Is social networking good or bad for missionaries?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rodger Schmidt on August 26, 2009 at 11:06am

Social networks are not of the devil nor of God. Evil is from the Devil and Holiness is from God. Should we ask the same question of our cars, tv's, computers, and other items we use every day. Everything we have and use has the potential to be used for evil and or good.

There are dangers however to our work. If we are using the internet and social networks to to fault of engaging our host cultures it is a problem. If we use these groups as escapes from the struggles of learning language, cross culture communication, making friends and so on... the missionary has a problem.

We can also use such networks for encouragement, problem solving, healthy debates, staying connected with the greater missionary community and list can on and on.

We use facebook and frontline to stay in touch with our son in boarding school, grandparents and family, supporters, pastors, and friends. These forms of communication such as blogs and such have increased interest and support both financial and otherwise in our work. A blog communicates in a more meaningful way as it gives our readers an opportunity to respond immediately from their home instead of reading a prayer letter they just happened to come across on a bulletin board somewhere.

To be honest, and I say this as kindly as I can....It is hard to believe we are even having this discussion. it's all to reminiscent of the KJV debate and worship wars.

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Permalink Reply by Don Thornton on August 26, 2009 at 11:34am

It seems that social networks have existed since the beginning of time; only the manner and means is different in the 21st century. As salt and light to the world, we as believers are compelled to engage the culture around us for Christ's redemptive purpose, not withdraw from it. If nonbelievers are interacting on computerized social networks, then believers need to be there among them as ambassadors for Christ. A light that is hid or salt that has lost its flavor is of no use to anyone. Jesus' social networks consisted of tax collectors, prostitutes, and other sinners. It is the sick who need healing, not the well. To me the bigger question is how believers - both in the USA and abroad - can better leverage today's social networking for the Kingdom.

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Permalink Reply by Phil Bjorklund on August 26, 2009 at 11:43am

I have been on Facebook for around two years now. I avoided it. I didn't want another source of contacts. I was having trouble keeping up with email. But slowly things changed. I began adding people who were interested in mission on as friends. I became really easy to make a comment on something they were doing. Something as simple as clicking "Like It" told them I was out there watching. Then when I got to their campus Mimi and I were as good as old friends with them. It was incredible. Taking the time to note they were out there told them I thought they were important. In reality they became important to me. Before long some were writing other missionaries and even my kids.

Bottom Line? If social networking through Missions On the Front Line works for missionaries and me like FaceBook did for students and me then BRING IT ON!

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Permalink Reply by Mark McDonnel on August 26, 2009 at 12:46pm

Donna McDonnel here, using Mark's address.

We have been very thankful for the opportunities afforded by facebook to keep up with supporters and family in a way we could never had done before. We find out more news and feel more in touch than we ever were just using email, regular mail, or other means of connection.

I, too, do not feel like these things are of the devil, evil, specifically good, or any such. They are tools which I am thankful to have at hand. But I find that I need to be more careful in how I use these tools because of the 'instantaneous-ness' of these forms of communication. I don't want to say things carelessly, just because I was in a hurry and could pop off a little post, which is very easy to do.

Another reason for me to be careful is that I need to be mindful of how much time it's possible to sit working at the computer, but not really working. It's one thing for me to be recording things on the bookkeeping software, writing letters, etc., but inherent in the facebook format is the 'news' and entertainment elements, which I can give more time to than I want if I'm not mindful. I'm sometimes embarrassed to see how often a person plays a certain game and posts their results; it seems like there's a lot of time represented there. And I don't want to fall into a similar situation.

But what I find about people's lives that touch ours has been so valuable. Our family members keep much more in touch than they ever did before, because there's something so much easier about a post than an email. And they share photos more easily, too. Multiply this by the supporters who also use facebook, and we are able to 'scan the news' and be more in touch with significant events in their lives, things we would have missed before.

Enough for now. Thanks for asking!

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Permalink Reply by Chris Wynn on August 26, 2009 at 1:27pm

Has anyone wrestled with the direction of Facebook's terms of service? i.e. they own your content forever for commercial uses internationally, even after you delete your account. This sure seems to be the commercial direction of Facebook, even though user push back made them recant their Terms of Service temporarily.

Licensing, it states,

You hereby grant Facebook an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to (a) use, copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute (through multiple tiers), any User Content you (i) Post on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof subject only to your privacy settings or (ii) enable a user to Post, including by offering a Share Link on your website and (b) to use your name, likeness and image for any purpose, including commercial or advertising, each of (a) and (b) on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof.

quoted from this review

Here's another article

Now this commercial invasion of my personal life actually doesn't bother me very much, maybe it is because I was raised with commercial invasion. But it does make me wonder about the specific issues of a missionary in unwelcoming countries. i.e. could facebook license to another government like it does to commercial industries specific information contained in a private facebook account?

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Permalink Reply by Barry Owen on August 26, 2009 at 8:50pm

I believe this was an old agreement that Facebook tried to implement earlier this year (seems it was last year), and there was a firestorm over it, and they quickly backed down. I don't think they will ever try to go this way again. There is a forum on Facebook you can join that will keep you up to date on the user agreement and what and when they are going to change in it. IN the current agreement they are pretty clear about the privacy settings that you chose. but once you post something in a public area, then logically it is fair game for use by other people. If there is something that you put out that anyone else can copy or link to, then they can do the same. Purportedly that is what they were trying to say when they came up with those terms of service that everyone was upset about.

