I was thinking about Facebook today and how it can be good and it can also be bad. At some point I want to talk to my students about it.
What are some ways that you think FB can be used for good or be beneficial? What are ways that it can be bad and dangerous?
Thanks,
PASTOR ANDREW
P.S. Here is an good article written by the New York Times, "Antisocial Networking"
Andrew,
ReplyDeleteFB
Good: KIT w. friends (far and near, old and new), good for relaxing and for not feeling so alone/disconnected (e.g. my wife enjoys getting on FB from time to time to stay connected with people she can't see in person)
Bad: Beware of the gossip trap, the raunchy ads, the immodest dress, and the stewardship of one's time (FB can be a huge "life-waster").
Bottom Line: Like everything else, it must be done "as an act of worship," that is it must tend to the glory of God, and that requires keeping the biblical principles of purity, diligence (not self-indulgence), moderation, and time management in mind.
Bear in mind, FB is not evil in itself, but like anything else, it can be used for evil (like TV, Music, etc).
Hope this helps,
William
This is off the top of the head. Great topic to address by the way! I like it.
ReplyDeleteThe Good:
- Can stay in touch with your friends.
- A legitimate mode of communication.
- What does your profile look like? This is a manifestation of who you are…how important Christ is in your life.
- Allows for ministry opportunities
o Unbelieving family/friends – Able to get a view into their lives. What are their interests? What do they struggle with?
o Believing family/friends – Able to provide correction and counseling regarding sin and unwise behavior on Facebook.
The Bad:
- This can be used as a vehicle to dishonor the Lord with your time. Nobody needs to be on Facebook for hours every day. I would assume that this would be the biggest issue with Facebook.for teens and even adults (like me).
- One can be friends with attractive girls and fall into the temptation of looking at their pictures.
- Being exposed to some unbelieving friends who can be vulgar on the web.
Kyle Sanderson
Hey brotha. I am honored that this email came to me, but am thinking it may have been met for the group too ;0
ReplyDeleteMy thots on facebook:
Good/beneficial:
Keep people updated on your life.
Spur one another on towards godliness. John Piper is a great example of this.
Remember good times together. Youth groups are great at this.
Share pictures of friends and family. Youth pastors are great at this :)
Bad/Dangerous:
Sheep among wolves. There is a lot of bad content/people (Proverbs 1) on facebook. Just like the internet.
It allows some level of secrecy, which could harbor darkness and sin.
It can be a huge time-waster (ie: games, etc). Farmville and Mafia wars are examples of this.
I think some students are disciplined and mature enough to benefit from it. I think for others it would be detrimental if they are not closely supervised/instructed.
Just some initial thoughts...
Aaron Ashoff
In my case benefits are massive e.g. networking support for the mission field.
ReplyDeleteIn the case of young adults, it gives parents/mentors a pulse on what is going on in their life, who their friends are, what people talk about, etc. It is a replacing email – and is the “wave” of the future. You gives a kid a platform to form and speak opinions – or biblical doctrine.
Downfalls – for girls they might struggle with vanity, also I have also heard of cyber bulling. I think facebook is farily well filtered but you can always find filth if you are looking.
Conclusion: It can be used but needs major accountability. You cannot insulate from social networking so you need to disciple through it.
Paul
Here is a good article written by the New York Times
ReplyDeletehttps://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B2fypRxSaAOyMDk0M2Y4ZTktMDdmNS00ZTUwLTk1ZDAtMjk2YjU3N2FjMmI4&hl=en
Pros:
ReplyDeleteGreat for urgent prayer requests. I have been blessed big time by this as have many others.
Also great for last minute invitations to events, ministry, outings. (i.e. going to the movies, who wants to go? Going to evangelize at the park, anyone want to team up?)
Cons:
Much time is wasted on trivial things.
Pictures & posts, some students have had fights and verbal confrontations with posts. :( Some have posted pictures that have lacked discernment. One positive out of it all is that it can open up a great shephering opportunity.