Daniel D Blog

Why Not Us?

Daniel — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:12:29 +0000

Taking the beginning steps to plant a church we get a lot of negative reactions. There are some positive responses when we share what we are doing but unfortunately more times then not the responses lean towards the negative side. We are often asked questions. I actually like questions. It keeps me on my toes and it forces me to be ready in and out of season. I have been at work and had the most random person begin to ask questions about the church plant. One of the questions we hear is “Why are you planting a church?” (or something along those lines) I have started to answer that question with one of my own…why not us? It’s clear from the New Testament that the model of training people and sending them out for ministry should be followed. If I am called and trained for ministry and I don’t step out for the mission then I would disobedient. Here are some additional thoughts regarding church planting:

-The goal isn’t to shuffle around the Kingdom of God but to grow the Kingdom. This means evangelism…we choose to be intentional with our approach. Strategically planning what effective evangelism means to us, our city and our nation.

-Authentic community: real relationships that go beyond the surface. This community is based off of grace, love and the Word of God. There is nothing that you can do to be loved more or less, we don’t value people based off of what they can offer but based on the fact that they are a child of God and they too need salvation through Christ.

-Be Straight about our message: We acknowledge that theology is important and has its place but we also know that there is a simplicity to our message. Jesus loves you and so do we! We won’t sugarcoat the difficult truths in the Bible and we refuse to gloss over the simple ideals that make up our faith.

My Generation

Daniel — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:03:12 +0000

I mentioned in a recent blog post that “I hate that my generation seems to be overlooked at many churches. We’re not just college age group. We are the people that will be leading the church in a short time.” I think that’s important to mention some of the things that my generation is looking for in a ministry/church. (*Note: these are my opinions based off of personal experience and the experience of others I have discussed this with)

-We want a connection with God through corporate worship.

We know that we can connect with God through worship on a personal level but we are also aware that it’s different when it’s in a corporate setting. We aren’t against the idea of using old hymns/songs but if the worship is geared towards the older generations we can tell. There’s a sense of being left out or overlooked if there are no attempts to reach us through the worship experience. While I don’t agree that this is a reason to leave a church this is a major issue in the eyes of my generation.

-We want the Word of God AND the practical application of it to our lives.

We don’t mind the theological terms being used during a sermon but we want the meaning defined and the “How To’s” explained so we can apply them to our daily walk. For example: you can give us a sermon on exegesis but if you don’t tell us that it’s simply a method to study a Biblical text and it simply means to interpret a passage by what it says then we don’t take a lot from the message.

-Be Real with us.

We’re adults now and we are don’t appreciate it when you look down at us because we’re in our twenties. We want someone to be straight-forward and honest with us.

-Put Us to Work.

We’re not content with doing nothing for the Kingdom. We want to be put to work. We know that there is work that needs to be done and most of us are more than willing to get out of our comfort zones for the sake of the Gospel.

-Young in Age Doesn’t Mean Young Spiritually.

We are in our twenties and we realize that in the grand scheme of things we’re young. But some of us came to Christ when we were children…which would put us at 15-20 years in the church/ministry. Many of us have been around the ministry long enough to know what’s right and wrong, biblical and not. Be careful not to be too quick to jump to conclusions when it comes to our spiritual maturity.

It’s my hope that someone will read this post and realize that they may have an untapped resources right at their fingers within my generation. We want to learn, be discipled and mentored for ministry. We want someone to pass on the torch of ministry to us and we’re ready to run the race.

Community-R-Us

Daniel — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:19:36 +0000

In my last post mentioned some of the things that I hate about church in America. Someone posted asking the very valid question…”How do we fix it?” (I’m paraphrasing his question) all my life I’ve heard and been taught that if you bring up an issue have a potential solution. This is a practical idea to have throughout life. I want to take a few moments and bring up some potential solutions for creating community and ensuring that you reach out to the generation(s) that are falling through the gap and/or are being overlooked by the church.

