Ekklesia

Social Media Sabbatical…continued

I’ve persevered in my social media sabbatical for over 4 weeks now.  I’m still loving the freedom of it and not being a part of that realm for now.  But I recently had a situation come up that caused me to think a little deeper about this form of “community”.  In the midst of a (rather serious) illness, a friend utilized social media as her outlet for informing her “community” that she was ill and in need of prayer.  In good Christian response, several believers who saw this responded with prayers and offerings of help. My friend also reached out to me personally via text (which I was grateful for).  But it caused me to think about all the times I’ve seen people (including myself) use FB to communicate to others regarding my trials, tribulations, and sufferings.  Personally, I’ve often had many people respond with prayer and promises of aid, for which I’ve been immensely thankful.  It seems that in this digital age and culture, this has become the “norm”.  So how do I, as a Christ-following believer who longs to share His love with the world, stay in touch and relevant to the world around me - with or without social media?  

It is understandable that people utilize social media to spread their news and needs.  That is one of it’s beautiful benefits. It gets a word out quickly and efficiently, like casting a wide net.  But is it the only means of sharing?  In general, do people in our society only utilize social media (and it alone?) for communicating needs?  Is it because of the wideness of its net and the quickness of its response?  Is this what God intended for our lives?  Is this Biblical?  Is this us living in reliance upon His provision and His timing?  Is it also, in some part, due to its no-strings-attached nature with no demands and requirements.  I’m not sure of the answers to all these, but I do have a few thoughts.  

The New Testament model for loving on and caring for believers is within the auspices of the church (ekklesia in the Greek).  Fellow believers in Christ who joined with a local body of believers pledged to give of themselves and their possessions in order to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those people.  Yes, we are to love and serve the world at large.  But we are called to a higher level of service to those with whom we worship.  We are accountable to them, and they to us.  The same cannot be said of the entire world.  In light of this, when they are sick we are entreated to care for them.  When they are without, we offer provisions.  And we receive the same in return when we stand in a place of need.  

So how does social media play into all this?  Not all the Christ-followers in my FB friend list are a part of my “ekklesia”.  Some are, but most are scattered throughout the globe or are a part of another ekklesia.  I’m not saying that believers from different congregations cannot or should not help one another out.  But to whom should I go when I have a need?  Who is responsible for helping me when I need it?  Who has the Lord appointed and provided?  Whoever can type back the quickest?  Whoever is trolling social media at the time? (Since I’m in a FB sabbatical season, I’m currently not privy to anyone’s digital pleas for help.)  I surmise that it is much easier to "exist" in a profile on social media than it is to be an active member serving in a local church, no doubt.  Is it the desire to be free of the entanglements of unlikeable people, loud preachers, music that's not our style, and services that start too early (or too late)?  Maybe.  However at its foundation, Christianity is not a call to a life of ease with no strings, demands or requirements. 

I believe the truest answer to how we should show the love of Christ to those around us and experience the community we were created for is the ekklesia with which we are enmeshed.  The people we sing next to each week. Those we frequently sit in a room with and soak in the truths pouring from the pulpit.  Those we’ve pledged to help raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And those who’ve pledged to help us do the same.  Those we’ve witnessed make wedding vows.  And those with whom we’ve combed through Scripture side by side. Those we’ve rejoiced with as they took steps of faith.  Those who've lovingly held us accountable when we’ve strayed in the past.  The beauty of the church, local and tangible.   When I’ve done life with you and walked side by side with you through seasons of joy and heartache, I want to help you when that little baby is sick and fevered.  I long to bring you a meal when your wife is recovering from surgery.  We’re happy  to mow your grass while your husband is traveling.  Even if we aren’t the fastest at typing a response :-) While relying on Social Media members for help instead of an ekklesia may be easier in some temporal regard, there is much to be missed outside of the community of a local church - including regular worship (as taught by Christ and the New Testament), mission trips (or even missionary commissioning!), doctrinal training, small group Bible studies, a safe harbor, an opportunity to put hands to the plow for the advancement of God's Kingdom, and so, SO much more.

It’s kind of similar to the way neighborhoods work.  When you have a neighborly need, you don’t normally call a friend who lives 2 hours away to ask if you can borrow a cup of sugar.  Local and tangible, remember? God knew we needed this in His design for our lives.

So what’s a happy medium?  Where’s the balanced view?  Perhaps a church who uses social media to communicate with its members.  Instead of a phone tree or email distro list, members post and respond to needs on a monitored posting site (with some level of accountability to help sort out people who aren’t actually attending, serving, or growing and offer them help instead as a new believer or seeker). Perhaps making sure that individually we are reaching as far into our ekklesia as we are into the digital community when we stand in need.   And that we are reaching out to those in our ekkelsia to be the hands and feet of Jesus, seeing to it that their needs are met and not expecting the digital community alone to do the work that Christ called (and established the church) to do.

