Social Media Has become the Public Square; Here are 6 Tips to Make Your Voice Heard in a Strong, Yet God-Honoring Way

Josh M. Shepard : May 9, 2018
Boundless.org

Self-reflection isn't easy, yet it's necessary. "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart," states Proverbs 21:2. As ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, our voices online should reflect His culture of love and truth.

[Boundless.org] The graphic was controversial, but I felt pretty good about posting it: a list of atheistic world dictators alongside the tallies of lives lost to their regimes. With figures so shocking, surely I would deal a deathblow to any doubting friend's disbelief in God. (Image via Boundless.org)

Only I didn't. It was an ill-considered, self-righteous post that some friends quickly objected to. I chose to defend it for a bit, then finally deleted it.

Social media has become today's public square. Eighty-six percent of Americans use Facebook, and over two-thirds of users get news there. Due to the network effect of likes and shares, one person's words can quickly have as much reach as a local TV station had decades ago.

Yet many of us use this power poorly. By listening, seeking truth and learning from my mistakes, I've found a few tips helpful for evaluating what I "feel" is OK to post to have a better view of dialogue, persuasion and Christian witness online.

Starting Points to Address Social Media

It's important to set the table before getting to the meat of the topic. We all come to social media with many hang-ups and knee-jerk responses. To advance the conversation, let's quickly summarize some common issues.

First, technology has become insidious in our lives. Excessive use of social media can suck our time, relationships, joy and much more. We are wise to set boundaries. Even balanced social media use can result in a "humble brag" mentality of comparison and competition. Mistakes are easy to make, as I just confessed.

Second, as followers of Christ, we are called to speak up on the moral issues of our day. Funny pet videos, selfies and personal anecdotes can surely give friends a laugh, encouragement or challenge. But we're seeing the human fallout from social trends in our nation, and it is right and just to voice concerns and make space for dialogue.

Third, your voice matters. Our society has lost "third spaces" like bowling clubs and barbershops. Today, platforms like Facebook play a key role of deliberation among people of differing views.

Last point to set the table: each person has a unique calling in life. The issues of injustice that inspire you to action may be different from what inspires me to action, and perhaps God intended it that way.

Here are six tips for healthy political talk on social media, particularly relevant for Facebook—one of the most widely used (and thus ideologically diverse) platforms for political debate...

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