Twitter has grown in membership by over 3000% in the past year. It’s the new internet trend, and many, including myself, believe that it is here to stay in our culture. Of that 3000% increase, I am guessing many of those new twitter users forgot about their account after a couple of weeks. Nonetheless, the following is strong, and all age groups are getting in on the Twitter nation. It’s seeping into all aspects of our culture. Small businesses, professionals, corporations, celebrities, athletes, and every day people are using it. Now, churches are using it, and this has brought about a hot debate about the use of Twitter during church worship services.
An Argument for Using Twitter During Church
Time magazine published an article about a pastor who encourages church members to use twitter during their church service. The church created a hashtag for church members to follow, and they project the hashtag stream behind the pastor, so the entire congregation can read the current tweets. The pastor of this church has seen his congregation open up, be more honest, and actively engage in the topic of the sermon. He is a big believer that this new technology will help his congregation grow spiritually and be more open about their faith and struggles with sin.
An Argument Against Using Twitter in Church
Joshua Harris, a prominent Christian author, wrote a response to the subject of using Twitter during church. Harris actually references the Time magazine article in his blog post, so that is why I used his argument against using Twitter in church. He makes good, but predictable points about the use of Twitter in church. His biggest concern is that it will become a distraction in church, and many people will miss parts of the sermon because they are too busy worrying about their word count or wandering over to their e-mail or Twitter stream.
My Response To The Debate
Over the past two months, I have become addicted to Twitter. Not because I am obsessed with knowing what people are doing, but because I have literally seen the networking potential on Twitter. I can blog about getting a job doing social media marketing, and I immediately get responses and follows from other people in the industry and possible clients for consulting work. This is what excites me about Twitter. It’s power to connect people is boundless, and the concept is simple. There is so much going on when you log into your Facebook account that I get turned off by it quickly. Do I really need to be notified when so-and-so downloads a facebook application?
Anyway, my point is that Twitter can be a great tool for churches looking to facillitate community among their members, connect with other church’s congregations, and gain new membership. I thought about the use of Twitter during a church service, and my initial thought was that it was a pretty cool idea. But then, I found myself leaning more towards Harris’ arguments against it. I love to believe that I would be diligent by making my tweet and putting my phone away, but honestly, I probably would get distracted as well. On the other side of that, it could help me to listen better, because I do well when I am interacting with a lecture or sermon. But as a whole, I think many people would find it as a distraction, and pastors would have a hard time engaging with their audience if everyone is looking down at their phone.
My Solution
I think that churches should embrace social media technology, rather than run away from it. God allowed the development of internet social networking, so as Christians, we should use it to further His Kingdom. A great way for churches to integrate Twitter into their church culture would be to get the pastor and staff to start tweeting their hearts out. Encourage topical conversation based on the past week’s sermon. Start a hash tag for reactions to the sermon and daily Bible readings. Encourage small groups to start hash tags so they can use twitter to keep each other updated on prayer requests, news, and upcoming events. These are all effective ways that churches can integrate Twitter. The possibility of Twitter becoming a distraction during the preaching of God’s word is too risky, and churches should find alternative ways to utilize the greatness of Twitter.
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