Why I Am No Longer On Facebook

by Kevin Williams.

Some months ago, I joined Facebook purely for ministry purposes. Now for those of you who have a life and don't know what Facebook is, it is a cyber-network which consists of people having their own "page", and in most cases the days are spent: "such-a-person wants to add you as a friend", or "such-a-person has sent you some fries (a computer graphic), accept them here," or "such-a-person has thrown a snow ball at you, throw one back." Yes it really is that sad.

Now you may well wonder, how on earth can that be used for ministry purposes? Good question. Well, I never actually got involved in the sending of fries, puppies, or snowballs, or whatever. My idea was, that I would spend as little time on there as possible and just add friends when they find me and ask, or if someone else suggests a friend. Also my Facebook page was set up so that all the posts from this Puritan Fellowship blog would automatically appear on my page, and so I saw it as a way of getting the Gospel to lost family members and old friends.

Now I've never, like so many, had even the slightest problem with Facebook addiction (many sadly spend hours to all day on there), to me it is the most boring thing in the world and I have managed to limit my time on there to just 5-10 minutes a day, just being quick on-and-off to check and maintain it. But the reason I'm leaving is that I think that myself being on there is a bad example to others.

It is clear that many have a serious problem with Facebook addiction. It is impossible to spend so much time on there, without neglecting other more important things, whether it be time alone with God in Prayer, and His Word, spending real time with family, children, husbands and wives, and so much else is neglected for this new cyber-life.

How many professing Christians, will claim they don't have time to go out witnessing or to do some other important duty, yet manage to spend hours on Facebook, taking part in surveys or exchanging random cyber gifts?

I feel that myself and my posts being there are just encouraging Christians to spend even more time on there and so it is counter productive.

Now there are a few Christians (and these are an extremely tiny minority) who use Facebook solely as a platform to actively witness to lost people by sending back and forth emails, and I have no problem with that. But to anyone who uses Facebook solely for witnessing, a few words of caution:

1) Be careful, not to get drawn into the time wasting aspects. I've seen people join for seemingly good motives and before they know it, they are drowning in it.

2) As well as the Facebook Ad blocker, I highly recommend that you set up some sort of parental software to block ALL images when you are on Facebook. If you are going to spend your days witnessing to lost people in cyber-space, then you are going to come across a lot of sensual images. People behave a lot more immoral in internet communities than they do in real life.

3) Spend, as much, or more time, praying and reading the Word of God, as you do witnessing on Facebook.

4) Manage your time well, so you only have set periods of time on there per day and so you protect the neglect of other things like family.

All in all though, "if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out," and so don't pretend you can manage your time well on Facebook and not walk into lust and temptation, if you can't.

I think it is a much wiser use of the time to meet and witness to lost people in real life, and to have real fellowship with Christians rather than 'cyber-friends'.

As I previously said HERE, "...imagine standing before God to give an account for all the hours wasted on Facebook."

"Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil." Eph 5:15-16 "

See also: Article by Ingrid Schluter on Thoughts on Leaving Facebook.