3 and 3: Facebook

3 great things about Facebook:

1. Connecting with those you've lost connection with:  From a Student Ministries standpoint, Facebook has been a fantastic tool to stay connected or reconnect with former students who are.
2. The World Gets Smaller:  I love to stay in contact with my friends from India, Kenya, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.  I love that our students are able to do the same.  In my mind, this is one of the best developments in enhancing Short Term Missions.  The relationship is able to continue.
3. An Online Resume:  I can learn a lot about a person through their Facebook Profile.  It may not always be who that person truly is, but it at least gives me insight into what kind of image that person wants to reflect to the online world.  You may call this "creeping," and there is a line to be cautious on.  Yet, I have been able to gain valuable insight into students, parents, and intern applicants as I've been able to connect with them through facebook.

3 bad things about Facebook:

1.  Narcissism:  We have all grown to think our activities and opinions are a little more important to this world than they really are.
2. Added Noise:  I've never heard anybody say, "I'm not spending enough time on Facebook."  I do regularly hear (and personally say) the opposite.  I have experienced the the personal distraction of having Facebook open in another tab, hearing that little beep, and moving away from what I'm supposed to be doing to see what's going on. 
3. Immediate Response:  James 1:19 may be the most violated scripture on Facebook.  Watch the pattern on Facebook... 
• Big Story breaks (Chick Fil-a president, Obama re-elected, Sandy Hook, Phil Robertson)
• Phase 1: People take to Facebook to post knee-jerk reactions that are regularly unprocessed, vitriolic and a poor reflection of Christ.
• Phase 2: People take to Facebook to react to everyone's reactions.
• Phase 3:  The few culturally wise find a way to remind us to practice wisdom 
• Phase 4:  Everyone moves on until the next issue comes along.  We get to repeat this process, but hope that more heard and applied the wisdom of those in Phase 3.