Lately I’ve been struggling with the issue of cell phones, texting, pixing, Facebook, Myspace and the like.  Especially as it relates to my students.  I hurt when I think about the things that go across their computer screens at night and the content of text messages and chats on-line.  Where did the innocence go?  Sure, our students are faced with a lot from the media, but now, more than ever, their faced with things from their friends and acquaintances they meet on the Internet.  Rather than just being influenced during six or seven hours of school like it was for me 15yrs ago, there’s 24hr access for teenagers on-line and on cell phones – talking with their fingers.

Today in my quiet time I was reading from Matthew 5 where Christ calls us as his followers to be, “salt and light” to the world.  How are we to be salt and light to the world if we’re not living it in front of them on our cell phones, our Facebook, or our Myspace accounts?  If our photos, the texts we send, the songs we post, the content of our blogs, and our chats on-line aren’t saturated with our faith in Jesus Christ, what are we telling the people who see our sites or receive our messages?  Over the past few weeks both of our guy’s discipleship groups have been going through a study about being godly men.  One of the main themes over and over on this topic in scripture is the idea of guarding our hearts.  To stand in the midst of this world, we must protect our hearts from things that can cause us to stumble (a nice word for sin).

The passage from Matthew 5 says that we are to be a “city on a hill,” and a light before men.  May we begin letting them, “see our good deeds and praise our Heavenly Father.”

 What do you think?  Where should the line be drawn on cell phone texting, chat rooms, Facebook, and Myspace sites?  When should a teenager get their first cell phone? What forms of accountability do you have?  Are you’re parents monitoring what you’re up to?  If so, are you giving them grief about it? How can we be a brighter light to our friends not only at church and at school, but also on-line?  Send me your feedback.  Either post a comment or email me you’re thoughts. 

I finally broke down and started a facebook account.  If you’re a member of facebook.com you can check it out.  I’d love to be you’re friend. 

For years I’ve kept away from myspace and facebook sites because I’m not a fan of the darker side of they way people use them.  I’ve always worried about my students being on sites like these giving too much info about themselves to strangers.

But, at this point most students live in the myspace and facebook worlds.  Unfortunately, some live there more than the real world.  As a youth pastor, I’m signing to facebook not only to meet up with old friends, I’m signing on to connect more fully with the students God has called me to reach. 

See you on facebook – don’t leave me hangin’ by not being my “friend.”  By the way, if you’re a facebook member you can read my blogs on my facebook site too.