How to Use Facebook for Evangelism

Facebook has become a place where gossip spreads, untruths circulate, and marriages fall apart. So is it all evil?

Actually, far from it. I believe Facebook is one of the greatest tools for Evangelism the world has ever seen. If you live your faith it is obvious to others.

However, if you do not live it out you can do irreparable damage to your testimony. A lot of Christian's lives are the very excuses for others to reject Christ. "The church is full of hypocrites" is their popular mantra.

Let me just say that posting random Bible verses is only compelling to Christians. In fact Facebook does not put some of your friends in your news feed. The algorithms that control Facebook put the people with the most in common with you in your news feed.

The people that you want to see the verses you post probably won't anyway. So how does one go about reaching those without Christ online?

Try making a "Hit List" of 5 to 10 people that God has put in your life who do not know Christ. After you have your list make sure you click on it at least once a day. You will see the news feed of only those people.

Pray for your list and interact with the people on it. Like their pictures, comment on their status, but do not preach at them.

You will earn the right to speak into their lives by doing this. They will begin to look at your feed more as well. And perhaps most importantly, you will train yourself to periodically leave your Christian bubble.

A Useless Facebook Quiz

I usually hate these things but I am in a weird mood, so I did one on Facebook for about 25 friends who are mainly family.   I thought rather than tagging everyone one at a time I would post the quiz as a blog.  Now you will see all of the inner workings of my mind (or at least some of them).  I am not posting the instructions so you will not be asked to continue the posts but you can answer any of the questions in the comment section.

And now we begin the worst blog you will ever read -

1. What time did you get up this morning?
Oh, well I was off today and exhausted so sometime after 10 (don't judge me)


2. How do you like your steak?
Medium well done (no mooing allowed)

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Tangled (hey, it was for my little girl)


4. What is your favorite TV show?
The Middle, Everybody Loves Raymond, The Office, Clone Wars


5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
Where I am now, Troutman, NC (if I wanted to be somewhere else I would be)


6. What did you have for breakfast?
Honey Nut Cheerios with a banana and some OJ


7. What is your favorite cuisine?
American (seriously, a burger, ribs, steak, fried chicken that's where its at) also Italian


8. What foods do you dislike?
Anything with Mayonnaise 


9. Favorite Place to Eat?
 Texas Inn, What-a-Burger, Kat's Patch (anything that is a hole in the wall joint)


10. Favorite dressing?
Raspberry Walnut (or nothing)


11. Your favorite thing to wear?
Jeans and a Star Wars T-Shirt (also my Jedi robe but shh that's a secret)


12. Where would you visit if you had the chance?
Australia, Italy, Skywalker Ranch, San Diego Comic Con, England, Ireland


13. Where would you want to retire?
I do not want to retire, but if my health forces me too, then somewhere with a mountain view.


14. Favorite time of day?
Night - bedtime stories, then time for Debbie and me to veg out and unwind


15. Where were you born?
Virginia


16. What is your favorite sport to watch?
    None unless I have to and then it is high school basketball or Major League Baseball.


17. Person you expect to tag you back first?
Whoever is the most bored


18. Who are you most curious about their response?
       I am very curious to see if anyone responds


19. Who tagged you?
      my brother Israel and cousin Byron


20. Are you a morning person or a night person?
night


21. Do you have any pets?
   yes, a dog, turtle, and a fish


22. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share?
   I am writing a book and my nose hair has doubled


23. What did you want to be when you were little?
  A geologist or an archaeologist (yeah, I know I'm a geek)


24. What is your best childhood memory?
Playing outside until dark, building forts, playing baseball etc.


25. Are you a cat or dog person?
turtle

26. Been in a car accident?
Yes, my fault, their fault, the weather's fault.  The only injuries have been from the airbag (I hate those things)


27. Any pet peeves?
   LEGALISM! also cell phones in the theater      See my complete list on an earlier blog http://www.randumblog.com/2010/11/what-are-your-pet-peeves.html


 28. Favorite Pizza Toppings?
   All veggies, pineapple,  and bacon


29. Favorite Flower?
 Saliva May Nights, and Daisies


30. Favorite ice cream? 
 Breyer's Sara Lee Strawberry Cheesecake


31. Favorite fast food restaurant?
   Taco Bell, BoJangles


32. From whom did you get your last email?
      Allstate *yawn*


33. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?
      Not a fan of credit cards, or maxing them out, but I do like Comic shops, thrift stores, and flea markets (love to find nostalgic stuff and great deals)


34. What are you listening to right now?
   94.1 KLove and MXPX- On the Cover II


35. What is your favorite color?
Black, Brown, and green


36. How many tattoos do you have?
      none (yet)




How Important is Facebook?

Just how important is Facebook to our everyday lives? It seems that everyone from preteens to grandmas are using the social media giant. We can interact with current friends and family as well as reconnect with old friends.

It is that reconnecting that causes me to question how we use the social platform. There are statistics that say that more and more marriages are dissolving due to these retro-sexual flames from the past. The studies range from 20 to 23 percent of those getting divorced.

Another problem is the millions of dollars people are willing to spend on items that due not exist. How sucked in does one have to be to pay real money for virtual cash to buy nonexistent merchandise. I was in Target the other day and even saw $15 gift cards to use on Facebook (a "free" site). Last time I checked we are still in a recession. There are still people going to bed without food in their bellies in the very communities in which we live. All the while there are real people playing games like Farmville and using real cash (at times) to tear down barns to build bigger barns. This sounds strangely reminiscent of a parable told by Jesus.

The bottom line is that Facebook can be an escape. It can be a place to conduct illicit relationships that you have no business pursuing, a platform for viewing or spouting gossip, or a financial drain for an emotional escapist. Hearing all of these things should plant seeds of caution and concern. Caution should range from sharing your password with your spouse to canceling your page altogether. Do not let something as trivial as a website destroy your relationship with your spouse.

I will not assume that everyone reading this blog believes the same as me when it comes to spirituality, but to those that do we have a duty. We should view Facebook as a mission field. A chance for others to see Jesus lived out through us. Not an escape or something to do in our spare time like "chewin' the fat" at a high school reunion. We need to be intentional in our encouragement, careful in our chatting and personal messaging, and all out purposeful in why we are here. The world may not be beating down your churches door to get in, but it has rolled out a red carpet for virtual missionaries who are willing to show Christ's love to people where they are at. Let's decide to work strategically to partner with God in what he wants to do on Facebook.

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