Pastor to church leaders: Thou shalt not Facebook

I am certainly not trying to argue with anyone regarding the potential tool that Facebook “could be”. It seems that some may have a testimony to back that up, but I want to share a few comments on what I have seen from the fruit of Facebook.

I have seen more problems generated from Facebook than not.

Perhaps there have been someone out there that have come to a saving faith in the Lord from Facebook, but I have never known one.

I have known plenty of marriages that have ended in infidelity and divorce because of Facebook. People who find a person that they knew years before from high school or college and start talking…

I agree with HomeSkoolDad that of course it is more an issue of the heart and in the same token guns don’t kill people it is the person who pulls the trigger that does the killing, so the “tool” (Facebook or guns) can’t be blamed completely; it is how they are used or abused.

In the same concern I have seen a number of younger Pastors, Elders and church leaders who spend more time on Facebook then in prayer.

I see that as a major problem.

Pastors who should be taking their positions very seriously and be before the Lord for their flock will spend hours a day checking and searching Facebook or browsing for friends; then turn and spend five minutes in prayer and expect God to bless their work.

Pastors and leaders who will run to check or update their status on Facebook and see what someone may have written, instead of running to check their heart status before God.

I am sure that there will likely be many angry responses from people who love Facebook, but I know what I have seen in the younger generation of Pastors and leaders.

The future of the Church is going to be placed in the hands of many Pastors that find their strength and encouragement in Facebook and not on their knees in communion with a living Christ. It scares me a bit. Never the less our God is Sovereign.

My opinion is this: Any Bible believing Christian who spends more time on Facebook, YouTube, even on SermonIndex.net or watching TV then they spend in prayer or the Word of God; absolutely needs to examine their hearts and repent.

1 Cor. 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Col 3:1-3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

God be with you!
Brian

I dont know this Pastor's heart and he may have gone to the extreme. But maybe he has been so grieved about what is happening these days to people falling away that he took these measures. I hope that is the case and not that he is a legalist. Brother Dr. K.P. was concerned about people falling away that he even told two brothers not to fellowship together right now because they were not good for each other. He had a very sobering word from the Lord Tues. night streaming.

A dear brother asked us to get a facebook act. so we could see who we were fellow shipping with and lift up Jesus etc. And I really enjoyed it a lot. I got in touch with a sister from the 70's when we were babes etc. My site only lifted up Jesus and I know some who were faltering thanked me for posts like from D. Wilkerson.

The problem I had was, just as Iceman was saying, I was becoming consumed with it. I was enjoying it so much I was not spending the same amount of time with the Lord as I liked. And it even watered down my time with Him. So I turned off my acct. I dont know if I shall ever return.

As far as SI. I love it here. It is a gift from the Lord as are all of you. But I must admit at times I am here instead of first being with the Lord. Everyone knows SI is not a waste of time, we are fed here, we grow, we have fellowhip, we debate etc. There is nothing better on the web than SI.

But it is true we must guard our hearts and always spend more time with the Lord first. If we don't we wont have much of Him to share.

I pray for this Pastor and all of the sincere Pastors. Some are just wanting to give up due to what they see happening in their congregations. This is when we can say, God, we need Your Divine Intervention. Help, we need You help.

If someone has to struggle with giving up facebook or pastoring, should he be pastoring?

Just a thought.

(THIS POST IS NOT AIMED AT ANYONE EITHER!!)

Saying that God is not using whatever it may be simply becuse YOU don't see it is close to blasphemy (and extremely self-righteous, as if you have been endowed with special discernment into what God is using and is not using) because if God is not in something then by default it is satanic. Attributing evil to the Almighty God of Heaven is a dangerous thing to do.

It is really unfortunate that you were unable to read my entire post, but instead were offended about my OPINION of Facebook and attack me insinuating that I claim that I am an all knowing all seeing person. I never said that!!!

Take the time to read my original post before you comment. I never said God wasn’t using Facebook and I never said that it was satanic.

If you read my post I agreed with you that Facebook was not the cause of infidelity.

Perhaps you are just wasting hours of your day on Facebook and using it as an excuse that you are doing “God’s work”, and I just hit a sore spot in your life.

Instead of attacking me perhaps you should spend some time in prayer before the Lord you claim to serve regarding the time you waste; remember it is His time if you are His.

