We are glad that you have come to worship with us.

1. Welcome. We are glad that you have come to worship with us. www.onealchurchofchrist.org

2. the public problems with

3. What is Facebook? • An online service that imitates social relationships among people • Based on creating “friend” relationships • Share quick public thoughts with “status updates” • Publicly talk to “friends” via “wall posts” or “comments” • Allows quick sharing of events, media, notes, private messages, and chat 1

4. Facebook Facts? Data for: 12/06/2012 • Global Audience: 973 520 280 • Country Audience: 167 929 640 • 54.13% of Americans are on Facebook: • 48% of U.S. users are between the ages of 18-34 • The average user has over 200 “friends” • The average user spends over 45 minutes a day on Facebook 2

5. Is Facebook Good or Bad? • Facebook itself is neither good nor bad. • Facebook can help accomplish good things. • Facebook may present many dangers. 3

6. Facebook – The Good • Communicate with “friends” • Post bible verses & spiritual thoughts • Bible discussions with others (sermon preparation) • Make prayer requests • Announce church services, VBS, meetings • Learn about the spread of the gospel across the country and around the world • Shine your light! (Matthew 5:16) Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. 4

7. Safety Issues • Become familiar with Facebook’s privacy settings • Private Vs. Public • Be careful of what you post publicly • Con-artists, thieves, etc. monitor Facebook (people used to have someone pick up mail, paper, leave lights on, ect. when out of town.) 5

8. Facebook – The Bad • Problems with Posts • Speech that is corrupt • Problems with Pride • Arrogance • Boasting • Problems with Pictures • Inappropriate • Misleading 6

9. Corrupt Talk • Facebook can make it easy to engage in “corrupt talk”. • The privacy of your home may tempt you to type things you wouldn’t say in public Proverbs 4:24 Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. (NIV) 7

10. Corrupt Talk • Profanity, Racial slurs, “Dirty” jokes (Eph. 4:29) • Euphemisms, Slang, and Abbreviations • OMG, many others • 10 commandments (commandment #3) Eph. 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. Exodus 20:7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. (NASB) 8

11. Corrupt Talk • Gossip • Insults, angry words & arguments (Col. 4:5,6) Proverbs 17:9 He who covers a transgression seeks love,       But he who repeats a matter separates friends. Colossians 4:5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. 9

12. Words Have Meaning • Osama Bin Laden used video and internet to spread his message of hate WHILE HE HID. • Many use Facebook the EXACT SAME WAY! • They use Facebook as a means to: • Talk bad about school & other students • Talk bad about their job & coworkers • Talk bad about their families or kids • Talk bad about their spouse • Talk bad about the Lord’s church 10

13. “Cyberbullying” • cyberbullyingnoun : the electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person often done anonymously (Merriam-Webster.com) • REMEMBER: Arguments can usually be seen by large number of people! Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Romans 14:19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 11

14. Pride – “Look at me” • Facebook can appeal to one’s pride • Posts that puff oneself up • Acts 5 • Acts 12 • Luke 18 What if they had Facebook in the 1st century? 12

15. Ananias & Sapphira So happy we could give to the fundraiser today! #Acts5 Like Comment Herod Everyone just keeps going on and on about what a greatvoice I have. #Acts12 Like Comment Pharisee I am SO THANKFUL that I am not like everybody else! @TheTaxCollector #Luke18 Like Comment 13

16. Pride – “Look at me” • Facebook can appeal to one’s pride • Posts that puff oneself up • Posts JUST TO draw attention to yourself. • (Rom. 12:3; Gal. 6:3) Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. Galatians 6:3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 14

17. Pride – “Look at me” • When things go bad… • The online pity party • Support often just adds to the problem. (Negativity begets negativity.) • Careless exaggerations • Never, always, no one, everybody • “Stop looking at me!” • “I wish people would learn to mind their own business!” Proverbs 6:18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. 15

18. Pictures • Misrepresentation of truth. (Matthew 23:27) • Taking credit for someone else's work • Posts & Pictures that portray you as a good parent, but you rarely spend time with your kids. • Posts & Pictures portray you as spiritually minded, but your heart is not truly in it. Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 16

19. Pictures • Can damage one’s influence • A friend "tags" a compromising photo of you drinking beer at a party or appearance of infidelity • Immodest and/or inappropriate pictures 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. 17

20. Pictures • Can damage one’s influence • A friend "tags" a compromising photo of you drinking beer at a party or appearance of infidelity • Immodest and/or inappropriate pictures • Potential employers and business partners will check your Facebook! • People have lost their jobs over offensive Facebook posts. 17

21. Workers fired after Facebook photo scandal at Arlington National Cemetery Published November 22, 2012 FoxNews.com Lindsey Stone & Jamie Schuh, the Massachusetts women at the center of the Facebook photo scandal at Arlington Cemetery, have been fired from their job at a Cape Cod business. 18

22. Pictures • Can damage one’s influence • A friend "tags" a compromising photo of you drinking beer at a party or appearance of infidelity • Immodest and/or inappropriate pictures • Potential employers and business partners will check your Facebook! • People have lost their jobs over offensive Facebook posts. • Banks use Posts that refer to high-end purchases when you claim money issues • Businesses use Posts about your whereabouts that conflict with business trips 19

23. A few questions to ask. • Why am I posting this? • Does this reflect my Christianity? • Will this cause others to stumble? • Would I want Jesus to see this? 20

24. Remember that what you say on FacebookIS WHAT YOU SAY. 2 Corinthians 10:10 “For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.” 2 Corinthians 10:11 Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present. Matthew 12:36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” 21