1. Participate.
The first step that you should take is to look at your church home. If you belong to a church then you have a community. The community that you are looking for could be there right in front of you the whole time. If your church has a small group, Bible study or other community driven ministry then you as an individual should participate. If there is a lack of community in your congregation bring it up to your Pastor. If you do bring it up to your Pastor do so with love, respect and tactfulness. Approach this conversation with potential ideas that you can either do or assist with.

2. Start a Small Group or Bible Study.
One idea that you can bring to the table is to start or help start a small group or Bible study under the leadership of the church. (*Note: this should only be an option if your church doesn’t already have a similar ministry in operation) if for some reason this idea is not accepted then you could start a small group/Bible Study at school or work during your lunch break. I would still seek the approval of the leadership at your church. But this may be a way for you to begin a community that doesn’t impact your church if the idea of stating one for the church is not accepted. (*Note: this isn’t permission to go behind the back of the leadership in your church.) if they tell you no then you can ask them for a reason. You want this reason…because they are in the process of beginning a similar ministry, maybe you are a new Christian and they would like to give you more discipleship prior to you venturing out or they may be some other reason.

3. Be Intentional with Your Relationships.
Not everyone is able to lead a small group/Bible study. Maybe you’re shy, not organized, still in the process of learning or you do not have the gift of teaching. No matter the reason the reality remains that there are people whom will not be suited for this type of ministry. You can however be intentional with your relationships. Take advantage of every opportunity to speak into someone’s life. Become a regular at a local restaurant, coffee shop, gas staion or store. Get to know people in your community around you. Your neighbors, classmates and co-worker.

These are just a few ideas that you can potentially use to individually address the issue of community (or lack thereof) within the church. A community begins with one person…you can be that person. If we all purposed in our lives to participate in and lead communities when there was a need then the church would have no lack of community. My final thought is to pray about it…what can you do to either participate in the community within your local church, lead an existing community or begin a new community that consisted of the people in your life. What are some approaches that you use to address this issue?

I Hate

Daniel — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:08:48 +0000

I’ve seen some hate videos on YouTube. Some of these videos are funny and others are serious. The wheels started turning and I came up with a couple of lists of things that I hate. The first is “What I hate about the church in America” this list is based off of personal experience and that of other people that I know. The second is “What I hate about my life” before you get upset at the title of either of these take a read and if you would like leave you can leave a comment below. Agree or disagree either way is alright with me.

-What I hate about the church in America:

I hate it when I feel more community at work then at church

I hate it when people are fake Christians, either follow Christ or don’t

I hate it that a lot of churches focus on quantity instead of quality when it comes to Christians. Jesus calls us to make disciples…He doesn’t tell us to lead someone in a prayer and then call it good.

I hate that my generation seems to be overlooked at many churches. We’re not just college age group. We are the people that will be leading the church in a short time.

I hate that what I believe may offend people

I hate that I’m expected to remain silent because of a potential offense Jesus may cause someone in our society

I hate that people say one thing and do another. It’s simple say what you mean and mean what you say

I hate that honesty, even in the church seems to be a dying virtue

-What I hate about my life:

I hate that I can’t see Christ more in my life

I hate that I don’t pray as much as I should

I hate that I don’t read my Bible as much as I could

I hate that I take things for granted sometimes

I hate it when I let opportunities to evangelize slip by

I hate that I don’t show more grace, love and forgiveness

I hate that I’m not always quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry

What are some things that you “hate”? Leave a comment below and feel free to share this post on Facebook or Twitter!

Get Organized part 2

Daniel — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:24:29 +0000

On my last post I talked about some of the things that I do to help me stay organized. After the post I realized that there are some additional things that I do to assist with this process so I thought I wold write a Part 2 for this post.

The one thing that I use the most but did not specifically mention is an agenda. There are several apps for this or you can go old school and use a pen and paper version. I use the free Google Calendar for my agenda. No matter what you use for an agenda there are some things that you can do that will make this a more effective tool.

