How have online social networks like facebook and myspace affected your relationship with God? How have they affected you positively? Negatively?
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Dixie on July 22, 2009 at 6:01 am
I have recently opened up a facebook and I do enjoy this. I have come in contact with friends I don’t see, share my day and pictures with those I choose to be in contact with. In the notes section, I have committed to doing morning devotions and posting my thought and prayers in that section. It is opened to anyone who chooses to look, but not particularly sent to anyone unless I choose to. This has begun to develop in me a commitment not only to myself in my devotion time, but an opportunity to hopefully share my faith with someone else.
Unfortunately, myspace is a different story. I am sorry i allowed my children to develop a page. They are good kids, and enjoy being creative in their own “space”, but I have come across some things and people I wish my children were not intuned with. This kids get a thrill out of how many friends that can collect, and in the meantime, alot of junk is being accessed to them. I know as a parent, I could tell them they can’t do it anymore, but I kinda think that they would find a way anyway whether at a friends house or library or even school. I’ve seen it happen. So I have the computer right in the living room, and when I see things come up that are not right in these myspaces, I do have time of discussion with the kids about this. Hopefully, somehow the Lord will be able to reach them through these discussions and my support for them themselve. Thanks.
pqueen on July 24, 2009 at 8:02 am
I have found FB to be a great way to get in touch with old friends and to share my faith with others. I only get on for a few minutes every morning after my devotional time and that is pretty much it. My friends and I pretty much use it as a motivational tool and a prayer chain. Just a few minutes a day have actually connected me with many who have encouraged me and made me more aware of the needs of others.
tom felten on July 22, 2009 at 8:35 am
Dixie, I feel your pain. You’re wise to place your computer in a place where it’s easier to hold the kids accountable and to see what they’re seeing, but it’s great that you’re discussing the content with them. By lovingly teaching them to be discerning and to glorify God with their time online (1 Corinthians 10:31), you’re guiding them to God and His standards. That way, whether you’re in the room or not, they can choose to follow and obey Him as they spend time on the Web. They can choose what’s best.
dianalovesjesus2 on July 23, 2009 at 10:31 am
I found I was incrementally spending a bit more time there every visit….what I felt was unproductive time….so I have eliminated it from my daily routine. There is so much out there anymore, with the internet…I try to be discerning where I spend my time. “Do I walk closer with my Lord, after my time here?” …is a good litmus question for me.
faith2follow on July 25, 2009 at 11:24 am
I teach middle school youth at my church, and when I take pictures at various events and mission trips, kids always used to ask me for copies of the photos I took. Now I share them in albums on my Facebook page. The “chat” windows and private message features have also allowed me to help the students when they need to talk about a problem or just need an encouraging word. It’s also a handy way to notify 50 or so kids in advance of special events and lessons I have planned. Further, two of my old football teammates from high school (back in the ’70s!) found me and are now pastors, so we are able to share support in that way. I would not go anywhere near myspace, having heard and seen too many bad things regarding that social networking service.
lizrod4Him on July 26, 2009 at 11:32 am
I never thought well about having a myspace. I never really found it to be productive but I did open a facebook account 7 months ago. I really have enjoyed getting in contact with people from faraway I had not spoken to in years. I believe that you can either make it positive or negative in your life but that is entirely up to you. I for one have used it to right messages that God has put in my heart and many of my friends that don’t know the Lord has inquired or atleast thanked me because they needed to hear those words. I sometimes take a passage from the Bible and post it there as well. It is worthwhile to use every avenue we have to reach the lost.
rmlittle on July 26, 2009 at 1:07 pm
We are God’s vessel. We must use every avenue presented to us in which to tell people about Him. We have all encountered tests in our lives. When God, yet again, overpower these obstacles in our way, our tests become testimonies. He wants us to testify to others how He brought us safely through. In this way, He reels in another believer who chooses to surrender their lives to our God. We are living in our last days. God is trying to, again, save His people. Continue to be that vessel that He expects you to be. “To be continued as I am blessed to live on…” rmlittle
ladyliw on July 26, 2009 at 2:08 pm
I once had a MySpace account, but found it lacked in what I was looking for – a way to re-connect with friends and find new ones.
So, i closed it.
I have been on Facebook now, for over a year. I have a blast.
I have found old friends from grammar school (c/0 1975), as well as high school friends. We share life events, encouragement and laughs with each other and anyone who sees our posts.
I also keep in touch with those I used to worship with – particularly the teens.
I drop in on their posts, letting them know “someone is always watching you”, so they don’t get too out of hand. (Some are headed for college and I remind them what they put out on the internet can and will follow them the rest of their lives and can have an effect on their chosen life paths.)
I also use FB to chat with other ministers – both locally and from around the world – as a means of gleaning from God’s fields for nuggets of wisdom and enlightenment. As a minister, I do not always rely on the Bible to give me messages to preach, but other mediums as well.
[It] has also given me much encouragement from friends as I battled cancer recently. Many of my friends would offer prayer and support through this time in my life. And because of them, and others who saw and read our posts, I am sure others who may also be fighting disease were encouraged as I was to never give up hope, and to continue to put their trust in God.
I am blessed to have, what I call, “My FB Fam!” – the world needs more people like them…