The Power of Social Media

Nine years ago when I started college you had to have a college email address to open a Facebook account.  I knew about Facebook, and was excited to get my Liberty email address so that I could open my Facebook account.  Today, Facebook is not limited to college students, and it seems that the age demographics continue to expand at both ends of the spectrum. With an increasing percentage of the population logging onto Facebook, the power of social media continues to grow.  Gone are the days when you needed a prayer chain to hear and spread gossip.  Now you only need to log onto Facebook.  All the juicy gossip you desire is then available right there on your computer screen.  If you are a Facebook user, you have likely seen the negative impact that one controversial discussion gone wrong can cause. While I lament the negative impact of Facebook on relationships within families, churches, and communities, I rejoice in the positive aspects.  I am able to keep up with friends from college that I would have otherwise lost contact with as soon as we each moved the tassel on our graduation caps.  I am also able to share content with others very quickly and easily.  I also try to use Facebook to spread the word about church activities and events. That brings me to the point of this article.  I want to invite you to use your Facebook account for the glory of God and the good of Drakes Branch Baptist Church.  That certainly begins with not posting things that dishonor Christ or His church, but it doesn't have to end there.  I want to suggest six simple things you can do with your Facebook account that would be more beneficial to our church than 100 expensive newspaper ads. 1. "Like" Drakes Branch Baptist Church's Facebook page.  By "liking" our page, you will receive updates in your newsfeed that you can then share with your Facebook friends. 2. Use cover photos from the Drakes Branch Baptist Church page as your own cover photo.  I made a cover photo to promote our Easter Sunday service.  By using that photo as the cover photo on your Facebook page, you can promote our Easter service. 3. Take pictures of church events and activities, and post them on Facebook along with a brief description.  Photos help people see what goes on when we gather together.  Show people what a good time we have together. 4. Post a brief invitation on your Facebook status for people to come to something going on at DBBC.  Let your Facebook friends know that you would love to have them join you for an upcoming worship service or special activity. 5. Share the link to the church website where people can find Sunday's sermon audio.  Sermon audio from the previous day is typically posted every Monday on the church website at www.drakesbranchbc.com.  You can share the link to that Sunday's sermon on your Facebook page, especially when you found that week's sermon to be particularly helpful for you. 6. Share something on Facebook on Sunday afternoons that stood out to you from Sunday School or the Worship Service that morning.  Let people know what a good time you had studying God's Word and worshiping together with other believers.  When others see your excitement, it becomes contagious. This article is not intended to suggest that you need a Facebook account to spread the word about the things God is doing at Drakes Branch Baptist Church.  Pick up the telephone and give someone a call to invite them to church.  Speak to that person that you run into at the grocery store about how much you would love to have them join you at church.  Let's all commit to looking for ways to be intentional in reaching out to others in our community. Christ is building His church.  His kingdom will not fail.  Let's pray that God would use Drakes Branch Baptist Church as a part of His kingdom building work.

Ebola, Donald Trump, and the Gospel of Christ

Over the weekend, Donald Trump sent out a series of tweets weighing in on the current Ebola crisis.

The U.S. cannot allow EBOLA infected people back. People that go to far away places to help out are great-but must suffer the consequences!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2014

"@BigBoie7531: To all the liberal do gooders, this is the Plague you idiots! No cure! @ You may have confidence in the CDC, but I don't!"
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2014

Suffer the consequences?  Liberal do gooders?  This is morally outrageous.  Mr. Trump would do well to educate himself on the facts concerning Ebola before opening his mouth or striking his keyboard again.  Facts aside, the very idea that there should be "consequences" for doing what we all know in our hearts to be right is extremely disturbing.

While Trump's tweets sadden me, my concern here is not ultimately with this morally bankrupt man.  I just prayed while typing this that he would experience the heart transformation that only comes through the gospel of Christ.

My concern is more for Christians who may be led astray by this kind of thinking.  This is the kind of Darwinian evolutionary thinking that is completely foreign to the gospel of Christ.  This is the kind of thinking that says, "I must focus first and foremost on myself.  If I don't watch out for myself, no one else will."

The gospel of Christ says…

Matthew 25:40 

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

John 15:13 

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Philippians 2:3-4 

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

You see, the gospel of Christ is not just something you believe in once and then move on with your life.  No, the gospel of Christ IS the way of life.  It is one of laying down our lives.  It is one of counting others more significant than ourselves.

It is one of following the example of Jesus.

Philippians 2:8 

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

The Christian life is difficult.  Jesus never promised that it would be easy.

While our flesh calls us to watch out for ourselves, may we walk by the Spirit, and not according to the flesh.  And when we fail, may we lean upon the grace and forgiveness available to us in Christ Jesus.

Update: Since this post went up, Glenn Beck has weighed in on his radio program.  He referred to God's image bearer as a "200-pound bag of Ebola."  You can find the article with a short video clip here.  Once again, morally reprehensible!

Update 2: Though it was posted before my blog went up, you may be interested to read a poem by John Piper concerning the Ebola crisis and comments made by Donald Trump.  Read the poem here.

More Links: Ann Coulter weighs in with despicable comments here.  Russell Moore speaks to the Christian response here.  Alan Cross presents a gospel centered perspective here.