Facebook is not the problem,we are the problem. We all are responsible for our own actions, if this minister is this concerned about FB, maybe he needs to re-examine his messages to his congregation, if the message is right, FB should not be any problem. If Pastors start the practice of telling their congregations not to visit FB, what will it be next? don't go to Wal-Mart because you might run into an old flame or they sell secular books. Temptation in my opinion increases our faith, if we are not allowed to be temped by worldly things, how do we increase our testimony or our faith in God? I personally use FB, but more of a reader than a poster, and have been reunited with my Class of 1970, and have enjoyed being re-united with my old school Buddies both women and men, it's been a Blessing to me personally, but I have not even considered asking any of the women out, and I am single. I personally know that one day that God will place someone in my path, this is my faith in action, I have no desire to hurry anything up by using a social-network website, matter fact if we use them as God would want us to, they can be a way to bring in the lost sheep.

Saints, let us pause and ask,'why did this item become news?' I believe it's because this man took a stand for something much bigger than a lot of us recognize.

Since i haven't seen as much marital damage as he's seen, all linked to facebook, i would hesitate to say ought but pray for him.

He obviously sees fb as a source of temptation that many MAY be unable to resist and like a wise shepherd, is warning his flock.

Brethren, do please pray for this brother. We may not agree with his position on fb but let us believe the best of him.

Frankly, if a trusted brother thought fb wasn't a good idea and asked me to give it up, i would. I believe Brother Miller's congregation [or at least, his pastoral staff] trusts his judgment on this matter.

May the Lord continue to strengthen His servants all over the globe.

Just an afterthought...

This particular pastor, Cedric Miller, had previously admitted in a 2003 criminal court testimony to having had engaged in sexual activity with his wife and a male church assistant during several sex romps. According to testimony, these sexual situations sometimes involved the pastor, his wife, the male church assistant and his wife.

When news of the sexual immorality suddenly came to light last week, Miller tried to claim that Facebook was partially to blame for his immoral behavior (even though the immorality was between individuals that the pastor knew outside of Facebook).

This pastor is now being mocked around the world for his hypocrisy.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1331704/Facebook-ban-pastor-Cedric-Miller-admits-threesome-wife-church-assistant.html

*I won't include the article due to its explicit descriptions.

Telling people to quite facebook is God's place in a person's life... not a man's.

Romans 14 speaks of each person's conviction to keep the Sabbath or not keep the Sabbath. I believe the same can include facebook :) If a person's conscience is not hindered from walking in the life of God while having facebook, who is man to tell him to stop? That's a bit legalistic.

Thank you Chris for providing more light on the situation.

With the light of Scripture as a guide to interactions on SI and FaceBook, and elsewhere, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks," I am often sobered by what I read posted on FaceBook. What once was only something you may learn after long friendships becomes visibly very quickly by what is said on FaceBook. I have had people become offended when confronted about their comments, especially confessing Christians. I have also been surprised by comments on links to sermons and articles from SI.

On the other hand, I have found myself wasting time on FaceBook and even SI when I have other things to do. To say the Internet is a mine field is an understatement. Life is a minefield. I am free when I walk by the Spirit but as soon as I let my attention drift from the narrow path, BOOM! I hit a mine.

I know this pastor means well but he needs to see that it’s a heart issue, that the people’s hearts that need to change in order to guide their behavior. Anytime a person adds rules and regulations, they are reverting back to the Law.

I will use myself as an example: I am a single Christian woman, if I wanted to run around and do naughty things, I could! I’m 50 years old, I can do whatever I’m big enough to do but you know what? I DON'T because I’ve met a Man who has changed my whole mindset on what I do in my spare time; praise His Holy Name!! (edit: People who say they are Christians and don't live right, maybe they need to meet the Man again, too!)

Man-made laws about (us doing or) not doing things because we might get involved in the wrong thing... did not change my mindset or my heart; the Holy Ghost did and yes, I facebook too but God knows how I use it.

(edit: If God has specifically told someone not to facebook, then they need to obey pronto. Just wanted to add that!)

God bless and thanks for reading my humble two cents worth,
Lisa

Good one Lisa...

I find Facebook like anything else is a tool that can be used to set people free.

Let me give one instance. I have many high school friends on my facebook who are hindus. Back in school they knew I was a "nut case" for Jesus and now also they know I continue to be a "nut case" for Jesus.

I started to post some of brother Zac's sermon on my facebook wall and one of them who was a serious enemy of mine back in school who is also a hindu was so blessed by it that he said I should post more sermons like that.

I do not know the impact of what I have done but I know one thing for sure. The message is preached !

The church carries a message of Hope which is relevant throughout the ages regardless of time or culture. But the means by which we get that message across needs to be relevant to the time and culture.

I use facebook regularly to expose properity Gospel (WOF), to defend the faith against athiest. Another thing that helps is when your on facebook everyone knows your a Christian, so they will hold you accountable to your convictions. Some have even confessed the more public you are about your Faith the more others know your less likely to compromise.

We cannot bring rules and laws of what to do and what not to do. But if its a stumbling block then I would de-activate my account (Romans 14).