Real Social Network

I am fascinated by the way people connect to one another.  We have dozens of options to attempt to connection through Social Media.  We live in a TGIF world: Twitter, Google Instagram, and Facebook.  YouTube is now the second largest search engine.  Millions us have our phones always on and always on us.  Technology drives a large portion of our lives.  I too use many of these technologies on a regular basis.  I’ve connected with friends, love ones, and new acquaintances.  So have millions of others.

But are we more connected than we ever have been? I mean TRULY connected.

On Sunday, August 19, we begin looking at the Real Social Network and power of community.  We are going to study Social Networking and Scripture’s call to live in community, the effects of the (Cloud?) Crowds on our lives, and power of a few faithful friends in our midst.  I invite you to be present each in worship as we look at these in The Gathering.  Remember, you can always find our sermons online at www.fairhopeumc.org or on iTunes.  And if you want to connect with me, you can find me www.facebook.com/rob.haynes or Twitter @rob_haynes. :->

In the August 19 message, I reference these videos.  I offer them to you here if you want to learn more:

Psychologist Sherry Turkle: Connected, but alone?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7Xr3AsBEK4

The Marketing Revolution of Social Media:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aconjR6uH4

The (real) Social Network: The Power of Community

No doubt Social Networking has changed the world.  It has helped to bring down governments (remember the Arab Spring?), streamlined the distribution of important information (ever gotten message about breaking news or a coming storm?), reunited us with old friends (ever friended a high school flame?), and given us something else to amuse us (watched a cat video lately?).  Worldwide over 750 million people are on Facebook.  Twitter is not far behind with 500 million users.  We can communicate more information, to more people, over a broader distance, in a shorter time, than ever before.  We can catch up with old friends, make new friends, and keep them up on what we are doing.

But it forces us to ask the question: we may be more connected, but are building authentic, lasting community?  What is life was more than a status update, a 140 character Tweet, an Instagram photo, or an e-mail?  What if it were more than a simple interface on a screen in the palm of our hands?

Don’t get me wrong, I use all of these forms of communication--sometimes several times a day.  I am glad that we can stay in touch with so many people in such an easy manner.  But I hope that it doesn’t remain there.  Authentic and lasting community takes more that these types of interactions.  How do we move that direction?

Beginning August 19, we will take a look at the power of authentic community with a three-week series in The Gathering.  Be present each week for these times of teaching and study.  And oh, while you’re at it, feel free to follow me: I’m on Facebook: www.facebook.com/rob.haynes, Twitter: @rob_haynes, and Instagram: rob_haynes.    =:-)