Book Review: Click 2 Save: The Digital Ministry Bible

Warning: Do NOT read the paper back copy while in extreme heat! The binding will loosen almost instantaneously causing loose pages to flee everywhere. 

Click 2 Save: The Digital Ministry Bible by Elizabeth Drescher and Keith Anderson is a really fascinating resource for the Christian Public Leader. It offers an in depth view on a variety of social media platforms, how they can be utilized, and an opportunity to envision yourself using them. Though very simplistic, I appreciate how they make Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube accessible to even the most anxious techno-phobe. I also really appreciate their emphasis on utilizing social media as a means for relationship building. These platforms are not meant to be the end-all conversation, but simply a new way to approach it. The worksheets at the end of each chapter encourage communities of people who may be curious about social media to envision together. This book would be a great resource for congregations imagining who they are and where God is leading them, because it opens the doors of conversation and allows space for others to give their input. 

One key aspect that I have been ruminating on is the role of social media in our day to day lives. I started college in 2005, when Facebook was something that had just begun and was only open to those with a college email address. It quickly became the way that people stayed connected (mind you, this was also the same time that I received my first cell phone), and since then it has grown to include many different networks and capabilities.  

Now, as I am currently still a student, referencing Facebook in lectures and normal conversation is completely acceptable. It is no longer just "Facebook stalking," but a means to have a quick conversation deeper than the brisk, "How are you? Good" (one breath) as you are walking. It has also become a way to share worldly information, a way to grieve when someone passes, a way to support those going through joyful or tough times, along with "just keeping in touch." Recently, I ran into a woman from my home congregation 2,000+ miles from home. As we said hello, after not seeing each other for a very long time, she introduced me to her friend and gave a very accurate summary of where I was in life. We had not spoken in a long time, but because of Facebook, she remembered more details about myself than I did. Thankfully, everything she said was wonderful and painted a fun and quirky picture of this 26 year old standing in front of them.

Yet, it begs the question, how are people perceiving me? How are people perceiving the pages that I manage? What is the driving identity that is being portrayed here? Drescher and Anderson discuss these questions and invite the reader to map out the specifics of the churches mission and vision alongside what they see when they Google or find their church on other social media platforms. What does the public picture look like and what do we want it to look like? Are we in touch with the gospel? Do we welcome visitors with an easily accessible site? 

There are far more questions than answers, and in that lies the beauty. This is not something that can be solved in one sitting by one person, but it is an opportunity to learn and grow in community--both online and in person. 

Here is to creating safe, healthy, and fun conversations about where we see the gospel in the world.  Cheers.