Social media – sharing the Word, with the World Council of Churches

Although continents may remain apart “technology has made the world a global village.” In the real sense of the word, it’s the interconnection of technology that makes it a village. The World Council of Churches is not ignorant to this fact and hence maintains a vibrant social media presence. The effectiveness of these channels has come to light at the ongoing Conference on World Mission and Evangelism in Arusha, Tanzania.

Going through the social media interactions for the CWME, I have developed a deep sense of belonging to the global fellowship of Christians – keenly following the events unfolding at the conference, since it started on 8 March 2018. The CWME has been characterized by regular updates on a range of social media channels. The first Facebook comment is outstandingly striking and portrays the eagerness with which the global audience was waiting to be informed about the events at the conference. The writer simply says, “Great! I was updated”.

The next comment reflects on the theme for the conference, “Ecumenism is our soul and church is our mission.” The ground for endless online discussion is laid on a strong ecumenical foundation. The online posts are accompanied by beautiful pictures that create a vivid image of events at CWME 2018. The discussions show an audience keen to engage in the conference theme and in their own small way contributing to the deliberations.

My newsfeed is kept buzzing by the regular Twitter updates of each unfolding event. I’m particularly impressed by the array of different cultures united for a common purpose. Retweets and shares fill the online world as everyone makes their contribution. Monitoring the social media platforms is fun due to immense positive feedback.

The deep sentiments shared include,

“Thank you for the good updates on what is going on be blessed-waiting for more.”

“Praise God and I wish you a fruitful deliberation as we continue to praise God and serve humanity”

“We are praying for you”

My impression on the role of the online fellowship of Christians is that of the driving force for the conference, albeit from the sidelines,

1. They directly shared the news of the conference with their friends worldwide
2. They actively participated in discussions, therefore informing the rest of the world on issues discussed
3. Many directly sent encouraging messages and feedback to the conference organizers and delegates, which was a source of inspiration
4. They provide insights on possible outcomes of the conference

As one of the many messages read,

“We give thanks for the conference on world #mission and #evangelism in Arusha. Pray that God will use it to bless those participating and the whole God’s world.”