By Morgen Makombo Sikwila
Social media is impactful. It can be a blessing, and it can be destructive. Social media users can be impacted in both good and bad ways. The church needs to wrestle with the dilemma of how church members use it.
The church needs to better understand how social media can shape opinions, perceptions, and politics. The church must resolve to be shaped by Jesus’ love, grace, truth, Word, and worship—and then to use social media to bless others.
For too long the church has branded certain things as bad and untouchable, and for too long it has removed itself from certain places because of perceived dangers and threats. Social media undoubtedly fits in these categories. But Jesus and his disciples never slunk away from controversy or danger; instead, they went to public places and reached out to people in the middle of the mess. Jesus and his disciples met the people right where they were and sought to share hope with everyone. The church needs to look like Jesus in all settings. The church must shine the light of Christ wherever people are—for the glory of God and the good of all people.
Several people in the church use their smartphones or tablets, presumably as a digital Bible or a digital notetakers. For those I see from my vantage point in the church, I notice that most of those with digital devices click on the notifications they receive. They are obviously distracted, and they obviously distract me. As a point of confession, I look over the shoulder of church members last fall as they look at non church services related matters. I am ashamed to say I look longer than I should. Frankly, I have good reasons to ask church leaders to encourage their members to turn off their electronic devices basing on my own personal reasons.
Smartphones and tablets often distract the person looking at them. We see it every week. Rarely do we see church members looking at their smartphones without some kind of notifications popping up. Of course, one can’t wait to read the notification.
Smartphones and tablets often distract others. I wish we were not ones of those prone to distraction, but we are. When that light on someone’s phone catches my eye, I immediately turn to it.
Smartphones have addictive content that is contributing to a mental health crisis among young people. If you doubt the veracity of my claim, just do some research. Social media or smartphones are rewiring the minds of our children and youth. Look at the dramatic increase in anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide among this young generation once they begin using smartphones with social media access and other harmful sites. Frankly, I don’t want to give my tacit approval to the habitual use of smartphones by reading my own smartphone in church.
Most churches have many options for reading the Bible or taking notes in a worship services without needing a smartphone or tablet. I encourage pastors to get pew Bibles in the translation from which they preach most frequently. You don’t have to have a digital device even if you don’t ’t bring a print Bible.
Writing increases retention more than using a keyboard. It is so surprising at the number of studies that proves this statement. When you take handwritten notes, you are more engaged in the sermon and retain the content more effectively. By the way, pastors will be encouraged when several church members are notetakers.
Smartphones create a sense of isolation. Gathering for worship services is meant to be a communal experience because we are involved in shared community activities like reading our Bibles, taking notes, listening to the sermons, or singing and praising God together. The smartphones send us into isolation rather than communities in fellowships.
Church members communicate the wrong priorities when they use their smartphones in worship services. Even if congregants stay focused on the biblical texts and the sermons, they could implicitly communicate to other church members that they are more focused on the phone than the God we worship.
We can’t mandate that members turn off phones during worship services. Many churches have permitted or even encouraged it so long that reversing it will be difficult. Still, I hope you hear my concerns. I think they are real and pervasive.
These days, we have everything at our fingertips. Answers to any question are just a Google search away. While incredibly useful, this environment has fostered self-reliance and reflexive turning to the internet instead of seeking out other people for help. In church communities, the same logic applies—instead of going to a pastor or spiritual leader for advice, most people open up the web for answers.
While the internet and technology in and of themselves aren’t bad, they become a problem when technology becomes a substitute for human interaction. Connecting and interacting with other humans face-to-face is essential for life, and for churches. For churches, technology enables email marketing, church management software, and the automation of various administrative tasks. Technology helps churches run smoother and be more efficient. But, it can turn into a roadblock to deeper human relationships if it prevents people from interacting with each other.
Worshiping, reading and discussions, and asking questions are crucial to church and spiritual development. Having such interactions over texts, email, or social media is not as effective or valuable. Information overload can actually hinder communication as people will delete messages or updates before reading them if they feel bombarded. A church can’t reach people if their message is automatically dismissed. The challenge is defining the gray area where technology becomes overused.
Am I saying that technology itself is bad? Not at all! Extravagant uses of technology during a church service can be detrimental, and turn worship acts like prayer into something resembling entertainment.
How has technology helped, or hindered your church? What measures have you taken to ensure that your church gets the benefits of technology without diluting your main purpose?
Morgen Makombo Sikwila
MSc Peace and Governance
BSc Counselling
Diploma in Environmental Health
Certificate in Marketing Management
email address morgensikwilam@gmail.com
Phone Number 0772823282
