Hot Topic: Social Media and Worship

Here's a hot topic practically guaranteed to make good Christians go bad: social media and worship.

That's right -- mention "worship" and "social media" in the same context and then push away from your monitor. Within seconds on Twitter and a bit longer on blogs, you'll see folks getting amped up about whether anyone should be "allowed" to use social media during worship.

Those opposing this practice usually argue that doing so is too disruptive and diminishes the worship experience. I, who am generally ok with using social media during worship, would agree this could be true. But as the song lyrics go, "it ain't necessarily so" because arguments against using social media during worship seem to be grounded in these three assumptions:

• Everyone who is not actively using social media during worship is being fully attentive.
• Everyone who is actively using social media during worship is not using it wisely and well.
• Everyone assimilates information and is inspired during worship via auditory means.

For me, this raises the following issues which I'll focus on in subsequent posts:

• Do we respect and trust people to worship in reverential, meaningful and appropriate ways? If not, why not?
• Do our concerns about using social media during worship come from love or fear? If from fear, fear of what?
• Do we believe in and trust the Holy Spirit? If so, then what's the real issue?

 

 Come Holy Spirit...

Whisper Discernment in the midst of confusion;

be Wisdom in time of trouble;

Reverence in the face of diversity;

Patience with the unfolding of life...