Why I am planning to leave Facebook
Recently I had my Facebook account disabled for unclear reasons. I was less than impressed given the countless hours of time I had spent developing my network. At the point of losing access to my account I had nearly 1,600 contacts, several active groups and a page called ‘The Bible’ which was growing by hundreds of fans a day. My immediate reaction to being expelled was to setup another Facebook profile.
Facebook is a social network and for many they use it to stay in touch with those dearest to them through sharing photos, news and video. I used it for two reasons: to experiment to see if it could become a new way of discharging our mission as Christians: promoting the Gospel (hence the group I founded: Status Bar Sermonette Movement) , seeking and offering prayer support, encouraging people into the Bible (The Bible page), fellowship, and discipleship (I had numerous conversations with people via email or IM about faith issues).
The second reason was to promote this blog. Through a group, my status bar and a page, I was able to encourage people to come and check out my blog. And for the above reasons, Facebook has been an incredible resource.
But losing access has caused me to reflect on my involvement and I have realised that I have become somewhat addicted to Facebook. The signs? I was checking Facebook numerous times a day and genuinely found it difficult to go a day without opening Facebook.com. And quite often once in Facebook, with nothing of merit to address, I would still somehow busy myself with often pointless activity.
And so the time has come to bid farewell to Facebook, to step away and spend my precious time on more productive pursuits.
If you are one of my facebook contacts and would like to stay in touch, I encourage you to sign up through Feedburner to receive email notifications of blog posts to this blog. You can do this by entering your email address above on the right, just below the google search bar. Or if you prefer you can receive notification in your RSS Feed delivery system of choice, by clicking on the ‘Grab the Feed’, which is also above and to the right.
Filed under Social Media/Web 2.0 | |
18 Responses to “Why I am planning to leave Facebook”
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Of course, the other option is to check FB once a day, and twice or even three times if you have spare time…
And, then, what about Twitter, I hear committed Twits spend minutes every hour updating a world that is groaning in travial for news of their latest doings
Hi Mark,
I’m sorry to hear that you are leaving Facebook, but irritated at Facebook for not giving people the proper customer service. It seems they have little care for addressing customer needs. I have found it difficult to send any kind of communication to FB, and I think it’s on purpose. It is tragic to set up such an effective contact network and then lose it for no reason. Who do you talk to about it? Anyway…sorry to see you go.
Tom
Mark, If you’re open to changing your mind: consider just giving up for Lent. I did that over a couple years with some Mac news sites that I used to read constantly. Giving it up to God during Lent each year brought perspective and balance my life. Just a thought.
I admire your missionary endeavors. God bless you.
I can relate!! Thanks for all you’ve shared! But I know God has a purpose… one door closes and another one opens. I pray that you will know what He wants you to do.
Bless ya!
Jeanette
I agree theultrarev - I’ve found Lent a valuable time for getting things back into their proper place in my life without giving them up permanently. Once you’ve broken the addiction, you can make yourself new rules (to check it once a day, twice a week, or whatever) and stick to them. It’d be a shame to give it up entirely, when it’s such an important part of life for so many, and therefore such a huge opportunity for mission.
Mimsey
I agree that Facebook has strong potential for becoming addictive. My own use of it is often very much like what you have described, and I sometimes put as much if not greater store by what my FB friends think or do than what is happening in real life. Anything we do, online or off, can get out of control if we let it!
I too took time away from FB last July when the second semester started at UCanterbury, but returned once I heard from friends at church that they were missing me. I know I’ve also since come to regard many of my friendships and group memberships on FB as something of a mission field, much like Chris Forbes, author of Facebook for Pastors. On balance, I think FB is worth my time and my FB friends are worth my prayers, even if I have to restrict my actual browsing of the site to a shorter time each day (as I will once the academic year gets going again).
Hey Mark, If this is where God is leading … but if this is like an evangelising church community then what about the kind of discernment that would come over a long period for your direction? What about the ministry to people that you are leaving behind? Not as an emotional pull, but as a serious question … I know that was a huge blow to your efforts and have no doubt about the disappointment that goes with it. At the same time you have obviously had a lot of vision and energy for this missionfield, so don’t lose sight of that call to embrace a new area in a new way when the technology does what it does. Just do it smarter, maybe.. Praying for you. IHN Liz
Isn’t there some face to face book that can answer the unanswered questions and sort this out?
I would hope so.
Facebook (and MSN and all the rest) may be great but they’re also a great waste of time - you have to be really careful not to get sucked in. Good on your for recognising that and valuing your time more highly.
Yes the internet is very addictive and on all types of sites, social, news and fun stuff. I understand how you feel when you say you will have freedom by coming away from facebook. Enjoy the time pockets you will now have! Blessings!
Hi Mark,
This being the internet, my words are likely to come across as quite harsh - but please believe me they are not meant that way. I have literally prayed about this and this is the answer I have received. I write this with love and the best possible intentions.
