Using Facebook to Evangelize

Zoxsasi

Hi,

I added a ton of Bishops to my Facebook in the hope that they would post useful quotes from the Bible on my wall. I don't know what they are doing.

If Facebook is like a congregation, then i have 80% of lost sheep as friends.

Why aren't they talking about Christ? Why aren't they posting edifying messages that lead to repentance?

What's wrong with everyone!??

I'm not even sure they are reading the quotes that my friends are writing where they openly admit they have issues .

This is odd!!

Its like me, I'm a software engineer, and my friends are writing code on their walls that will destroy their operating systems.. wouldn't i at least tell them :"No no .. you are writing statements that will cause more damage than good - change your code!" . Wouldn't i at least point out the problems , or at least the solutions???

Why aren't you using this medium to evangelize? Yourselves??

I just find the bishops and priests are posting messages without even reading what others are saying. Do they not know that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks? That what you write reflects what's in your heart, and our God wants to abide in our hearts??? Are they not aware that they ought to be interested also as to what is in our hearts??

Stavro

Bishops are busy and have tons of responsibilities to focus on. It is hard to expect them to read every comment that is shared or go around distributing their comments on others' walls. The better way of teaching is to create a group on facebook or other social networks and post their sermons, articles or spiritual contemplations on.

The problem I find with clergy or servants on facebook is that they cannot control the contents added by their "friends" and sometimes it can be embarassing.

DanieM

The thing with mediums like facebook is that everyone uses them.

People do not read into things that are posted on it, whether it be news, scripture or status updates. People always gloss over it no matter who posts it.

Bishops will use it to advertise an event or post a news report but it will only reach those added, plus they do not have the time to be posting lectures or writing massive comments when they are preparing to speak to 100 people that evening or praying the liturgy.

If anything, you should be asking more "What can I be doing to evangelize on facebook" rather than asking why others are not.

mabsoota

i agree with danie m,
lets lead by example.
i am not able to do this in the face of scary technology, which is why i am not facebook!

DanieM

I do a lot on Tumblr with Eastern Orthodox on there to help spread the words of the Church Fathers and Apostolic teaching. We did have an 'Ask Orthodox' section where OO questions were referred to me some other Coptic, Syrian and Armenian Orthodox whilst some Romanian and Greek Orthodox answered EO questions, unfortunately other priorities in life for most os us ended it.

There are groups where the Coptic laity do a good job on facebook like 'Orthodox spirituality' and even our work on the BOC facebook gets a lot of attention and discussions going. We should not rely on the Bishops to do this for us, just get their blessing and do it ourselves.