Fact or Fake: Social Media
Notes
Transcript
The Scrolling Soul
The Scrolling Soul
Welcome to parents night!
Hello Parents, my name is Zach Klundt I am the director of student ministries here at Bethel!
It is amazing to see you!
When I say social media what are some thoughts that come to mind?
ACCEPT ANSWERS
Here are some meme that put some imagines to the pictures in my head about social media
SHARE PICTURES
I recall when my parent’s first let me on The Facebook.
Well, first off I already had an account and was already using facebook before they let me.
Which is not a good thing, that was wrong of me to do.
But social media comes with headaches but it also comes with some pretty cool stuff as well.
Can we all agree that social media does have a place in society?
It isn’t all bad but it is not perfect either.
There are major issues with many of the platforms and the feels that we get while on it or the time we spend is anything but great.
But what if there was something we could do that allowed us to us social media differently?
What if there was a better way to use our social media platform.
I know that you are not going to delete these apps or platforms on your phones.
I’m not even going to waste my breath.
So for today, our question is how can we have a better influence on social media.
Not so that we can become an influencer but rather we impact people’s lives that brings Glory to God.
While I would love it if we all just put down the phones and went back to have just good old fashion conversations, like I already mentioned to you to do this is just not going to happen.
But I think it would be wise to talk about some concerns with social media, and how we can be lights on social media.
Here is what I would like for us all to walk away from tonight with.
I want us to be able to examine our social media usage and think about what we take in.
I want us to come to an understanding of why we feel the need to be on social media.
I want us to see the need to be Gospel minded as we read, post, and share on our social media platforms.
So lets talk about 4 concerns surrounding social media.
4 Concerns Surrounding Social Media
I have these four concerns about social media.
Again— I believe that we can stand up to these concerns and even over come them but it is going to take some effort.
Number 1:
Ultimate Authority
Ultimate Authority
If I read it on the internet, then it must be true.
Here are a couple of stories that got some people:
-Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers) served as a sniper during the Vietnam War and had a large number of confirmed kills.
-Mr. Rogers wore his iconic sweaters to conceal the extensive tattoos on his arms that were acquired while serving in the military.
Neither are true of course!
-Facebook will start charging a fee.
I always see my great aunts and grandma post this one.
-Image of a shirtless Vladimir Putin, Russia's president, riding a shark.
I mean speechless.
-Share a certain post of Bill Gates on Facebook and he will send you money."Hey Facebook, As some of you may know, I'm Bill Gates. If you click that share link, I will give you $5,000. I always deliver, I mean, I brought you Windows XP, right?"
You see back many years before we were given social media— truth was given on the news.
And even before that truth was given in a pulpit.
Before that truth was given to us in God’s word.
And even before that truth was given by the prophets.
And even before that truth was communicated from generation to generation.
You can see how far off base we have become.
We all are seeking truth.
John 17:17, we find Jesus praying for his disciples and says to God—
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
Sanctify is this on going process of becoming more like Christ.
But here is the concern I have, is that we like to get our truth from instagram rather then from His word.
We then have this really cute, and safe faith that is pretty but has no depth.
When we seek truth any source outside of God’s word we must be careful.
Number 2:
Exposing Our Hearts
Exposing Our Hearts
There are things on social media that we as humans were not meant to see and because of this we begin to become neutral on sin.
It doesn’t bother us— We justify it easily— We find ourselves being tempted to just want more and more.
We stumble upon porn sites, we see people dying, we watch friends get high, we see them engage in sex and it has gotten to the point where we don’t even stop scrolling now.
Before it may have been appalling to us but now it is just normal.
We see it we accept it and we just go on with our day.
How do we combat this?
Here is God’s word from Psalm 51
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Create a clean heart in me God.
Renew my spirit.
While we can’t control what other post, we can control the level of influence we allow them to have.
I’m not saying that we hide everyone or unfollow everyone that disagrees with you.
Because then you end up in an echo chamber and that is not helpful either.
But those who may post vial stuff— its time to bounce— you don’t need that.
Seek to have a clean heart— even then it comes to the content on your phones.
Number 3:
Communication Or Lack There Of
Communication Or Lack There Of
This is a pretty big one.
Because it goes in a couple of directions.
I believe social media is impacting our social skills— like speaking to each other, social cues that we fail to pick up on now.
It also in a breeding ground for negative, hurtful, unhelpful, unwholesome, disrespectful communication on all platforms.
The great theologian Mike Tyson said this about communication and social media.
“Social Media made you all way to comfortable with disrespecting people and not getting punched in the face for it.”
Social Media has made a lot of keyboard warriors out there who have never been in a fight.
And I am not saying violence is the answer but we all know that there are people who do not say two words in public but behind a screen they never keep quiet.
I’m sure that you have been hit with something like this before.
You have been on the other end of someone bashing you and hurting you with their communication.
Or maybe even a little worse we thrive on it.
We don’t chime in but we are watching two people just go at it and we send this meme.
MICHAEL JACKSON EATTING POPCORN MEME
Our world wants us to communicate like this— to show that everyone is just as vile as vile everyone else.
As believer we are called to a higher standard.
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
What Paul does not give next is a list of all the four letter words that you can’t say.
Speak words that are going to build others up.
Words do hurt others and if we are careless with our words what else are we careless with?
Number 4:
Time
Time
Who in this room as been in the blackhole of video’s on facebook or on the Gram
Hours and hours spent watching and reading.
I think it would be awesome if all the social media platforms would show you a timer at the top of the page saying how ling you have been on.
I know Apple has a daily screen time which that can reveal what we are spending our time on the most.
The funny that about time is that it is the great equalizer.
Everyone has the same 24 hours that you have.
“The way we spend our time defines who we are.” Jonathan Estrin
I think a lot of us can be defined by our preferred platform.
