Social Media is Not a Ministry Imperative

Friends, I’m going to try to thread a difficult needle. I may or may not do it successfully but– here goes: I believe the next step in detoxing from the era of the attractional church model is to critically evaluate what motivates our use and reliance on social media platforms as arms of ministry.

Now, before all of my pro-social media friends begin coming for me, let me preface what I’m about to say with this: I admit it. I am biased. I’m known among my colleagues as being– at best, ambivalent towards social media. I also readily admit that I regularly use various social media platforms to publish and advertise various ministry initiatives, and don’t have any plans to abandon them in a self-righteous huff. Social media is a tool I engage in, and I will concede it has some positive uses.  

Let me also say the irony of my argument is not lost on me. My intention is not to be glib or to come across as ungrateful towards you who support this substack, or our podcast, or Firebrand with your subscriptions. Nor do I mean to devalue what we create through those mediums. The encouragement and kindness of people who share their experiences of listening, and reading is humbling and often helps me keep my motives for continuing in those endeavors centered on Christ and what he says is beneficial to his body.