Navigating the Digital Kingdom: Reflections on Our Online Presence
By Pastor Ben Workentine
In today’s interconnected world, we find ourselves citizens of not just our physical nations, but also of a vast digital kingdom. This online realm shares many characteristics with traditional countries:
• Common language and culture
• Shared traditions and practices
• A form of governance (though decentralized)
• Economic systems
• Social hierarchies and influence
As we navigate this digital landscape, we face unique challenges and opportunities. Nicholas Carr, in his book “The Shallows,” offers a sobering perspective:
“One thing is very clear: if, knowing what we know today about the brain’s plasticity, you were to set out to invent a medium that would rewire our mental circuits as quickly and thoroughly as possible, you would probably end up designing something that looks and works a lot like the internet.”
This rewiring affects how we think, interact, and even how we approach our faith and politics. The question is: how do we engage meaningfully in this space while staying true to our values?
To help navigate these waters, consider these four tests for your online interactions:
1. The Office Wall Test: Before posting, ask yourself, “Would I hang this on my office wall?” If not, reconsider sharing it publicly.
2. The Time Test: Consider how your post might age. Will you still stand by it in 10 years? Give yourself room to grow and change your views.
3. The Truth Test: Does your post build opportunities for meaningful dialogue? Consider whether your overall online presence sparks curiosity and thoughtful discussion.
4. The Generation Test: Would both your grandfather and your grandson say the same thing publicly? This helps identify content with enduring value across generations.
These tests can help us be more intentional, but they don’t resolve all the tensions we face. For instance, how should we engage with political content? In an increasingly polarized environment, every like, share, and comment can be seen as a statement of values. For the average social media user, the personal views you share on a personal account are no different from the official views of the church or ministry you serve.
Consider this scenario:
A campus minister finally gets active on social media to connect with students. At a college event, a student approaches, phone in hand, saying, “I checked you guys out. You are a church for old, white men, aren’t you?” She pulls up the minister’s personal social media page as evidence, pointing to shared posts and likes. “Your church isn’t for people like me; it’s for people like you,” she concludes.
This situation illustrates how our digital footprint can impact our real-world relationships and responsibilities. Every interaction becomes part of our testimony, whether we intend it to or not.
So, where do we go from here? There are no easy answers, but there is value in wrestling with these questions. How do we balance authenticity with wisdom? How do we engage in important discussions without alienating those who disagree? How do we use these powerful tools to build bridges rather than walls?
As you ponder these questions, I invite you to dive deeper into this topic.
Listen to my WELS Tech podcast discussion here, for more insights and perspectives on navigating our digital world.
Let’s commit to being thoughtful digital citizens, using our online presence to foster understanding, share hope, and reflect our values in a world that desperately needs our Savior.