1. Schedule Everything.
I put everything on my agenda. If you a lot of things going on in your life it’s easy to over look the little but important things in life. Spending time your family, taking some time to rest, devotional times, ect. I have all of these things on my agenda and more (like I said everything)

2. Don’t Get Stuck on Specifics.
I do want to point out that not everything on my agenda has a specific time and location but I do ensure that they are on the correct date. I usually add things to my agenda using my cell phone and I don’t always have the time to include all of the specifics. The important thing is to get it on the agenda. You can always go back and add the specifics at a later time.

3. Prioritize Items.
Unfortunately there may come a time when your schedule becomes too full and you will not be able to accomplish everything. At that point you will need to prioritize the items on your agenda. This may seem like a simple thing to do but if you make a habit of doing this before you have a full schedule then you will have an easier time when you re completely booked.

4. Review.
If you have an agenda or schedule you need to take the time and review the everything. I usually do this first thing in the morning to give me a good grasp of what I have for that day and then the following day (just in case there is something that I need to accomplish today for a task tomorrow, for example) I have a digital assistant app (specifics are in my previous post) on my android smart phone that will read everything on my agenda to me. I’ll listen to this on my way to work in the morning. Some people may prefer to do their review in the evening before heading to bed. No matter when you decide to get this done the important thing is that you do it.

As I said before my agenda is the tool that I use the most to help me stay organized. What I really love about this tool is that if you don’t keep up with your agenda you can always start it up again with little effort.

Is there anything that you use to help you stay organized?

Get Organized

Daniel — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 09:23:52 +0000

As we begin the new year I know that many people will have new Year’s resolutions. I’m sure that some people out there have determined that they want to get organized this year. If you have then this is for you.

I have come across many different leaders in my career and in the church. The most successful leaders I’ve had we’re organized. The benefits far out weigh the negative when it comes to getting things organized. I’ve never heard anyone state that they wanted to be less organized. There is no excuse for not being organized. With all of the tools that we have at our finger tips it’s becoming easier and easier to get and remain organized. Some people procrastinate or attempt to justify their lack of organization skills. I want to be clear…organization is not a skill that you have at birth. It’s something that you learn overtime but you have to put in the effort to develope this skill just like any other. Here are a few things that I do and use to help me stay organized.

5. Email:

This can be a great tool especially in the world we live in where a majority of people can get their email on their phones. In order for this to be an effective tool to help you stay organized you have to utilize the functions that email has to offer. First, I have multiple email accounts (Their free why not) I use my yahoo email account for anything that I think will end up sending me junk mail. I use my gmail account to give out to actual people. I early use this email when I sign up for something online to avoid getting junk mail and spam at this email address. I also have an email address that I use for work and I only use this for work related emails. Second, create folders within the inbox and as emails come in place them in the appropriate folders. Yahoo, Gmail and Outlook all have this function and to my knowledge all email services do as well. I even have folders at my Yahoo/junk mail account to help me organize the devotionals, verses of the day and other daily emails that I receive at this account. Bother thing that I do is I rarely delete my email. This is referring to actual emails not spam. There have been many times that this has come in handy especially at work. When I was accused of not sending an email but I save the sent email with the time and date stamped. Unfortunately I have had to use this for ministry purposes as well. Whether you use this to cover yourself or to keep old emails for future reference this is a habit that has paid off for me more than once.

4. Lists:

I love to make lists. Whether its “To-Do” lists for t home or a list of task thT I need to accomplish at work. There are apps for smartphones and tablet devices specifically for making lists, many of them are free. I use some apps for this which I will specifically talk about later. The potential problem with lists is that it’s easy to add things to the list and as a result you can end up with a really long list. Something else that I’ve realized is that without a system to prioritize the items on your list what may start as number one on your list may end up being bumped down as you begin to add additions to your list. As long as you know how to prioritize the items on your list this can be a great tool to help you become more organized. I want to point out that you are not stuck to one list. I often have two or three lists that I am working with. The three lists that I usually have are for work, ministry & family/personal. Any more than three can be cumbersome so I usually operate with just these three but there may be times that I create. List for a specific project. No matter how many lists that you have just remember to prioritize.

