3 Tips from the Apostle Paul on Social Media

By Jeff Gibson

While we know Paul’s inspired Biblical work first appeared and has been known for generations as letters, epistles, and singularly as verses, it is clear, that as a social media guru, he was the first.
After some 20,000 + social media ministry messages, I am always drawn to the fact that nothing can connect people like a Bible verse.  Especially Paul’s work because it is so clear, concise, and flat out inspiring to people living at the height of the Roman Empire, in an age no one had ever seen before… in other words, much like ours.
Here are some quick lessons:
1. Inspiration + Application = Story.
Look at a verse almost any Christian can quote, like Philippians 4:13: I can do all this through him who gives me strength (NIV).  Just on its own it has easily been tweeted more than a million times.
It inspires, makes God apply in your life immediately, and it sends you deeper for the story.  While the first temptation in reading this verse is to respond, “of course”; the second response is almost always “why”, and that is the introspection that leads directly to the rest of Chapter 4 of Philippians..
2. Tweet truth and people will connect.
Paul’s brilliance makes his incredible travails from being blinded, to his conversion, to the snake bites, earthquakes, and imprisonments, relevant in my life with an immediacy that illuminates the truth of what happened and connects people to his experience and God.
As a strategist, it is always easy for me to over-think, over-speak, lose my point.  Paul’s letters are truthful, unadorned, and inspired and communicate instantly because he makes His point and moves on…
3. Connecting takes time. 
If connection to Christ happened immediately, almost none of Paul’s work would have even been necessary.  He wrote letters, lived with people, travelled constantly and kept in touch because connecting and staying connected takes time.
Social media is no different and neither are the rewards.  Just as Paul’s commitment of time has shined a light for all of us in the generations since to follow Christ, social media has the same impact and we are only beginning to see how great that is.
Paul didn’t let the detachment and seeming simplicity of letter writing distract his focus on how impactful his work was for the Kingdom.  Online connections have real world significance.  Our ministry has led followers in fasting, prayer, to baptism, and into incredibly honest fellowship that has spanned continents in ways tough to imagine before we got started and yours can have that impact as well.