Social Networking:
Friend or Foe?
With the rising popularity of social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, what church workers know as “life in the fishbowl” has been taken to a whole new level.
“Everything a church worker does is watched. It’s like that life in the glass bowl.”
For those going into church work professions, such as Lutheran school teachers, directors of Christian education, parish music directors and the like, making the transition from student to professional now includes how one presents him or herself on their personal pages on these social networking sites.
Educators in general have always been held to a higher standard, according to Rachel Eells, assistant professor of psychology at Concordia University Chicago, but educators in the church experience this to a greater extent. “Everything a church worker does is watched,” said Eells. “It’s like that life in the glass bowl.”
Social networking sites are no exception.
The purpose of these sites often varies between users; people see the information on them in different ways. Students and new professionals tend to see their pages as their personal information and place to connect, stay connected, or reconnect with friends and family; but those looking to hire new professionals are doing so with a more critical eye. “It’s a social networking site, not a professional networking site,” said Eells. “Yet, it’s being consulted by professionals.”
“It’s a social networking site, not a professional networking site. Yet, it’s being consulted by professionals.” Mark Blanke, professor of education and director of the DCE program at Concordia University Nebraska, similarly said that while churches and professionals perceive social networking sites as a means of gathering professional information on a student or other potential called workers, students often seen their pages as personal. “It ends up with somebody getting the wrong impression,” said Blanke.
Not only are professionals looking at these sites, but students, youth group members, parents, and the congregation at large also want to know more about the leaders of their school and church. Blanke encourages his DCE students to be aware of all that is posted on their personal pages, whether they have posted it or a friend has. As for how much to reveal about oneself on a social networking site, Blanke asks: “How much do people need to know about me on this level of communication?” His answer: the people you’re friends with in real life will know the important facts and those you don’t know too well don’t need to know all that information.
Eells said the content on an individual’s page gives insight into who that person wants to be seen as. “I’m getting a glimpse into the person I think they want to be – a fuller picture,” said Eells. “Your image doesn’t get to be as crafted in real life.” Eells said that in the classes she teaches at CUC she tells her students if they are in the habit of using foul language, they need to work to clean it up so they don’t let anything inappropriate slip from their lips in front of their students when they get into their own classroom. The same is true with Facebook pages, according to Eells.
“The church worker has
a unique opportunity
to strengthen relationships
and remain connected.”A positive side to social networking sites, according to Eells and Blanke, is utilizing them as a means of communication in building relationships, both with students and youth, and also with peers. “The church worker has a unique opportunity to strengthen relationships and remain connected,” said Eells. Via Facebook and other sites, Eells said recent graduates have the opportunity to keep in touch, encouraging and supporting each other. Professionals, both novice and veteran, are able to see what is going on in churches and classrooms all over the country and throughout the world.
There is more potential benefit for those working in a congregation than those working in a school, due to the nature of the relationships in each setting, according to Blanke.
Social networking sites provide an “informal, yet deliberate level” of communication said Blanke, which has the potential to open up that communication.
While some people believe that social networking sites will cause or already have caused a drop in face-to-face conversations, Eells is not concerned. “I am not of the mindset that Facebook will make us faceless,” said Eells. On the issue of “friending,” both Eells and Blanke said they do not request to be friends with their students; however they do accept invitations from students to be their “friend” on social networking sites.
“I don’t want to intrude on their life if they don’t want to be intruded on,” said Eells.
“Written comments can be misinterpreted.
It loses context a lot of the time.” Once the church worker is friends with their students or the youth in their congregation, it is important to keep in mind the content of what is posted on pages and what comments are made. “Written comments can be misinterpreted,” said Blanke. “It loses context a lot of the time.”
According to Eells, social networking sites are going to be hard to avoid, but we can use them to our advantage. “It will be ridiculous not to use them,” said Eells. “It’s an efficient way to maintain communication.”
Megan Billos, a DCE and education student at Concordia University Nebraska, said she could see using Facebook as a means for youth to invite their friends to events at their church. By creating an event and allowing the youth to invite their friends, there is potential to spread the word much more efficiently.
As in almost anything, one must act in a responsible manner when utilizing social networking sites, which is not an impossible task. We have been called to share the good news of Jesus Christ and his saving work for us on the cross with the world, and if this is an instrument we can use to do it, let’s embrace it!
Katherine Munson is a senior DCE major at Concordia University Nebraska, Seward, Nebraska.
ShapingtheFuture is published quarterly by Lutheran Education Association and distributed to members of LEA.