A positive irritation

The Rev Ruth Kennedy says that, despite the downsides, social media can be a valuable tool for churches.

IN addition to a much welcome school halfterm break, this month also brings an extra day for the year and Lent. Seems a bit like a bonus month, doesn’t it?! But then Lent is usually a time where we go without, minus not bonus! Although, we don’t really ‘lose’ anything, for the purpose of genuinely sacrificing a distraction is to create more space for God in our lives. To increase our prayer time, bible reading, worship, reflection and expressions of our faith. Distractions.

Social media is often referred to as the distraction of the age, filling up minds and time with, well, everything and anything the algorithms lurking in the back analyse as relevant to our interests. Stealing precious time away from engaging with God and others, to lose ourselves in a screen or indeed, something similar. But is it not about having a healthy balance where we set limits and maintain them, ensuring we protect our time and space for our spiritual health with Jesus?

No doubt about it, social media is controversial, but I’m not writing about the merits or demerits of this method of communication. Rather, I wonder what good there is in it and how it is more than a distraction.

A grain of sand in your eye is incredibly irritating. However, that same grain of sand irritates the beauty of a pearl in an oyster. Beauty in a different context. If we see social media as a grain of sand, we discover there are cultures where it can be a positive irritation, it can be a tool to help in our churches.

I am often at cycle races, either as the Sports Chaplain or water-carrying/pit crew mum or, on the odd occasion, competitor and I am always inspired by how well the (other!) cyclists know how to use and fix their bikes. They know the tools needed for the different kind of mechanical issues they might have. There’s a similarity in church for us; to know the tools we have and how to use them. Like social media or digital ministry in general: it might be a source of irritation at times, but it is a tool we can use in the right context that will be a benefit for our churches. It is a language tool with which we can teach and inspire, encourage and disciple, not just a communication platform.

Paul writes in Romans 10: ‘How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“ Like social media or digital ministry in general: it might be a source of irritation at times, but it is a tool we can use in the right context that will be a benefit for our churches.

‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’

I am encouraged that so many of us are using the tools of social media and wider digital ministry, so people hear the good news of Jesus, sending over the digital waves! Perhaps, over this Lent, we can review how our Church’s digital ministry is beautifying the Good News. Reach out to me if you have questions. ¤

The Rev Ruth Kennedy is Digital Ministries Advisor for the Church of Scotland and minister with Sanctuary First.