The Twitter Craze: Why & How
Just a couple months ago PC Magazine reported that in one year users of Twitter have increased from about 500,000 people to over 7 million people. In April, Hollywood star Ashton Kutcher challenged CNN Network with Twitter successfully proving that he could get information out to more people faster than the largest news network. Twitter has officially become one of most used websites on the internet.
What is Twitter? “Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author’s profile page and delivered to the author’s subscribers who are known as followers.” If you’re familiar with Facebook status updates, just think of a website with only the status update part. In fact most people who Twitter have it set so when they update their Twitter it automatically updates their Facebook status.
With the mobile internet telephone revolution Twitter has become a regular homescreen application on people’s cell phones. So people can Tweet messages and pictures from wherever they are. For an example of what someone’s Twitter page looks like. Here’s a picture of what a twitter homepage looks like after you sign up and start following some people.
To be honest a lot of people Tweet stupid stuff like, “I’m eating a taco right now.” Who cares? It wasn’t until I saw some other Acts 29 Pastors Twittering and seeing how they were doing it that actually made me sign up for a Twitter account and start Tweeting. It’s been a few months since I started and I’ve had a lot of questions about it lately from people…so I thought I’d write a brief blog on how and why I am Twittering.
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To Lead By Example
1 Timothy 4:12 “Set (for) the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”
As a pastor in the 21st century world we live in where everyone is always busy and has a million things going on, I feel as though I have very little time to spend with people. Sure people hear me preach on Sundays, and a few are part of my community group…but even the one’s I spend the most time with, the 9 dudes in discipleship with me, we still only get together for like an hour every other week. It just seems like our current culture is almost set up so that there is a devaluation of human relationships which make being the church and really shepherding a people extremely difficult.
Here’s what I mean. Jesus spent everyday, all day, with his disciples for three years. That’s a lot of teaching and shepherding. It is a far different experience to be able to not only hear what someone is saying or preaching and then be able to see them live it out in their life. I often wonder what we could accomplish as the church if I could spend that kind of time with people.
But here is the great thing about Twitter. Everybody is on it all the time. I mean most check their Twitter status at least 4-5 times a day if not more. So by making Twitter posts I am able to open up my life to others so they can see how I am living the gospel 24-7. How I am taking the truths of Scripture and applying them to my life. Twitter is like these windows into my life where I can have more regular input and leading by example for others.
Since I am living the gospel it is not hard to write down on my phone some quick little jots about what is going on in my heart and my mind. So the main things I Tweet about are the Scriptures I’m reading (Ps 1:2), the intentional gospel things I’m doing (Col 3:17), and how I am keeping my family as my first priority and ministry (1 Tim 3:5).
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To Give Intentional Spiritual Input
2 Timothy 3:10 “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness.”
I try very hard to write intentionally thought provoking questions about life and how the gospel applies to it. I’m often praying as I tweet thinking about people’s lives, jobs, and friends…what they are doing in the day and how I might help and encourage them to live for Christ today by what they might read in my tweet. In order to learn how to do this I’ve been following John Piper’s Twitter who is probably Twittering like this better than anyone else.
You can also Tweet links and so if there is another Tweet that is theologically rich or encouraging you can reTweet it so that you can pass it along to others or you can Tweet links to other good articles and resources for people. So I’m always looking at the guys I’m following and articles I’m reading for good stuff that I can Tweet and pass along to others.
Added on to this is the missional benefit. Some people who are Facebook or Twitter friends may not be Christians and it is an opportunity for them to see and hear from the real you. To know who you really are and what’s really going on with you. In a good way, it can put the gospel on display and shows why the gospel is so good, essential and powerful in your life.
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To Gain Theological Wisdom
Malachi 2:7 “For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.”
Lastly, I use Twitter for my own personal benefit. Most of the dudes I follow are pastors and most of them are Twittering in the way I have described here. I like hearing about how they are working through their sermon during the week and how they are dealing with life and their responsibilities and being good pastors, dads, and husbands. I find a lot of encouragement, strength and comradery by reading their short posts.
The good thing about Twitter is that they are really micro or mini blogs. You can’t write more than 140 characters. So you are forced to be succinct and concise. There’s not a lot to read so you can do it quickly and on the go. For a very short amount of investment, there is a lot of pay off if you do it right. There is a lot of theological wisdom to be gained if you find and follow the right people.
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Conlcusion
So that’s how and why I’m Twittering. If you want to check out my Twitter go to http://twitter.com/duanesmets or you can see the same thing in Facebook status updates. Much love everyone and have a great rest of your week.
- Pastor Duane
