Full disclosure; I enjoy social media. I'm a blogger and am active on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Never a trend follower, it's more learning about and realizing the power of social media.
Twitter is a micro-blogging application. Users 'tweet' messages limited to 140 characters. You 'follow' people and then receive their tweets. People who follow you receive your tweets. You only receive tweets of people you follow. It's wildly popular--possibly a social media trend that could burn out, but for now it is picking up users. The latest attributable figure I saw was 7 million but that was from February.
I was left shaking my head the other day when I saw that someone has developed Christian Chirp--the "Christian alternative to Twitter". Bad idea. This is another example of a holy huddle, a walling-off of believers so that the big, bad world doesn't encroach on us. This is living in a vacuum. And while it shouldn't matter, it makes us look like goofs.
When I was newly saved, I wanted to distance myself from my former life--so I understand the want or need to limit exposure to the things that held me hostage before--but through my experiences since then, I've come to realize that living in the Christian bubble is neither good, nor is it something Jesus had in mind for us.
A few months back I gave a talk at a men's breakfast called 'The Trouble, The Bubble, and The Rubble'. It was my story--my previous life before Christ, the 6 years of working in a Christian environment, and subsequent re-entry to 'the world' when that job ended and I was back in a normal workforce comprised of 'regular' people. My conclusion is that the Bubble isn't all it's cracked up to be.
I get the whole Amish thing and sometimes it looks pretty attractive, except that I look dumb in hats and aren't very handy with tools. But separating ourselves from others to protect ourselves is letting Jesus down when He told us to seek the nations. He told us to be in the world, not of it.
Jesus said He was sending us out "like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." That's my game plan. I'm going to go wide-eyed and mystified into this world and take a couple hits from time to time from crap satan is going to toss at me, but I'm going to press on and demonstrate love when I can.
There will be a time for believers to be in a walled community where no evil will exist. That's then---this is now.
Isaiah 9:6
19 hours ago
8 comments:
Excellent point!
I thought the same thing. Did you see that Chirp had to shut down because of attacks on theier system? Too bad, no one wants to see someone abused because of their faith, but I think it is exactly what you said, a private members only community that doesn't speak to the larger population as it should
Carole
Great post. You are blessed to have a testimony that speaks to this unique topic and I'm thankful that God has allowed you to see and communicate a purpose to truly be "in the world but not of the world."
There is a book I've read multiple times called "Anointed for Business" by Ed Silvoso. Have you read it? It talks about a Christian's purpose in the marketplace. Really changed my life!
Thanks Mike,
No, haven't read it but it sounds like something I'd like. Thanks for the tip--and thanks for reading. Good to know a digital hipster checked it out.
A friend of mine said that it could get REALLY interesting when the Christians over there begin to sort out and assert what is "Christian" and what isn't. Oy! Won't that be a great witness?
I agree with you. Jesus hung out with sinners, prostitutes, the lost and lonely, gamblers, tax collectors (?) and various others. Great blog, Danny.
i agree. chirp is a bad concept. and this is coming from a guy that works at a christian music company. :)
you can never affect culture and help usher in the kingdom of God by separating yourself out of culture.
It's always a bad idea to promote paranoid fantasies and wall yourself off from the rest of society.
The whole thing (as all religion does) wreaks of fanatical cult.
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