Deactivated

Last week I deactivated my Facebook account. What that means is that very few people will read my blog unless you share it on your Facebook wall. (Please do so if you feel so inclined.) I am not saying I am permanently off Facebook, but for right now it seems to be the right thing for me. My main reason for taking a break is to get away from all the political vitriol. The reason I need to get a way is because I am weak and unable to control myself. I have participated in the vitriol, and for that, I ask your forgiveness. Also, I got to thinking of all the people I admire and who I read after and follow, and none of them use Facebook to get their message out. I guess you could say I am in Facebook rehab. “Hello, my name is Kevin and I’m a social-holic.” I have not given up social media all together. I’m still on Twitter and Linkedin, and I may try to reactivate my Instagram account. Then, of course, there is this blog. But, for now, Facebook is off limits.

My decision to leave was confirmed during Bible study last night. Our group has been reading through the book of James. We don’t use any curriculum at our Bible study. We simply read the Bible straight through and make comments and discussions along the way. Last night, we were reading James 3. It’s about taming the tongue. As we were reading I thought to myself that it would be interesting to replace “tongue” with “social media,” especially “Facebook.” If you did so, the result would read something like this, “Likewise Facebook is a small part of life, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. Facebook is also a fire, a world of evil among the parts of life. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of a person’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed, but no man can tame Facebook. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (Based on James 3:5-8).

I did not share my personal interpretation with the group. I just did it to myself. If you apply what James was saying to social media, then, as a church leader, verse 1 is really convicting: “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” Wow! As a church leader I cannot be like everyone else. As a church leader I am held to a higher standard, and that applies to how I use social media.

Again, don’t misunderstand what I am saying. At some point I may be back on Facebook. Just not right now. If you are on Facebook, that is fine. However, if you are a church leader I encourage you to be very careful. If there is anyone who is reading this whom I may offended with any of my Facebook posts, I apologize.

Also, please understand that I still feel passionately about a lot of things, and I will still speak out, and speak my mind, on issues concerning social justice. I just think that I will do so more through my blog and less through other forms of social media.

I do plan on blogging more. So, if you would be so kind, please subscribe to my blog and tell others to do the same. And, if I ever say anything worthwhile, share it on your Facebook wall. Also, make comments on my blog. That is always encouraging.

Talk to you later.

Pastor Kevin

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