3. iPad:

This has been a dream come true when it comes to organization. There are thousands of apps many of which are free that are designed specifically for productivity and organization. The app that I use the most is called Plaintext and it is simply an app that you can use for typing. The thing about this app that I like the most is that it syncs with my Drop Box account which allows me to access all of the documents that I typed on any devices with the Internet. I also love that you can create multiple folders and even folders within the folders to keep all of your typed documents nice and…you guessed it organized. Plaintext is a free app and is pricless for ministry. I have several sermons, Bible studies and blog posts all saved in this one app. No matter where I go I have access to these resources which comes in handy if your asked to speak in an impromptu situation. Another app that I use just as much if not more is a free Bible app called YouVersion. This app has several translations, allows you to download them for offline use, take notes while reading and has several different reading plans to assist in daily reading the Word. This app also syncs with other devices, such as smartphones and you can pick up your reading on the go. Meeting Box is another free app that I recently downloaded which allows you to create an agenda for a meeting, take notes during the meeting and record the audio for your reference later. During a meeting that requires minutes be typed up later this can be a handy tool and I look forward to using this app more. iScope is the final free app that I will mention. This app is for tracking the progress of a specific project. You can create and then subtasks for a project as well as assign them to specific people. iScope also allows you include due dates which allows you to follow up with people and their progress. I just downloaded this app and already have three tasks for a project that are being worked on by different people. I’m looking forward to using this app more as well. The iPad is a great asset to help you stayed organized especially if you are on the go all the time. I don’t use my iPad for work…I specifically use it for ministry and personal purposes. If you can get one they are worth price.

2. Smart Phone (Android):

Some people have an iPad and an iPhone…I have an android smart phone. I love my phone and the android app market. I use my phone for work, ministry and personal organization and is a great asset for staying connected to people through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Accessing emails is extremely easy on most smart phones. But there are a few apps that I use on my phone that assist me in staying organized. Speaktoit Assistant is a free app that is much like the new Siri app on the new iPhones. This app syncs with your google calendar where you can add things that you need to accomplish. Once you are synced up you simply ask (yes you literally ask) “What’s on my agenda today?” and your digital assitant will tell you (yes tell you) everything that you have on your agenda for the day. This app will also sync to your Facebook and Twitter accounts as well. But as far as staying organized it helps to have someone tell you what you have going on everyday. The best part is that this app is free. Do It Tomorrow is another free app that I use…it’s a simple app that allows you to make a do it list for your current day or you can make a list for the following day. The down fall here is that you can only make lists for two days. No further planning is allowed in this app. Evernote and Dropbox are both apps that I use. They are both free and they sync to my iPad and are accessible online. Evernote is simply for making notes. These notes can be lists, ideas, to do lists, blog posts…whatever your heart desires. Dropbox allows you to save documents and pictures to a webste online. You have to log in with a password and login in order to access the documents so they are secure and private. You can create folders in both of these apps to help you stay organized as well. I use both of these for work, ministry and personal purposes.

1. Pen and Notebook:

When batteries die and you have no access to your apps or devices you have to be prepared to remain organized. Technological failures is no excuse to get unorganized. My friends know that I almost always have a pen and some form on notebook or paper on me at any given time. You never know when an inspiration, thought, idea or task will come up and odds are you won’t remember it later. If you have something to write with you can quickly write down the idea and refer to it later. I have multiple notebooks to help me stay organized. I have two for work, one for ministry and a few others for personal organization. I don’t always carry all of the notebooks with me but I usually have something to write with and write on when I am on the move. You can easily find cheap notebooks, even small ones that will be able to fit in your back pocket or purse.

I had a friend ask me not too long ago how I stay organized and I began to list some things that I do in order to stay organized. Remember organization begins with a choice to develop your organizational skills. If you have any ideas to help people become more organized leave them in the comments below.

