Andrew Lim
July 30th, 2007

Wannabe cool?

Forget MySpace.

Facebook makes that look soooooo 2005…

On the one hand, Facebook is nothing new (Friendster, anyone?), but part of the whole Web 2.0 social networking phenomenon, which includes Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Bebo, FriendsReunited, etc. Having survived the first Internet boom, Web 2.0 is giving me goosebumps ‘cos it reminds me of those heady days. (It feels like the Second Coming of the Internet!)

On the other hand, Facebook is the social networking website of choice at the moment, experiencing explosive growth, especially in the last few months. The latest news swings from – “Oh no, they’re going to shutdown Facebook” – to – “Who’s going to outbid who since Facebook rejected the initial offer from Yahoo of $US1 billion?!!”

One thing’s for sure, anyone serious enough to sue this site or offer that sort of money for it means this is no fad.

I thought I’d better pay some attention to it just three weeks ago, when I received multiple invitations to join from friends in one day. Three days later, I finally came up for air. It’s seriously addictive catching up with old friends I had not heard from in years, keeping in touch with current friends, and making new ones.

Why might Facebook particularly appeal to Christians? We are relationship people. Relationships are / should be important to us, and Facebook is a great technology allowing us to connect, develop, maintain, and repair relationships.

Now, how to use it for Christian ministry? For starters…

1. Add friends - Remember 6 degrees of separation? Who could you reach through who you already know? Network like crazy!

2. Form / join groups - Be part of groups with similar interests. For example, form a group for “St Dilbert’s Church” and invite everyone to join. Then use the group to post notices, topics, have discussions, and invite to church / evangelistic events.

3. Update your status Christianly - For example, prayer requests, thanksgivings, online articles of interest, encouraging notes, and…ahem…advertising your.sydneyanglicans.net articles…etc.

4. Add photos - Of church camps, of recent church outings / events. Create that “shared experience” feel.

Like the Matrix (from the movie of the same title), in the end, I can explain it, but you HAVE to SEE it!! For a real life ministry example, check out Facebook forming friendships.

But the $64,000 question remains - will Facebook online activity translate to offline outcomes? Watch this Face…

Final freaky Facebook fact: Met someone new offline the other day, and said “Haven’t I seen you on Facebook?...”

Andrew is Sydneyanglicans.net’s resident digital scholar and the pastor of the Asian Bible Church (ABC), a congregation of St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney. ABC, it’s easy as 1-2-3, do-re-mi…