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May 30, 2008
What Would Jesus Twitter?
(Filed under: Technology)We've been talking up Twitter--the 140-character message/mini-blog application that's sweeping the early adopters--a lot in the past few weeks (Oh, and if you're looking for church marketing Twitter friends, about 70 or so have identified themselves in the Church Marketing Lab). We'll try to move on to a new obsession, though I promise this post has a wider application.
Marcus Goodyear blogged about speaking the truth in love and how sometimes it's too easy not to do that, especially in an immediate response environment like Twitter (or blog posts/comments, message boards, IM, cell phones, etc.). He points us to Cheryl Smith's post, What Would Jesus Tweet?. I suppose it's the same question we've been asking since the bracelet came out (and for 2,000 years before that), but it's always a bit jolting to apply it to our latest technological fad.
Our very character comes across in the things we say and do on a techno-wonder like Twitter (or blogs or message boards or cell phones or pick your poison), and while that should be obvious, it's easy to forget. And as Joshua Cody reminded us earlier this week, it's important to remember that our actions are out there for the world to see, and they speak a lot louder than our words.
What are your Twitter posts (or blog commenting or text messaging or whatever) telling the world about your church or your faith?
Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at May 30, 2008 8:03 AM
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Comments
Early Adopters? Our tech guy turned me onto twitter about a year ago. We started using it in the church as a means of staff communication last fall. I'm not trying to brag, I'm just saying... Gotta go now and listen to my 1st generation iPod.
Posted by: Erickyp at May 30, 2008 6:50 AM
We've been using it for trip updates. We did it a few weeks ago for a children's retreat, and our High School Choir Tour started using it upon departure this morning:
http://www.mtbethel.org/blog/2008/05/30/live-updates-from-choir-tour/
The response to the children's retreat Twittering was very positive, so we're hoping that parents appreciate it.
We have a few other Twitter accounts for the church.
Essentially just a feed from our blog:
http://twitter.com/mtbethelumc
Status of games on the field (most for rain-outs):
http://twitter.com/mtbethelrec
Things are progressing well...
Posted by: Mickey at May 30, 2008 7:31 AM
Related to Twitter, we're also starting to use FriendFeed a little more. We have it pull in our blog, three podcasts, five twitter accounts, smugmug feed and youtube feed all into one place. I can see it becoming pretty popular over time.
http://friendfeed.com/mtbethel
Posted by: Mickey at May 30, 2008 7:50 AM
Found this post via FriendFeed, but I interpreted it literally (hey, I'm LCMS). Not what would Christians tweet, but what would JESUS tweet. In that vein, many of His statements (especially the ones from the cross, when He was in excruciating physical and mental pain) are short enough for the Twitter format.
Posted by: Ontario Emperor at May 30, 2008 10:11 AM
At our church I don't think most of the members know what a blog is, much less a Twitter. Isn't that something birds do? More stillness and listening is preferable to endless twittering.
Posted by: Claudia at June 1, 2008 8:58 PM
Why not drop by and see what I'm Tweeting?
http://twitter.com/jesus_de_christ
Posted by: Jesus_de_Christ at December 29, 2008 10:57 PM
What would Jesus Twitter? Here's my answer, at least during Holy Week.
Grace and Peace,
Raffi
Posted by: Raffi Shahinian at April 7, 2009 1:28 AM
http://twitter.com/yourfriendgod99
this is what jesus will twitter ...why dont you check out the gospel "revelation of truth !"
Posted by: jesus christ at January 20, 2010 4:00 AM
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