The current terms of service are available at:
http://www.facebook.com/policy.php?ref=pf
Quite a dull read, but much better than the thing they first proposed.

Now I need to get back my other stuff before this social networking thing eats up all my time :-).

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Permalink Reply by Geoff Schwartz on August 27, 2009 at 3:53am

I am really wrestling with the privacy of my info in a social network environment. I do see the potential of connecting with people sympathetic to our efforts. People I had lost track of many years ago are 'finding' me.

However, being in a secure country - or a country that is moving that way - there are people that I would rather not have 'finding' me. Sure, there are filters on some of your info. But how effective are they really? I know - just control the info you put out there.

But how can you control this situation? - Nationals have uploaded pictures with me in them (pictures I didn't even know existed - cell phone cameras...) and then 'tagged' me.

I suppose I could use an alias. But then the people you hope will find you, can't. So what's the point of being on at all? Is there a way to effectively utilize facebook in situations such as these?

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Permalink Reply by Rodger Schmidt on August 27, 2009 at 8:27am

Actually we don't use facebook with our restricted access friends. It is just too dangerous. I know that others are using Restricted access blogs. This keeps them communicating with the people they need to electronically. People can respond and such but can only access the site if you give them the password. Just a thought.

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Permalink Reply by Barry Owen on August 27, 2009 at 7:32pm

I'm afraid I would approach it differently if I were in or worked in a country with security issues. I'm not sure you can assume that anything electronic will never be compromised. I think that eventually what we assume is secure gets cracked, if not the program or system completely, then at least my communications will be by a compromised password, or a unsecured link somewhere, or a similar situation. The internet gives "Big Brother" a whole new meaning.

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Permalink Reply by Gabriel Phillips on August 26, 2009 at 1:59pm

Amen to all the points already brought up by my brothers above. Understanding the times we live in and what is going on within our spheres of influence (whether in field or off) is key to reaching the community around us with the Gospel message. we have a great Biblical example of this:

And the children of Issachar, who were men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do… (1 Chronicles 12:32).

The word understanding is the Hebrew word binah, which means “to have insight or to act with prudence.” According to Strong’s Concordance, it comes from a root verb that means to separate something mentally, and distinguish its parts. The word reflects the presence of intelligence and wisdom, even cunning and skill, in the process. In other words, this is not just an understanding of the facts, but a skillful analysis of what something truly means.
been a good king and there was no established dynasty to keep the kingship in the tribe of Benjamin. David
The sons of Issachar had analyzed their times and had perceived correctly what those times were all about. They knew what to do because they understood what was happening. It was obvious to them that Saul had not had emerged as a real leader by virtue of his character and ability. He was the type of king Israel needed during those turbulent times. Furthermore, hadn’t God said that the scepter would come out of the tribe of Judah? David was from that tribe and was indeed fully qualified to be the king. The sons of Issachar knew exactly what to do. All of the tribes should get together and crown David as the new King of Israel. - Dr. Dan Hayden from a Word from the Word (http://www.awordfromtheword.org)

Knowing our times and the tools to use to connect with people is crucial. I cannot tell you how many have just opened up conversations with me discussing life's purpose, God, Jesus and many other conversations we want to have with folks who are seeking. If these tools provide us access then so be it, but let's not forget the value of being personally involved with those we are leading, discipling, and doing life with.

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Permalink Reply by Barry Owen on August 26, 2009 at 8:36pm

Yes, social networking is good or bad for the missionary. Just like any other tool or piece of technology that we come across. In a place where you need to build your own house, a shop's worth of power and hand tools is very helpful. But if when your house is done you spend all your time building things and not doing the ministry you are there to do, they become a hindrance. The computer in general can be the same, as can social networking.

On the other hand, social networking can be a great way to stay in touch with friends, family and supporters. You can give quick updates for prayer, upload pictures of events that just happened, find information and make contacts fast. They can provide emotional support when one is on the field. Social networks are just another tool that can be used well or poorly.

We have just begun to use some of the networks, Facebook and Twitter. You can find me as blowentw. Just this past week I was able to upload a bunch of pictures from the typhoon cleanup that our church was involved with here in Taiwan. It is generally easier to do that on one of the social networks than through a ministry specific web site. Many photo programs now give you a button to click on to upload stuff directly to Facebook or Flickr or Twitter. Then they will prompt you to send a message/twitter and/or give you an url to email your friends to check them out.

So they can be a great asset in maintaining church connections. Of course if your time gets soaked up playing all the games, and chatting with everyone, it is easy to lose oneself in it. But that is true with gaming or any other hobby as well.

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Permalink Reply by Marta Mayfair (alias) on August 27, 2009 at 8:21am

Using social networks is like any other communication. It has potential to bless and to harm. Understanding that anything you post is totally public information guides what you share. For the particlar ministry with which I am involved, we do have security concerns, and you just learn how to word things and what not to discuss. But I agree that it does enable you to connect more easily with supporters, friends, and family, and maintain closer real time relationships. As I sometimes tell my husband, it's amazing what you can learn and how you can develop relationships when you're willing to be involved with "chit-chat". Several of my FB friends regularly post helpful articles and encouraging truths, having a ministry of encouragement to their friends.

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