It’s gotta be Twitter or Facebook, right? Or perhaps your own personal blog? Maybe in that order too.
There have been two largely reported incidents recently where Twitter got someone fired and how Facebook also resulted in the same consequence.
I find it hilariously entertaining but at the same time very sobering: When a web service tells you that your “tweets” are public or you make your online profile public, it really, really, really means that it’s “public.”
Apparently there are some who aren’t too bright.
But it always gets me wondering when the first report will hit the wires headlining something like “Man get Fired from First Baptist __________ for Tweets” or “Women Loses Ministry Job Because of Facebook Picture.”
Maybe it’s already happened and we just haven’t heard anything about it… yet. And I’m not attempting to be humerous about a serious topic because, well, it is pretty serious.
I, myself, have had to pull a few posts and apologize publicly for a few things I’ve said on my blog. If there is one awesome thing about working at a Church it’s that there is truly forgiveness there.
Grace, I think we call it.
dpbkmb on Twitter says
Although texting is discouraged during services in our church, the Sr Pastor gave me a special dispensation to Twitter during the services. What was he thinking? Please pray that I use my new power wisely π
dpbkmb
Graham Brenna says
yeah… even with this "open book" life some of us seem to have due to twitter, FB and blogs… we still need to be careful what message we're sending. good reminder
kennyconley says
That's where my wife comes in. I've pulled down a handful of posts after my wife disapproved. Glad she's got my back! π
adam_herod says
I just did a blog post and showed it to our pastoral team before posting. The unanimously decided it should stay on the shelf. There's apparently such a thing as keeping it too real. π
human3rror says
wow, that's awesome that you went to them before publishing…! discernment still works…!
davidnorman says
anyone who hasn't written something and either had to pull it down or choose NOT to post it to begin with (whether on blog, twitter, or facebook) isn't even trying to be honest and authentic. part of opening ourselves up to the outside world is being raw enough to screw up.
JasonS says
True, but Google's cache isn't so forgiving. That often means that in order to fully open up and be authentic online, we have to do so anonymously. As soon as we reveal our real identities publicly online, it requires us to filter what we say. You can still be honest and authentic in your offline relationships. Usually those relationships are more important anyway.
Ancoti says
As life moves faster, it sometimes gets harder.
anon says
I am not a staff member @ my church but as a choir member of a church who streams live on the web and is on TV. I can tell you that you do not need to text during the praise and worship. Especially if you are also on the media team and get seen by a director and camera man who know you………
(I am going to remain anonymously since the media director for the church also reads this blog)
davidnorman says
i agree with you, but my point is that even attempting to be any level of authentic online at all is a risk. even if that is the entire goal of a blog.
human3rror says
typically. yes. let's hope… π
Conner_Byrd says
I had our worship leader ask to hang out so she could then talk to me about my Sunday Setlist posts that I do after church each Sunday. It is a little weird, because she replaced me as our Worship Leader. But honestly after we talked about it, she was super cool about it. She just was a little caught off guard finding it online. So, I've found out that that's the problem usually, the surprise not typically the content…well for me anyway π until it gets "too real." Haha.
human3rror says
oh yeah, that could be awkward…!