The Church, in every century, has had unique opportunities to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. From Jesus’ charge to His disciples, to Peter’s inspirited sermon at Pentecost, to Martin Luther getting the Word of God into the language of the people and into their hands through the Reformation (1517), God calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies His people for Kingdom purposes. And today, God gives us the charge to take His Word — learned, marked, and inwardly digested — and “Go, make disciples … baptize … and teach” (cf Matthew 28:19-20) so that others, who do not yet know Him, would call upon Him as their Lord and Savior.
Those devout men from every nation heard Peter’s voice first hand and went back to their communities, and through their verbal social networking, changed the faith history of humanity as they told others of the Good News they had heard and seen. The early Reformers shared this same Gospel through print, and changed the faith history of the middle-ages. The Michigan District has no less of a unique opportunity today. We have seen amazing advances in Social Media as early as 1969 with CompuServe’s dial-up technology. The year 2000 saw 70 million computers connected to the Internet. More recently in 2012, Facebook reached a billion users. It was also noted that some two billion people around the world use the Internet and Social Media on their desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. By 2015, it is estimated that some four billion users, nearly 60 percent of the Earth’s population, will be Internet users.1
Social Media has been defined as a place where people interact freely, sharing and discussing information about their lives using words, photographs, videos, and audio. In this generation, what you read today is considered relevant; however, it may not be truth, fact, or reality.
How can the Church, who bears the truth of God through the inspired Word of God, be heard amidst all the other voices claiming what they say to be true? Without exploring and engaging the vehicle that most are utilizing on a day-to-day basis, the Christian voice may be ridiculed, or worse yet, dimly heard.
The Michigan District is rising to the challenge of fully using these vehicles for sharing the voice of Truth. For over 13 years, Michigan In Touch has been the main print avenue for professional church workers and laity in the District’s communication strategy. After this issue, it will join our other online avenues: the Michigan Minute Weekly Enews, Michigan District Website, and Social Media outlets. We are committed to frequently writing and sharing content that awakens, connects, challenges, and inspirits by gathering stories of hope that promote mission outreach, compassion, and healthy congregations and workers. These stories from the church-at-large, organizations, auxiliaries, and your congregation will be posted to Michigan In Touch Online coming fall 2013 at www.michigandistrict.org/mit.
Will you join us in this challenge? Take a look at our new format. Be inspired to engage the culture and find out what stories we are looking for, view writer guidelines, and upload your articles, videos, and images at www.michigandistrict.org/mit.
1“A Brief History of Social Media” http://www.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/NewMedia/SocialMedia/SocialMediaHistory.html.
Michigan Supplement to Appear in The Lutheran Witness!
In addition to the online magazine, the Michigan District will include a District Supplement in The Lutheran Witness which will contain stories, news, and events similar to our current print publication. The first issue with this supplement will be the September 2013 issue. If you do not already subscribe to The Lutheran Witness, we are offering a one-time opportunity to subscribe mid-year. Please send a check for $6 (made payable to Michigan District, LCMS) to Lutheran Witness Supplement; Michigan District, LCMS; 3773 Geddes Rd; Ann Arbor, MI 48105 and include your name, address, city, state, zip, phone, email, and home congregation. You may also subscribe online at www.michigandistrict.org/lw. Offer expires July 15, 2013. This mid-year subscription includes issues September 2013 – February 2014. In November, you will have an opportunity to subscribe for a full year (March 2014 – February 2015) at a discounted rate by subscribing through your home congregation.
