follow money so much. But this community is not without its bias and prejudice. It may indeed measure the value of an idea on its own merits (apart from race, creed, gender or popularity), but it is a community of creative expression and articulation. Those who are creative, articulate, expressive and captivating will enjoy favor. Those who are not creative and not particularly expressive with the written word, those who are not skilled “communicators” will become the overlooked and downtrodden. The lines are just redrawn.
4. The Spirit of God is quite capable of revealing Himself through on-line relationships. As this generation gets better and better at expressing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control through on-line expressions, they also get better and better at recognizing their Savior through those very expressions. And as that happens, we experience unity. In a sense, our question about whether this generation can experience unity is as much a question about God as it is a question about us. And in my experience, every question about God which begins with “Is God capable of…” ends with the same resounding answer: YES! AND MORE!
And so I look forward to the future with much anticipation and excitement. As a church leader who has been writing about church unity for almost 20 years now, I truly believe my children and their generation are going to teach me a thing or two about genuine unity in the church. I can’t wait!
What do you think? Are we getting closer to unity or further away?
© Blake Coffee
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Blake, great article, resulting partially from your recent queery, no doubt, on March 3rd on Facebook:
“Blake Coffee is pondering the effects facebook is having on church unity. March 3 at 12:05am”
I send the same reply now as I did then. For someone in Saudi Arabia who has no option to physically attend church worship right now, this is an easy call. As in all things worldly, you can give and receive good as well as bad. In the world we live in, it’s always up to us to filter. The net offers me a worship hour in seeking an actual Church service, but FB offers me a worship experience by offering me the avenue to truly reach out and witness one-on-one with others. (the intimate contact you referred to) My “friends” on FB may or may not be Christian and we do not all attend the same Church “building,” but as His child, I am His church and we can be unified through my Christian interaction, love, study and worshipful praise of my Savior no matter where we are. If FB is utilized as a witnessing avenue, a sharing interface, yes, an intimate tool to exemplify the Holy Spirit’s direction within me, then it definitely has the strong ability to stir, spark or ignite a shared interest in my Savior causing positive thoughts or actions which will ultimately effect another’s choice to draw closer.
Later,
~Mary
The internet and social networking is a great tool. How many times have you wanted to tell someone a word of truth but held back because you were concerned about how it would be received? We are much more likely to send an inspiring message of truth to several people who we may never speak to one-on-one. Just because it is easier doesn’t mean it is ineffective. I know that it is not an excuse to go about your daily life and refuse to speak love and truth to someone on a one-on-one basis when the opportunity arises, but the internet gives us more opportunities to do so. How many times have you forwarded an e-mail or a You Tube video that touched your heart because it included a timely message of God’s love and truth? How many times have you been informed of a movement or cause that is important to God that was never addressed by biased media? The internet is a tool that we can use to reach others through love and truth and be united with other Christ followers. I don’t think we should dis’ it, we should embrace it and use it become closer and more unified in Christ.
I have even used FB for a little “accountability” when a young believer/friend posted very questionable material. His mom came up in church and thanked me after HE told her about it.
Not sure all students (or adults for that matter) understand that following Christ is not something that we can “dichotomize” (is that a word?). Did I say that right? Make sense?
Great post, Blake! You got me thinking about unity and community in a different way. I like the idea that our unity/community has a purpose of helping the world experience Christ: “living in community with one another in such a way as to regularly experience Christ Himself through each other.”
For us, Facebook in particular has caused some chaos in my personal communities. When I “friend” someone there, I’m suddenly exposed to their chit-chat in a way that I might avoid otherwise. Not everyone I see at church is someone I’m willing to shoot the breeze with, you know? But Facebook brings down those walls.
Worse, that chit-chat overlaps with people who aren’t my friend as we connect on a similar conversation with a shared friend. That may be a function of the New Facebook.
Weird how the technology is breaking our masks down. And yet, some of those masks keep life much simpler.
I like your 4 main points. I do however want to raise the flag that social media is not just for this younger generation (13-30). In fact, platforms like Twitter are far more heavily used by the 30-45 crowd (that’s my generation). Even the Baby boomers – they are the largest growth segment for Facebook. So, the interesting thing is that social media tools are starting to spread across all generations and in there somewhere is a convergence of unity. Now that is exciting! Not all tools are for all people but churches need to start getting on board and experimenting with some of these so they can foster deeper unity and deeper relationships beyond what happens on Sunday. We are approaching an exciting time of integrating technology with ministry. Let’s enjoy the ride!
Great point, David! These social media “languages” are becoming more and more prominent among Boomers and Busters,; for them, maybe not so much as a first language, but as an exciting new (even preferred) language. I agree also that the church really must learn these languages if it is to be culturally relevant at all. It is so exciting to me, seeing truths which are centuries-old being communicated in brand new social languages. Fun days ahead!
Great post Blake! I have been sharing some on similar topics over at my site as well….
I think that using some of the social networking tools has sometimes enhanced my experience in community with others by getting allowing us to have access to information and experiences that we normally would not have. But there is a fine line there, because if we hide behind the technology then we actually loose some of that sense of REAL community.
I certainly think that there are lots of great advantages, but it should be entered into with caution to not get too isolated in it…
Thanks for sharing!
Awesome Blake!! I have plead with my church to be more pro-acitve in the social networking that more and more churches are taking, but it’s a hard sell. I understand and agree with all points, especially The Unity! It’s sad to say that I have closer online friends who “get me” on a spiritual level and aren’t afraid to show their devotion to Christ and to one another than I have at my church, or people I know on facebook who are Christians. I get so frustrated sometimes with Christians on FB who are always complaining and engaging in stupid games and the like. We are witnessess, and I love using FB to glorify God by using Scriputre, posting a blog post link about how God is working in my life, and to strive to be positive and encouraging as much as I can. As far as accountablity, I have been growing in dissernment as to how and when to respond to peoples statuses and the like. I even delete comments that are not glorifying and I will let people know. I had to delete girl at church b/c she was getting way too personal on my wall. So I have seen the good and the bad side and hope more people and churches will embrace social networking to help build initial relationships; I even met a mom online who goes to my church and now we are friends in real life
It really helps to get people to open up and to share what God is doing, to be supportive too, especially when everyone is so busy. I could write a book on this one…. Blessings for the awesome post and discussion. Robin