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June 15, 2009
Sam O'Neal: Hypocrite or Just Plain Wrong?
I'll need your help to decide.
I'll start this post off with a little honesty: I've been telling people for about six months now that I am a little nervous about Twitter. It's not that Twitter (and other sites like Facebook and MySpace) are reprehensible in any way. It's just that in a fragmented and hectic society like ours, I think the need for constant information and updates and announcement can become harmful to us—like being poked in the brain a hundred times a day by a dull stick. And I have considered Twitter to be part of that phenomenon.
Wait a second, I'm being handed a special announcement: SmallGroups.com is now on Twitter! Our handle is SmallGroupscom, and you can check us out right here: http://twitter.com/SmallGroupscom.
See any disconnect between those two paragraphs? I certainly do. And it's something I'm going to try and figure out over the next few weeks.
Let me give you a little backstory.
About a month ago, I was all set to write up a blog post about the reasons why I'm nervous about Twitter: the newest rage among internet phenomena. It was going to be based on these words from Mark 6:30-31: "The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'"
"They did not even have a chance to eat." Just a quick check—how many of you reading this right now had a restful lunch break? Did you sit down to a nice meal and enjoy yourself, or was it business? Just curious.
Anyway, I love the idea that the disciples were so hectored and frazzled trying to keep up with the buzz of ministry that Jesus had to pull them away to get some rest. That sounds so much like us.
But are we letting Jesus pull us away? Am I? That's not an easy task when we have smart phones that can check e-mail and stock quotes, not to mention laptops and free Wi-Fi and Dunkin Donuts. And now we have Twitter, where I can be constantly updated about what that person had for breakfast and why this person is upset with his boss and when that person is going on vacation and how this person will present their sermon for the week.... You get the idea.
Like I said: That's the blog post I was going to write. Then our broader corporate team got together to have a meeting and discuss our potential use of a hot new website called Twitter! I expressed the reasons listed above why the whole thing made me a little nervous, and everyone listened politely—it was a good discussion. But in the end, we decided that SmallGroups.com should give Twitter a try.
So that's what I am going to do. I am now "on Twitter," as they say. I have an account. I have posted 10 "tweets." At the time of this writing, I have 39 "followers"—which still sounds a little strange to me.
I'm not really sure what will happen going forward, and that explains the title of this post. Was I right to be nervous about Twitter and all that it represents? If so, then doesn't participating in the whole thing make me a hypocrite? Or was I just plain wrong, and everything will be wonderful?
I honestly don't know. I'm guessing I'll find out in the next few weeks. And since this is a blog about communiy, I hope you'll explore this issue with me. What are your thoughts about Twitter and Facebook and all the rest? Are they helping us connect? Are they causing damage?
For those of you who are already big fans of Twitter, let me just mention that you won't find moaning or complaining as I continue to learn more about this whole thing—at least, not a lot. :) I am of the opinion that you do things to the best of your ability, so I am going to give this an honest shot.
What you will find are brief updates on new articles and blog posts that I'm especially excited about, as well as other random thoughts on small groups and community that I may have throughout the day.
But I'll try to avoid the dull stick. :)
posted by Sam O'Neal on June 15, 2009 2:16 PM
Comments
An interesting study just out--online social networks, (like Twitter) while enhancing time spent with friends is at the same time eroding time spent with family. Check it out at:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=7848914&page=1
(Hey, I bet my whole post is short enough to be a Tweat. Just don't leave the supper table to read it!)
Posted By: Dan Lentz | June 16, 2009 12:27 PM
Thanks for the post, Sam! Margaret Feinberg also has some interesting insights on Twitter. A conversation on the combination of ministry and technology is always going to be provocative.
Posted By: Bonnie M | June 17, 2009 1:45 PM
I'll be eager to hear how your trial run goes, Sam. Thanks for your honesty, as well as your openness.
Posted By: Sarah | June 17, 2009 3:14 PM
Sam,
I am probably not the one to comment, being a boomer and not a Gen X, Y or whatever. (read that as "older"). See I'm the guy who keeps his cell phone in the car, because I have a phone in the house and one at work...why would I need to carry one around?
Anyway, I guess my comment would be...just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
But, if it increases your exposure, it's probably worth a try.
Posted By: Oscar | June 17, 2009 5:03 PM
Hi Sam
I have a Facebook account that I'm too busy to use. But if a 'friend' posts on my 'wall' I get an email telling me what they've said. I don't get to see what they've had for breakfast etc - but does it really matter? If it does I'd rather hear face to face.
Posted By: Nick | June 18, 2009 3:29 AM
I like what Bonnie said about the intersection of ministry and technology - it's always going to be a provocative issue. I just came across another interesting article about Twitter by John Piper. I think he's getting at the crux of what you're saying, too.
Posted By: hollie | June 18, 2009 1:49 PM