When we are bored— we grab our phones— when we are waiting for an appointment— we grab our phones— when we are getting ready to go to bed— we grab our phones— waiting for dinner at our table— phones— How else can we describe ourselves.
Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
Time is limited.
While it may be equal it is limited.
And the time is coming for when Christ will return.
If you could gain back the 4 hours/ 8hours that we mindlessly us our phones— what could you do with that time— what kingdom impact could we make just here in Galesburg?
What if we started to live Gospel lives on social media?
What if we used Social media in a way that communicated truth and hope?
I just want to clarify again, that all of it is not bad but there are some dangers of being on social media.
I believe that we need to be careful and look at the dangers we just mentioned and examine our lives through each of those lens.
Before we wrap up, I would like to suggest a few options as to how we can use our social media for good.
How we can be lights on the web.
I think there are a ton of ways that we can do this but I narrowed it down to four.
4 ways to be real in our digital world
Prayer
Prayer
Several times a week I will see the line, please pray for me or send positive thoughts my way.
When I see those I normally scroll on, but what if we didn’t.
What if we saw those who are asking for prayer and we actually prayed.
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
While I am not putting anyone responsible for all of social media to pray for every single person.
I think that would be impossible.
We would never get on it.
And I don’t want these four ways to be real on social media to cause you to never want to get on social media again.
Because the truth is people are hurting.
They have burdens.
They are at rock bottom and in those moment when they ask for prayer— what if we took that seriously and prayed for them?
For we know that God hears us.
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
And by lifting up another’s burden to God, we can have confidence that He will hear us and He may will move in their lives.
Be a prayer warrior when it comes to being on social media.
Or a thought I had was what if you prayed for the first 5 people that you actually know who pop up on your feed?
Whether they ask for prayer or not, what if we just prayed for them.
I would hope you know them to some degree.
That is one way to be a light, and while we may just pray for people, I think that is helpful, but what if we took it a step further?
What if we fill a need.
Fill The Need
Fill The Need
The funny thing about social media, is things that use to be private are not anymore.
People are more confident to spill their life on social media.
What would it look like if some was in need of food, that you got in your car or you walked over to their house and gave them a little food?
It is not a secret that life is hard and someone times people hit hard times.
What if instead of keeping on scrolling— assuming someone else will take care of it, we do?
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Good is filling a need.
Now if someone wants a Lamborghini, I’m sorry they are on their own, but if they are looking something I have been blessed with or have means of helping them out in their times of need.
Shouldn’t I help.
To share what I have, to be on the look out to serve others.
I mean people have blessed us by stopping by and dropping on food when we just had Theo.
Or you guys know Chuck Hillman right, youth pastor at the Oaks Community church.
He and his family came over on Saturday and raked our yard, it was when Brittni was on bed rest and life was just really hard at the moment.
It meant so much to us and it was a huge blessing.
If we see need/ fill the need.
And on the heels of both of these what if we just reached out to people.
Number three is reaching out.
Reach Out
Reach Out
While we facebook and instagram can tell us exactly how many people are following us or our are friends— how many times have you ran into someone who says— hey how are doing, I just saw what you posted.
That is what reaching out looks like.
It is seeing and paying attention to others and just being there for them.
And instead of praying for them or filling the need what if you actually had a conversation with them.
That you took time to take them out to coffee to chat about a recent break-up, talk with them about the divorce mom and dad are getting, invite them with you on a car ride to Walmart because they just mentioned how lonely they were.
All of these people should be people you know.
Do not do this one for a stranger, please.
But the funny thing about social media is sometimes, I think we forget that those post actually have people on the other side of them.
People who we would call friends.
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Be on the look out for those who are hurting.
How can you be a light in their lives?
Maybe you just send a text and ask them if they are doing okay.
I think we can put ourselves into people’s lives and again these are just ways to be real on social media.
We can pray, we can fill the need, we can reach out and lastly and we can be an influencer for the Gospel.
Gospel Influencer
Gospel Influencer
There are lots of influencers now a days.
As in that is that a job??
Crazy right.
What if our content we posted focused a little less on us and a little more on Christ?
What if instead of sharing tv shows we are watching, we share Bible verses that made an impact on our lives that day.
It is super easy to find all the negative chatter on social media but what if we shared a positive story about love and grace and truth.
What if our online content was in-line with our offline self?
Are you going to youth group this week— let them know.
Are you going to read a devo this morning?
Why not share what you learned from it.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
If you have a relationship with Christ— let them know.
We let everyone know what we are eating, why can’t we let them know about our savior?
We tell the world how much we are in love with our Boyfriend or girlfriend but we go silent about the one who gave up his life for us?
I think we can do better here.
We are not going to get it all right.
We are probably going to get it wrong more then right but not trying shouldn’t be an option.
Will you use your platform for good? Or will you use it for you?
Can we be lights this week on our social media?
Let’s see what we can do!
Let’s pray!
Student’s Convo:
Hey!
Remind— Text hsbsm to 81010
Calendar— mybethel.com/students
Bonfire and Games Oct 23rd
Pre-Talent Show- November 20th
SNOWBLAST— Dec 27-31st
Battlecry— July 5-10th
Other Event: Mini Golf/HogFest
What is a series you would like to hear?
Parents:
Remind— Text hsbsm to 81010
Calendar— mybethel.com/students
Security— Doors lock upfront at 6:15// Working on having security present— if anyone here is interested in being put on rotation let me know. you would be done by 7:30— be here from 5:30-7:30.
Couple more event this year— to encourage students to invite their friends
Bonfire and Games Oct 23rd
Pre-Talent Show- November 20th
SNOWBLAST— Dec 27-31st
Battlecry— July 5-10th
Thank you so much
Any Questions?
Thoughts?