Leaving Facebook would be a huge mistake. You accomplished so very much - and having done it once you CAN do it again. I know that it is downright frustrating to think about - but surely the end results are worth it? Sometimes trials come our way that feel and seem very unfair and you have my deepest sympathies in that. But I have yet to find an online networking service that understands the value of good customer service - and I would include Second Life and many of the entities within it carving out a niche in that virtual world in this.
You reached out and touched a great deal of people. And you know what? There IS an awful lot of nonsense on Facebook. But there is also a lot about Facebook that is truly wonderful: people of faith reaching out to each other and ecumenically; people who have been completely lost in the spiritual wilderness finding something to believe in that gives them strength; the friendships with people from across the globe whom we havent met that can be infinitely more meaningful, loving and honest than some we unwisely set great store in in our everyday lives. We all have trials that test us. And for anyone of faith who also evangelises there are times of trials related to the path - this is one such time for you.
Whilst I appreciate the time and effort you put into your original efforts, I think to leave now would be akin to cutting off your nose to spite your face or throwing out the baby with the bath water. For me, anything worth having is worth working hard for. The reaction that you are having to this crisis is exactly the same reaction I had to certain frustrations with Second Life. I have had many moments of regret about what I walked away from – and I still wrestle with those demons. I had worked really hard and touched people – and then threw it all away off of the back of what amounted to little more than a setback. I reacted emotionally from my ego – a very dangerous thing. You are a strong character with a deep sense of purpose, vision and calling. You are progressive and embrace innovative ways of reaching out in a meaningful and proactive way. It takes a man like you to accomplish the things you have.
I dearly wish that you would take a step back and meditate on this. Give up Facebook for Lent, and then return to it with a renewed sense of purpose. Set rules for yourself and stick to them. You ARE a very busy man with many irons in the fire online and off, but you CAN make this work! You really can! “Let go and let God” as the saying goes; let go of the hard feelings about what you have lost in terms of work and man hours, and let God continue to work through you so that you can rebuild and come back bigger and better. There are people who will never be brought to you otherwise. Just think about that. You leave Facebook and someone who really needs you isn’t going to find you.
I also wouldn’t give up the “fight”, as it were, with Facebook. I would actually let them know who you are and about the work you are doing. The folks that run this business need to be as enlightened as those who find their way to your various enterprises online. Facebook is a lot more than just a mere social networking site and in these days of uncertainty they need every advantage possible to stay relevant. Do what you can to get them “on side”. If anyone can do it, you surely can – the man who has convinced Anglican Bishops that Second Life isn’t the Anti-Christ!
This is the task that the Lord has set for you and I do firmly believe that you can resolve this and carry on with the good works on Facebook in His name.
Pastor Mark,
If you had to pay to use Facebook, I could understand your plight. But it’s FREE; FREE to you and to all of us, and, if I were FB, it wouldn’t be.
Consider the source and take advantage of its benefits; there are tremendous advantages of being involved in the fastest growing site on the web, regardless of your hassles.
God bless you as you continue to serve God faithfully; I plan on following your blog regularly as I have always.
Blessings,
Kevin Cook, Worship & Music
Manley Baptist Church in Morristown, TN
Mark,
I hope this works out for you.
Tomorrow morning I’m giving a devotion to our United Methodist Men’s group. I’m planning to use the Status Bar Semonette to get them to think about what the kernel of the Gospel is for them. I’ll give them note cards and ask them to describe, in just a few words, like on the status bar, what they want to tell others about God.
Mark, I can completely understand your concern about the addictiveness of things like Facebook. Allow me to say that I battle with this too. When I have a day or so without Facebook, it is a nice feeling to engage the world in ways I would not do if I was still monitoring a screen. I have resisted getting into electronic diaries and planners for the same reason (I have paper based personal planner) - it’s portable, and doesn’t get me stuck reponding to things I have no need to respond to. That being said, I would encourage you to consider the idea of trying for the odd day or two (or yes, even for Lent) to ignore it, but maintain the facilities that you have built up here. All of us need careful consideration of the addictiveness of the internet, but nonetheless we can still appreciate the great tool that it is as far as it goes! I will register on your blog, as I enjoy your many of your contributions and feel encouraged and challenged by them.
Tony from Darwin, Australia.
Hi Mark,
We don’t want to see you leave facebook but respect your choices- hey you’ve had plenty of advice above me I’m amazed at the response. For me it is a relationship tool on which to keep up with my family and friends being so far away. I have also really valued you sermons and teaching as struggle sometimes as I am settling into a new place.
You are definitely a trail blazer so if God is taking you elsewhere go! By the way David tried to email you and facebook but now knows why it was blocked.
Let us know when your little one arrives….he/she is probably keeping you busy now.
Lizzie
My church newsletter this morning incloded the following line from Mother Teresa: “What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.”
Mark,
I blogged about using your ideas in a devotion this morning. www.21stCenturySheep.com
Thanks.
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