Layers and leaving

It's only been two weeks, so I still feel like I'm in recovery.  A week since I stepped down from the busiest season of ministry we've ever known.  In His gentle and loving way, the Lord layered these ministries on us as a way of easing us into them without breaking us.  Backstory: in late 2008, my husband was commissioned into the United States Army as a chaplain (for more on that click here).  We began serving God by serving our country through the military. Ministry for my chaplain included counseling, ethics guidance, conducting Bible studies, deploying, leading and serving at chapel, as well as conducting monthly weekend retreats for married couples and single soldiers.  That last part was my first open door to serving alongside him and serving the families in our unit.  Also, we both plugged in hard and heavy at our chapel and began serving wherever the need was that fit our talents and giftings.

From summer 2010 to summer 2011, we continued serving the Lord though our posts were on different sides of the globe - his from Afghanistan and mine from North Carolina.  Enter PWOC - protestant women of the chapel.  Not only did I find fellowship and community with this amazing global-wide group of Jesus-loving, Bible-hungry women but I also found my niché serving on the board in several ways.  This kept me connected and accountable, and also in constant communication with my Savior.

In 2012 we moved to a new duty station and also felt led to homeschool our then 1st grader (also had a 2 year old in tow).  I remember a lot about that year, but mostly that it was an uphill climb filled with a lot of dark moments, tears, and guilt!  God was faithful to sustain us, though, and has led us to continue homeschooling ever since.  Also that year the Lord opened the door for my husband and I to serve our new chapel through worship ministry.  He began preaching and working with the media ministry and I joined the praise team as a keyboardist and vocalist.  Unit ministry for my husband continued on much as it had previously, but with nuances and a different flavor in a different unit.

In 2013 my husband was called and selected to be a part of an elite special operations unit, which also entailed many job and ministry changes for him.  The Lord granted me the privilege of serving as praise and worship leader within PWOC that year as well, which began to stretch and grow me as a musician in ways I couldn't imagine.  The Holy Spirit was SO faithful to lead and guide me during this time and beyond as I sought to lead other women to worship at His throne.  Chapel ministry was as vibrant as ever and chaplain and I enjoyed being a part of teaching several Bible studies together.  And on the homefront our oldest made a profession of faith to follow Jesus Christ!

In 2014 our front door turned into a revolving door.  Entry into the special ops unit meant frequent deployments, traveling, and training.  I continued to press in (hard!) to the Lord and He was faithful to protect and provide for me in my husband's absence.  Serving the Lord was a constant for me, something I felt compelled to be a part of.  Something I desired deeply in my soul.   I was led by the Lord to continue serving on the worship front for both our chapel and PWOC.  And I LOVED being a part of VBS on post, loving and serving military kids!

In 2015 the Lord turned up the dedication and commitment knob to full tilt for us!  Hubby continued to travel and deploy as before, but was also tasked with completing a 6 month schooling (which normally requires a move to a "schoolhouse" and total dedication to the school and classes) while still maintaining all his unit and chapel duties and ministries (preaching, pastoring, and media ministry), not to mention leading and loving his sweet family!  For me, the Lord opened up doors to allow me to take a co-lead role for our chapel worship team (a volunteer position, as are ALL my places of service).  That spring I took on the role of volunteer coordinator for our on post VBS (200+ kids!).  And in a joyous surprise, He overwhelmingly but undeniably called me to serve a one year term as president of our local PWOC.  I had been sensing His call to serve in a greater way than before - but not THAT great!  But, as usual, this calling was about Him, not me.  And He was faithful to lead, guide, and sustain me each step of the way.  He led us from strength to strength and we experienced a beautiful year of discipleship, community, spiritual growth, and increased Biblical literacy.  The term of service wrapped up in spring 2016.  And on our li'l homefront, our youngest also recently prayed to receive Christ as her Savior!

Do you see all the layers?  All of them stacked on slowly and in a timely manner.  None of them removed, but instead each one making a path of preparation for the next layer.  Frequently during the past year I would "step back" from my life and look at all that we were a part of.  It looked downright crazy!  And I felt that others were thinking the same.  Like our crazy was showing!  And those middle-of-the-night or early-morning awakenings fraught with anxiety were enough to give me great pause.  But in those moments the Holy Spirit would firmly yet calmly affirm that we were RIGHT where God wanted us to be.  We had not taken these things on for our own sakes, for the approval of man, to earn righteousness or even rank.  But instead they were paths of service that the Lord Himself had hand-held us to walk down.  And I believe had He not held our hands and led the way we would've burnt out or burnt up.  In the words of William Borden, "No reserve. No retreat. No regrets."

Now we stand at a new juncture on our journey -- at the corner of leaving one duty station and moving to another.  So some of the layers have needfully had to come off as we prepare for transition.  We will still be a family totally committed to loving and serving the Lord with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.  We will continue to serve God by serving our country.  And we believe the Lord is still leading us to homeschool (our classroom has grown to 2!) at this time.  In obedience to my husband's leadership (and with the Holy Spirit's confirmation) I am taking a season to rest, relax, and reframe my thinking.  We are about to start on a month long journey of being "homeless" (not really, we bought a camper!) and journey out west.  We are excited but also unsure of what is on the other side.  Except for one thing.  We know He goes before! ~Jenn

P.S.  In an effort to "rest, relax, and reframe my thinking" I'm taking a "Social Media Sabbatical" (or SMS for short).  Although my hubby says that my blog is a form of social media!  Soon I'll be periodically posting some thoughts and updates from my experiment experience :-)