Building Your Dream Team

Daniel — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:12 +0000

Something that I have been doing for a long time but only recently realized that I was doing it is noticing the potential in people for ministry. Call it an intuition or the leading of the Holy Spirit but I see in people so much more than what they see in themselves. The issue is convincing those people of what they are capable of doing. Which eventually goes back to being an effective communicator. Even in the people closest to me I can see them accomplishing great things for God in their lives if they chose to pursue a certain path. I was talking with a friend of mine last week and I told him that I saw potential in him and his reaction to that news acknowledged the fact that I didn’t communicate to him the potential that I see in him. The many things that he can accomplish in addition to the ministry role that he is currently serving. Here are a few ideas that I am planning to apply while I build my “dream team”.

1. Pray.
This is an obvious step when planning to build a team for ministry. But if we’re not careful this can be easily overlooked. It can be very detrimental to the process if this first step is passed over or ignored. Something to consider in this step is that when we pray God will not always answer immediately and if you’re like I am you would rather have the answer sooner rather than later. It’s vital that we practice patients and trust that God listens to our prayers and will answer them in His time.

2. Always Be Ready.
Last week when I was talking with that friend I hadn’t planned to mention to him the potential that I could see in his life. But the conversation went that direction and I was thankfully ready. Looking back I wasn’t as prepared for the conversation as I would like to have been otherwise there are some more things that I would have brought to his attention. But if I was always ready to “recruit” or at least have that conversation then I would have had questions and answers standing by just in case the opportunity presented itself.

3. Speak Up.
As I mentioned before he was taken back that I could see potential in him. He didn’t already know that because I had asked him to pray about getting involved but I didn’t speak up and tell him why I think he would be a great asset to the team, even if it was for only a short time. If you see the potential in someone then speak up and tell them. Another scenario that may present itself is that the Holy Spirit may lead you to say something to an individual. If this happens…speak up. Don’t let your apprehension cause you to be disobedient to His leading.

4. Follow Up.
During this process you may end up talking to a lot of people. It’s imperative that you follow up with these people after some time has passed. Allow them time to think and pray about the opportunity but eventually a follow up needs to be done. If they are important enough to give the invitation to then they are important enough for the follow up…even if their answer is no.

5. Get Organized.
This step will assist you with the entire process but especially with step four. It can be difficult to keep track of everyone that you have talked to and when you talked with them. If you take the time and organize your efforts you will be able to accomplish and focus on more than you could without organization.

6. Expect “No” as an Answer.
Some people may disagree with this but before you skip this section hear me out. If you get your heart set on everyone saying “yes” to the opportunity to get involved with ministry it can become discouraging when you hear the answer “No” more than “Yes”. If you hope they agree to join but expect them not to then you will find a lot more joy when you do gain a team member and you won’t take it as hard when they decide that they want to go in a different direction. This will also help when you are told “Yes” but then the person decides to be AWOL for all of the meetings and functions. They say “Yes” with their words but say “No” with their actions. In the end the idea is to expect the worse but hope for the best.

There are some other things that I plan to incorporate during this process but I thought that I would share some of the lessons learned thus far and their practical application. If you have some ideas or thoughts share them in the comments below.

Final Thoughts for 2011

Daniel — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:12:16 +0000

I know that we have a few more days left in the year but I wanted to write this post all week and thought I would knock it out. This has been a very interesting year for the world (for the sake of time I won’t get into all of the events…I’m sure you can find blog posts specifically for that on other blogs) but also for me and my family. Before I get into some of the specifics I want to point out that the older I get the more I seem to reflect on the year as we approach New Year’s Eve. Maybe it’s maturity…maybe it’s just me getting older no matter the reason a lot comes from taking the time to reflect on my life every year. Where I am and where I’ve been…my goals that I did and did not complete. Sometimes the reflection can sting other times it can be amazing. If you’ve never taken the time to examine your life towards the end of the year you should start. Don’t just set new goals for the new year but evaluate everything in your life. The benefits that come from this can be priceless in the year to come.

