I'd like to write a bit today about why I think tweeting in church could be OK, or even profitable for some. Keep in mind this is the personal view of Jacob Riggs. Thanks. :-)

The way I'll do this is in response to some commonly-used objections to using Twitter in church. I've had several conversations with people, so I've heard a lot of objections, most of which I think are valid (yeah, some objections are just dumb).

Objection #1: If You Tweet, You Can't Pay Attention

For some, this may be a problem. You just might not be able to tweet very quickly. But when I'm tweeting via my phone, it takes me about 30 seconds to tweet something. I just type 40404, send new text, type my message, and send it. It doesn't take much time at all. As a matter of fact, I might be able to tweet nearly at the same rate of writing something down on paper (which, if you do that, you're super-spiritual). However, I will say that if I used a smart phone to tweet, then it might cause me to lose focus more. But since I have one of the oldest phones in the world, I use texting to tweet, which doesn't cause me to lose focus. So in regards to tweeting taking too long and thus causing you to stop paying attention, this issue is different for different people. If you're a slow tweeter, then maybe, sure. But if you text quickly, tweeting a point in the sermon takes very little time, causing you to be able to pay attention just as well as you could if you were taking notes. 

Objection #2: Tweeting's Purpose is to Tell the World What YOU Think, While Taking Notes Is Trying to Learn Something

This is probably the best objection I've heard to tweeting in church. It originally came (as far as I know) from Joshua Harris' blog (who I guess has "Kissed Tweeting Goodbye"). He stated that the purpose for listening to preaching is to ask the question, "God, what are you saying to me?" And that that is contrary to the nature of twitter which asks the user, "What are you doing?"

Although that was the original intention for Twitter, if you use Twitter with any regularity, you will have noticed Twitter's purpose is evolving. It's not just about spouting off information that no one cares about. The best Tweeters say things that people following them will find beneficial.

So then, the reason someone would tweet in church about what God is speaking to them about would not be because they just want to be heard, but because the people following them want to hear what they have to say, or in this case, what God is speaking to them about.

Another point against this is to the fact that writing something down does help retain information. And not only writing something down, but writing something down for the purpose of other people reading it forces you to (1) listen to what's being presented and (2) process it enough to write it down. In this instance, tweeting is more beneficial than just taking notes. For me, if I have processed something enough to tell someone else about it, then I have really internalized it (which, I know what you're thinking, and it doesn't really take that long).

Objection #3: Your Tweeting Will Distract Other People

Think about a fake situation with me. Let's say I am tweeting some points that really hit home with me in the message. I'm paying attention, and I might look at my phone for about 30 seconds at a time to tweet, and I tweet about 4 times in the message. Now let's suppose someone just happened to look over at me and see me look down at my phone. They would be appalled right? Well, maybe. But the one thing they would do for certain is look at me again. Wouldn't you? And the next time they looked, chances are they would see that I was paying attention. They might actually see me listen to something and then enter it into my phone--which would tip them off that I was actually using my phone to help me. Now, if I wasn't paying attention to the sermon and was just on my phone the whole time, then that would obviously be a problem, and someone should confront me about it. But if I was actually using the technology for something positive, then they would notice that as well. If they saw me tweet and pay attention and were confused, then the biblical thing for them to do would be to come talk to me (if they were concerned about my spirituality). The unbiblical thing for them to do would be to get upset about it and tell someone else like a deacon or their friend or whatever, stating how offended they were by that. Well, I'm sorry, but if that person really wanted to be biblical, then they would do what the book of Matthew states to do if they are offended. In that case, the person who observed me tweet is much more in the wrong than I was for tweeting (if you want to get technical).

Objection #4: Tweeting During the Sermon Has No Value

This is very possibly an excellent point. There are many instances where tweeting would have no value in church. If no one is following you, then it has no value. If you're not tweeting about the sermon, then it has no value. Or if you're tweeting for selfish reasons, then it's actually detrimental.

However, these things do not have to be the case.

I do have a caveat or two about this whole issue (which in the grand scheme of life and the kingdom of God, is very miniscule isn't it?). And that is if I am at a place where they specifically ask me not to tweet during a certain portion, then I would have no problem not tweeting. It's just not that big of a deal. I can pay attention while not tweeting, so I have no problem with that. It's more important to live peacibly with everyone than it is to tweet in church. Plus, tweeting right after they asked you not to brings up all kinds of other problems not mentioned in this post.

My overall mindset in regard to using new media and technology in church is to use discernment, but don't be that guy that assumes just because it is new that means it's bad. Twitter is a tool. And tools are neutral. Just like a gun. A gun can be used for good or bad. Just because someone once used it for evil does not make the tool itself evil.

I want to be one of those guys that takes the tools available and uses them for good. There's just so much more freedom in it that way.

@jacobriggs

By the way, if you'd like to read Josh Harris' post about this subject, here it is. http://is.gd/39tbx