The Internet Monk had a post critiquing the spirituality of the blogosphere. Although I could take or leave most of his critique, one did get me and it’s one I’ve thought on before. It’s his number two criticism and I was somewhat surprised that someone else had the same observation, it goes like this:
With all the Facebook, Twitter and blog feeds that report on every mundane detail of life, how come so few reports include something about evangelism? Why don’t we read Twits like, “I talked to someone about faith in Christ today. They cussed me out.” Or, “I struck up a conversation with a guy about not being drunk with wine but filled with the spirit.”
I imagine the Christian defensive response is what mine was, “Well, that’s just arrogant. When we do good we’re not supposed to tell people.” Apparently when we do bad or irrelevant we should tell everyone though.
One glaring problem with blogging and Twitting and Facebooking is that it reveals the inane lives we live. It reveals the level of narcissism we all live in. It reveals just how little we care about others and how much we care about others knowing about us.
Anyway, I know why my Facebook, Twitter and blog don’t bring up evangelism sessions: I don’t have many. I speak this to my shame.
3 responses so far ↓
thepracticalpastorswife // July 15, 2009 at 6:34 pm
I think you’re right, however, I would like to bring up another perpsective
There have been times when I have had a good talk with someone and I haven’t put it on my blog/Facebook/Twitter because I don’t want them to read it. Actually, this happened to me just this week.
But example from a while ago. I had a great discussion with someone who lives near me, but I had given this same someone the link to my blog – so I did not want her to read about it on the internet. “I was talking to a neighbor and she had some good questions and I told her about that verse in … ” etc.
Sometimes I think the inanity comes from our desire for privacy, plus I have a lot of people on my Facebook page who often quote verses for their statuses. And right now, the teens at Central are on a missions trip and I read a lot about evangelism every day.
So, just some thoughts.
theoldadam // July 15, 2009 at 9:33 pm
I always tell people that I am not really interested in what they are doing right now, and that I’m sure they wouldn’t be interested in what I’m doing.
I guess I am a dinosaur.
Spherical // July 17, 2009 at 9:02 am
Whatever happened to the idea of doing your good deeds in silent, seeking praise from God rather than man. Yes, we can encourage others with our victories, but often it is the pat on the backthat we are looking for and not the encouragement of others. Good post.