This year has taken me on a journey like no other. Many ups and some downs and before I write any further if you read this and you get offended at this post then you should contact me so we can talk about whatever it is that bothers you. It’s strange how God works sometimes…actually more times than not He works that way. I felt God’s calling on my life this last year. The calling was so pungent that I worked up the courage to tell my Pastor at the time. The call was to plant a church in the Sacramento area. At first this was met with positive reactions but quickly as opinions started to form about the calling the vibes changed. No one directly said that they didn’t agree with the calling but it was obvious by my interactions with people that for some reason they did not or could not see eye to eye with the calling that God had but on my life. My original plan was to stay at the church that we were attending while we prepared to plant the church..that however did not take place. To make a long story short things ended in a less than ideal way and my wife and I ventured out to plant to church without the support of our former church.

There were four of us that we’re joined together on this venture. All of us in our twenties not having a clue what we were doing. We started with a small group Bible study but a couple of months into it we came to a small roadblock. Out of fear of the unknown I decided to not stop but to put a hold on planting the church (at least that was the justification that I had) I told myself (and other people) that I didn’t know what to do next and that I should get trained up first and try to get plugged into a church that would assist with the church plant. Well after a couple of months going to another church I find myself going every week with people still asking me if that is my first time visiting their church. I took some time off from work for Christmas and New Year’s and all of this week as I have taken the time to reflect on the past year and in my prayer time I have been convicted. Convicted for not pursuing God’s call for my life. See its one thing if you don’t know what God has called you to…it’s an entirely different thing if you know the specifics of the calling on your life and you make a chose not to be obedient.

I mentioned before that sometimes the reflection stings and other times it’s amazing. I have found this year’s reflection to be bittersweet. It’s not a good feeling when you realize that you have been disobedient to God. But it’s great to know that God is a God of second chances and that He longs for us to restore ourselves to Him and His will for our lives. My final thoughts for 2011 are simply this…I fell down this year in a big way but I’m choosing to get back up and to continue to follow God’s calling for my life. Looking back the thought of not knowing what I’m doing will only force me to rely on the leading of the Holy Spirit and will drive me to prayer and devotion. I can’t plant a church on my own but with the Holy Spirit taking the lead and Christ being the head of the church then it is possible.

Common Misconception

Daniel — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:51:56 +0000

I have been going to help out a youth group the last several weeks with their worship team. Last night was a good service but there seems to be a misconception when it comes to being a Christian for teenagers today and I would argue within the church. Yesterday the Youth Pastor talked about asking God for things and sometimes we don’t get what we want when we want it because God may have something better for us or for some other reason but it becomes apparent when you begin to talk to people about what they want in life and what they long for where their priorities lie. In a room full of teenagers it’s not uncommon for the topic of boyfriends/girlfriends to arise when discussing such things and it sometimes baffles me and the hesitation some people have when addressing this subject especially to teenagers. Here is my stance on relationships and love…seek God first! It may seem simplistic at best but I promise that this method works. This idea isn’t one that I came up with or developed over time. In the book of Matthew Jesus tells us to “But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you…” -Matthew 6:33. But this methodology isn’t meant just for relationships with people. In Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus is telling us not to worry about food or clothing because God will provide. This principle is applicable to everything including your needs and desires.

Jesus told His disciples to “Follow Me…” this meant that they would leave everything to follow Jesus. Their families, careers, homes…everything. To “Follow” someone in the sense that Jesus meant it was to dedicate your life to that person’s teachings and to go where they went and do what they did. In this culture when you decided to “follow” someone you made it your goal in life to become like your teacher or Rabbi. Jesus tells us that “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up your cross and follow me.” –Mark 8:34 in Colossians Paul tells us that “…Christ is all and is in all.” the New Living Translation says it this way “Christ is everything” (Colossians 3:11). That’s what many Christians are missing today, Christ isn’t their everything. I often hear people use rebuttals that sound more like a young child attempting to reason with his/her father or mother. They are selfish at their core and in the end are only excuses. It’s almost like people attempt to negotiate with Jesus and God on the terms of them following Him. However we all know that it doesn’t work that way. God gave His son to die on the cross in our place. Jesus voluntarily gave His life for us and rose from the dead three days later. Salvation is now available to anyone that would choose to follow Jesus under His terms and conditions…not our own. Salvation is there for us, the blessings of God are there for us and they are given to us as gifts by grace, through Christ. However if Jesus says that we have to deny ourselves in order to follow Him then we do not have the right nor the authority to attempt to bargain with God or Jesus when it comes to how we follow Jesus. The most simple way I can say it is this…if Jesus says to do it then do it, if Jesus says don’t do it then don’t do it. Our salvation isn’t based on a system of “do’s and don’ts” like the Old Testament Law but there are some things that Jesus tells us to do in order to live a successful Christian life. We use the Bible has our number one source for Christian living yet so many people refuse to read, study or listen to the Word of God.

