Evangelizing via Social Media and the Internet
Evangelism: Sharing Christ to a Lost World • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 2 viewsOne avenue of evangelism that is not used as it should be is the avenue of the internet and social media.
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Series: Evangelism | Sharing the Gospel to a Lost and Dying World
Lesson 10: Evangelizing via Social Media and the Internet
Introduction
How many of us have a smarty phone? How many of use the internet? How many of use email? How many of use some kind of social media?
If you answered yes to any or all these questions, then this lesson is for you. If not, I believe you can still take away some nuggets of truth that are applicable to you and your situation in witnessing to others for the sake of the Gospel.
Ron Haggerty from the Orleans Marketing Group, gives some interesting statistics about people and the internet:
· More than 40% of the world’s population uses the internet
· More than eight billion devices are connected as of 2020
· More than 570 new websites are created every minute
· More than 500 million tweets are sent every day
· Facebook has more than two billion active users.[1]
It has been said of today’s generation, that they are the most connected and most isolated generation ever. The same source that connects them is also the same source that isolates them, the internet and social media. If we are going to engage a lost and dying world with the Gospel, we must realize that we cannot shun the internet and social media, but rather we must embrace it. Embrace it we must, but our embrace is to be with caution.
Throughout the next twenty to thirty minutes, I us to discuss the purpose of internet evangelism, the challenges of using social media to evangelize, practical suggestions in evangelizing via social media and the internet, and in the end, give some resources for sharing the Gospel.
Opening Passage
8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”
Outline
The Purpose of Internet Evangelism
Three-fold purpose in internet evangelism
Should be to glorify God not self
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God.
Should serve as a means to fulfill the Great Commission
19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Should be used to influence the information generation
As we have read several times over the past couple of weeks, I have become all things to all people, so that I may by all means save some (1 Cor 9:22 NASB). I get it, social media, the internet, may not be your thing. However, there is a whole generation out there were it is their thing. If we are going to reach them for the Gospel, we must embrace it. As stated in the introduction, the generation before us is the most connected and yet isolated generation ever. They are all about community and belonging to something, even if that belonging is to a chatroom or online gaming club. If we are going to reach them, it will be through social media and the internet.
As with any other tool or avenue to share the Gospel there are benefits, but there are also challenges and cautions when using the internet and social media for evangelism.
The Challenges of Using Social Media and the Internet to Evangelize
One could set back and give a plethora of challenges to using social media as a means for evangelism. I would say that one challenge is familiar to anyone with a cell phone, and that is meaning can and does get lost via text without the support of body language and facial features of the individual delivering that message. However, I would like to address a couple other challenges to evangelizing via social media and the internet.
People often use social media as a way to criticize, vent opinions, and broadcast emotions
How do we avoid this? How do we keep from venting and criticizing, especially other children of God or works of ministry. One passage of Scripture we must remind ourself about comes out of the Book of Romans:
10 But as for you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you as well, why do you regard your brother or sister with contempt? For we will all appear before the judgment seat of God.
11 For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, to me every knee will bow, And every tongue will give praise to God.”
Let us not be about destroying one another but about lifting one another up.
29 Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
How does one combat the challenge of criticism, opinions, and emotion that blankets social media when evangelizing a lost and dying world?
One sure way of combatting this is by not doing it yourself. Another way is to let your character mimic the character and attitude of Christ. This should be not in just post about evangelism but also should infiltrate your other posts. How many of us are hindering our witness via social media because of off color jokes, inappropriate memes, hateful articles, and/or bombarding our pages with political content that drives wedges rather than unifies?
Avoid having a “preachy” tone when you are seeking to witness
Avoid using your church lingo and just be direct and honest. Try to meet the person/people where they are. Truly let it be one dying man trying to reach dying men with the only Gospel that saves, the Gospel of Christ.
Make every second count
16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
We can find a lot things to distract us while we are trying to evangelize someone, whether on the internet or via social media, or even having a face-to-face Gospel encounter. The internet makes this a whole lot easier. We can drawn down rabbit holes that make no difference in the economy of eternity. We must make sure we stay focused and On Mission.
Beware of spiritual warfare
As one is on the internet, a simple mouse click, a misspelled word, a period in the wrong spot can send you to a place you never wished to go. It is dangerous. Be on alert and be on guard. DO NOT give the devil a foothold.
8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.
Practical Suggestions in Evangelizing via Social Media and the Internet
Begin with prayer, witness through prayer, and finish with prayer
Encourage interaction and questions
Be careful with your words…speak clearly
3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;
4 that I may make it clear in the way that I ought to proclaim it.
Foster relationships with the lost around you
15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect;
Depend on the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction
8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”
Remember, we plant and water but God supplies the growth.
5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.
Online Resources to Help Facilitate Sharing the Gospel
Need Him Global: https://needhim.org
Flash multimedia gospel presentation: http://www.gotlife.com/launchpress.html
Internet Evangelism Coalition’s Web Evangelism Training: http://www.gospel.com/ministires/internet-evangelism-coalition
Answers to questions about the Christian faith: https://www.gotquestions.org
Bible.org
Free online courses to help understand the Christian faith: https://goingfarther.net
Conclusion
The point of internet evangelism is for people to know the Gospel. It is lead people to Christ. It is to bring honor and glory to God. We need not be ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God unto salvation.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
[1]Timothy K. Beougher, Invitation to Evangelism: Sharing the Gospel with Compassion and Conviction, (Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic, 2021), 241.