Life Here and There

Social media. What in the world is it? Well, think about it. “Social” has to do with people who converse, gather, and relate to each other. “Media” is any platform for spreading any message. Mass media is speaking to the masses through radio, television, etc. Print media is magazines, newspapers, and other printed periodicals. Social media, then, is promoting a message through people, and the phrase is typically used in reference to online media outlets.

I’m a firm believer that the rise of social media is a revolutionary moment for the church’s ministry. We’ll either embrace it (as we did print media and mass media) or we’ll begin to fade (as perhaps we are already doing). John Saddington runs a couple of great blogs and wrote a pertinent article related to why churches don’t “get” social media.

Before you read it, know that I don’t always get it either. I’ve learned a few tough lessons recently, and find it hard to keep up at times, but I’m determined to be a student of a movement that absolutely must be embraced and studied by thinkers and leaders in the kingdom today.

Wow, the media has really enjoyed this particular debacle. The gay rights movement is up in arms over Barack Obama’s choice of Rick Warren to pray the invocation at his inauguration in January. This results primarily from Rick’s endorsement of Proposition 8, which is essentially a protection of the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman for the state of California.

I don’t envy Rick for being thrown into such a firestorm. He’s been been accused of spreading hate and of being a homophobe. I see it as kind of a defining moment in American culture over the issues of homosexuality and tolerance. If any American Pastor has made an attempt to nurture fair and balanced discussion on social and political issues, it’s Rick Warren. Call him what you will, he desires to dialog with people on both sides of the aisle. He released this statement regarding the whole affair:

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Today, we started using Bethel’s new logo. I’ve spent three years being unhappy with every logo revision I’ve done to date. I’m finally satisfied. In fact, I’m ecstatic and ready to start splattering it everywhere. It’s simple and clean, looks good in black and/or white, fits on print materials well, goes along with the feel of Bethel’s web site, and conveys with ultra-simplicity the idea that we’re a church on a hill (see Matthew 5:14). So here it is…

(note that I updated this with the final version, tweaked by Jeff at Cre8ive Solutions)