Let me summarize everything that I have shared thus far…

1. There seems to be a common misconception in regards to what it truly means to be a Christian/ Follower of Christ.

2. A true Follower of Christ/Christian will be obedient to the Word of God and will make their life revolve around Christ…thus putting God first in everything.

3. The terms and conditions behind what it means to biblically follow Jesus are not negotiable…they are clearly defined by Jesus and throughout the Bible

4. Salvation is a gift and is not based off of works/deeds…but to be like Christ (the goal of every Christian) we must be obedient, just as Jesus was obedient to God the Father.

The Facebook Christian

Daniel — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 23:08:26 +0000

Social networking sites are a great way to stay connected to people all over the world. In my opinion they can be great tools for churches and church leaders to use to reach out to people. Especially since many people would prefer a message through a site like Facebook then a phone call. While I think nothing should replace a phone call sometimes people just prefer to communicate using these sites. Ultimately I believe that social networking sites are great tools and I think that the church that refuses to use them is stubborn and is some cases foolish.

I’ve noticed a disturbing trend among many Facebook users. Online they act and talk one way and then in person they act or talk another way. I have categorized these into a few groups and will explain each separately.

1. The Facebook Christian: They will act like a dedicated follower of Christ and constantly post verses and other encouraging posts pertaining to God, the church and ministry. But when you talk with them in person they either don’t want to talk about or they won’t talk about the subject that they post about. But you will see them at church on Sunday or at a Bible study. They are more going through the motions of being a Christian then actually following Jesus.

2. The Post Only Christian: This group of people is similar to the first one except this group just flat out is not a follower of Christ in any way. They live their life contrary to the Word of God and make no attempt to study (*Note the word study not read) their Bible or attend church. They only want people to think they’re Christians online.

3. The Bi-Polar Christian: This group will post about how great it is to follow Christ with a post but 30-45 minutes later they are posting about how much they are sad and how they miss “him/her” whoever that is…there are a lot of high’s and low’s within their posts just as if they were bi-polar. This is most likely a reflection of their walk with Christ. When times are great then they love Jesus but when times get tough they go to the other extreme.

4. The Mirror Christian: This group is full of people that follow Christ both in person and on Facebook. They are genuine believers that are doing everything within their power to follow Christ and pursue God’s calling for their lives. They will post about what God is doing in their lives but they will post about other things that are going on in their lives as well. Their conversations don’t consist of a full serving of God, church, Bible and ministry but rather their conversations and posts are “seasoned with the Word of God”. Their Facebook posts and online lives reflect their actual lives.

Let me break it down for you…to follow Christ isn’t to be in a “click” or club it is full devotion, following Jesus means that we not only learn from Him but that we strive to BE like Him as much as humanly possible. This is an individual choice that you and I have to make on a daily basis. To follow Jesus and use the potential that we have been given or to deny Christ by our actions, words and dare I say it Facebook/Twitter posts. Some may think it’s extreme to use the phrase “deny Christ” but when you just pretend to follow Him you make Him superficial, when you claim to love Him but refuse to really love people you disobey Him and when you disobey Him you neglect Him, when you neglect Him you pass up opportunities to tell others about His love and when you refuse to tell people about Jesus you deny Him. Some may say the phrase “deny Him” is extreme I say it’s the truth that a lot of people don’t want to acknowledge.