Managing Social Media In The Home

““All social media involve a mixture of narcissism and voyeurism. Most of us display a combination of the two, which is why social media are flourishing faster and penetrating deeper than any other social development in memory. Social media play into the parts of human character that don’t change, even while changing the nature of what once seemed immutable.””
— Stengel, Richard. "Person of the Year 2010." Time. Time Inc., 15 Dec. 2010.
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I taught a course at Central Church on Social Media In The Home. This is a subject facing most families and so I found parents that were eager to discuss this subject and a lot of questions. Social media is not the problem... The problem is that we struggle with sin whether it be our need for approval or our pride. Some things we discussed were:

  • Who is easier to leave out – Jesus or social media?  
  • What does my social engagement tell my children about social media?  
  • How do I lead my children when it comes to social media – present something not accurate, pretend, lie, bend the rules, etc.  
  • What do I communicate about my children's value by my use of social media?  
  • How does social media effect my relationships with my husband, kids, or friends. 

Principles For Parents In The Home

  1. Concern yourself with your child's holiness more than their happiness.  
  2. Social media is a privilege, not a right.  
  3. Privacy is not a biblical value.  
  4. Be a parent, not a peer.  

We learned about social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, KIK, Yik Yak, Tinder and others. The bottom line – technology is not what we aim to control or understand. We aim for the hearts of our children and understand that our sovereign God is in control. We apply the wisdom found in scripture as it informs the way we disciple our families concerning social media. 

Vertical Purpose had a great time with our friends at Liberty Baptist Church in Chelsea, AL. The theme for the weekend was Distraction. We asked, "What distracts us spiritually?" Do we listen to God? Do we hate sin? Do our relationships distract us? Are we distracted from our mission? I loved the service projects and it was a joy to serve alongside my friend Matt again. A special shout out to the 9th grade girls – thank you for the note. Your words of kindness are an encouragement to me. Avoid Distraction, follow Jesus and I will see you later.

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