Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

Facebook -- or at least social media -- just received the Anglican equivalent of the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

Last week, the Archbishop of Canterbury encouraged the flock to use new means of communication and social media to spread the gospel more effectively. 

"There is virtually nowhere you can go in the world where you won't see a mobile telephone. The church needs to learn how use these new means of communications more effectively for the sake of the gospel. If we have social media, they can also be media for communion," he said. 

What is even more significant, in my opinion, is that this speech was not given to a crowd of wired-urbanites in New York City or Los Angeles but to a symposium in Nairobi, Kenya. If the message of social media will preach there, where 16 million people live in abject poverty, then certainly we in the United States need to be onboard – and online. 

The problem, of course, is that we’re still trying to figure out how to use social media to get butts in the pew. And maybe that’s part of our problem. We’re looking for an end result like McDonald’s marketing, where we determine the success of our strategy by the number served.

Social media builds community in a tangled, mixed-up way, with people from across the country (and globe) weighing in on discussions about marathon training, reality TV, and child-rearing. We share the insignificant experiences as well as the momentous with a few key strokes and a change of a Facebook status from “Married” to “It’s complicated.” As we absorb these streams of discussions within social media, we’re shaping and shifting our values. 

For me, this is the most compelling reason for churches to be in the mix of Facebook. It’s one of the places where people are living their lives, sorting out their problems, seeking advice and solace. We should be there, weighing in, showing by example how the church is relevant to today’s challenges. 

Further, not only should our churches be on Facebook but also we as church-goers should be more willing to talk about our faith on Facebook. 

This means more than simply re-posting a “Honk if you love Jesus” in the status bar. It requires us to change our language – to use blessed instead of lucky. To thank God for the gift of our children. To post the Facebook check in at church as often as we do the sports bar. 

When faith becomes an integrated part of all of our life – virtual and real – then we truly live out the Great Commission -- and, as a side benefit, I believe we'll see growing churches. 

For Wednesday’s blog, I plan to explore some examples of great Episcopal Facebook presences. Do you have a nomination? Post it here or on ECF Vital Practice's Facebook Page.