Very helpful. Very practical. Very much appreciated.

As someone who's newer to the world of social media, I'm exploring how to do things in a way that's consistent with Christian principles. And I'd like to have a little fun while I'm at it, if possible.

Thanks for the encouragement to not be too self-serving. Now I'll refrain from mentioning the FREE book I'm giving away on my web site.

i go back to a simple principle…social media is about people, not technology.

now thats funny…welcome to the crazy world of social media.

great principle jim. totally agree.

Excellent! Excellent!! Being that I thrive (way too much) on lists, I'm going to print this and keep it handy as a guideline.
Question: What do you do with those that follow you on twitter that are “markerters”, like how to make money off of social media, how to get more “traffic”. Do you follow them back as well?

i usually dont follow back products or people who are clearly just a front for marketing something. i also dont follow back the girls that have just 1 tweet telling me to come look at their FREE pics if sense there is some real person attached to the account and sharing their life i will definitely follow back. hope that helps.

Been convicted lately of my need to follow all those that follow me.

This does help! Here's another question. I went from something like 178 followers to I think 235 over night. Turned my BB on this morning and it was blowing up with notifications. I have to go through them later but WHAT HAPPENED?! Never seen that before.
Bren

I try to encourage other people through social media in a few ways:
1. I Retweet their posts
2. I comment on their posts.
3. I write a weekly post where I highlight different people's posts.
4. I write another weekly post where people can share one of their posts with my readers (all 2 of them of course:)

great ideas kevin! love it!

In my experience everything is better when you do it for others. You do it better. You have more fun. You have less stress. It's how we were made, to give. Getting paid is a thankless motivator. Love is the greatest motivator. Beautiful post. Thanks for sharing.

Mike, isn't more than just about narcissism? I seem to think there's also a clique mentality going on as well. There are these groups of people with a good amount of influence that seem to keep their influence amongst themselves. What I mean is, they'll retweet within their own core group, but you hardly seem them re-tweet anybody outside of that 'circle' to help them gain some more influence. I'd like to see more of that.

Just for kicks – one other thing you can do with a brick is to just let it lay there until it grows moss and becomes a hiding place for worms and bugs. Just sayin'

Seriously, you have such a gift for encouraging and building up (brick reference). It's an area of my life that I feel is in need of further development. I'll continue to watch your example and let God work on the details. It's a good thing He is so big. A lesser god would certainly have his hands full with my issues!

Thanks for POTSC! You guys are truly a blessing to many.

I agree that technology/social media is not the problem. It is actually a gift from God but anything including church, relationships, skills, etc. can be misused and draw either others or ourselves from God. I came across this quote from John Piper this weekend, “The greatest adversary of love to God is not his enemies but his gifts. And the most deadly appetites are not for the poison of evil, but for the simple pleasures of earth. For when these replace an appetite for God himself, the idolatry is scarcely recognizable, and almost incurable.”

My we learn to use technology/social media as a gift that helps develop and appetite for God rather than replacing the appetite we have for him. Thanks for the great word Mike, the practical advise helps us on this path!

One thing I noticed & appreciate a ton was that you followed me back on Twitter. Being very new to this, I'm still trying to figure out how to use it & not have it consume me. Also trying to add to people's lives and not just tweet crap that I'm doing. So I appreciate the insight and helpful nature of your post. That being said, I can't help but note the irony in tweeting this post about your blog about tweeting to the broken…just saying. haha. I'm grateful for it & you!

totally agree!

i think we are all guilty of helping our friends out. it would be nice to help our friends and others at the same time. both are important groups to invest in.

thanks cindy…so glad you are part of the community here.

thats a great Piper qoute…so true…thanks for sharing that!

totally ironic! and hypocritical on my part working on it though and thanks for pointing it out. peace…

this broken girl is grateful for your philosophy.

i LOVE this post… landed here from JasonWert's twitter… soooo glad i did… this is really helpful – i have been praying about how to encourage more interactivity on my blog and to use my story to encourage others. I can't seem to get beyond the fear that if i do step into the world of “interactive-bloggy-church” as it seems so many blogs are becoming now-days…. will i have anyone who wants to interact with me? thanks for the really practical ideas

Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jim_Gray: RT @POTSC TWEET TO THE BROKEN http://bt.io/EjDx (via @backtype)…

as a person who longs to have faith and has none, i cringe at the thought of a “believer” who would deny others the enjoyment of something as simple as social networking. i have an affinity for people of faith. i have searched for god for years and have come up empty.

at the same time, i have a disdain for those who are so focused on the concept of denying one's self or others absolutely anything that would bring enjoyment or pleasure. if there is a god, does he think so little of us that he would deny us pleasure? is he so narcissistic that he must demand that every action we take, every thought we think should be strictly reserved for the worship of his glory?

if a child laughs, plays, runs is she sinning?

my second greatest fear is that there's no god. my greatest fear is that i will find him, but want nothing to do with what i find.

fortunately I believe in grace & recognize there's no other way to get the message out there unless you share it. Thanks Mike. I'll be working on it too.

Great ideas about tweeting. I just started the whole twitter thing about a week ago. And, I just re-tweeted for the first time with your post.

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Dan Cruver, Jason Kovacs, raceforothers, JD Eddins, Steve Lawes and others. Steve Lawes said: RT @POTSC TWEET TO THE BROKEN http://bt.io/EjWW (via @backtype) [...]

But, like Jay said, it's important to help those that haven't made it. There are those who have already made it – they're recognized to a certain extent, they're making money, people listen to what they have to say. Their inner circle don't need their help to advertise them, nor do they need theirs, so why lavish attention on the “good old boy's club”? Like Jay said, it's a closed group, unless someone appears enough like them for them to be liked and they have a chance to make it into the “insiders” group.

They and their friends in their own circle tend to use what influence they have to promote the “insiders”, those they like and those who are their friends while at the same time subscribing to the idea of unlimited radical grace. And, as you say, they're not alone – we all tend to do the same thing. It might seem to be the “natural” thing to do, but as Christians, we are called to a higher standard. Jesus wasn't exclusive – in fact, when his disciples and friends argued who was the greatest (i. e., who had the most favor in the eyes of Jesus), he had some pretty direct words to say to them – in the current vernacular, don't let anyone call you “pastor” or “leader”, because you have only one pastor, only one leader, and that's Jesus, and you are all brothers. Even in Jesus's own family, he didn't favor anyone – when Jesus was questioned about it, he replied that his brothers and sisters are those who do the will of the Father. No favoritism there!

We all have something to say, we all have our own story, and it seems to me to be a bit hypocritical to claim grace for all but only promote a few. If someone has something meaningful to say, even though you or others might not agree with it or like it, those with influence might want to consider using that influence to promote it! Remember, Jesus had things to say that the “leaders” of his time didn't agree with and didn't like and went to extreme measures to quash, but the fact remains that what he had to say remains a shining standard of thought and behavior that loses nothing to the passage of 2000+ years.

I love what you're saying here, Mike. I remember your follow of me after I started following you, and it made an impression on me.

One thing I struggle with on Twitter is how to keep up with it all. I don't check or update it during the day while at work, so when I get home I feel overwhelmed at all I've missed. When I think about following more people when they follow me, I get even more overwhelmed: that adds to the number of updates I already miss throughout the day!

I'm sure a lot of this comes down to finding a process and rhythm that works for me. But in the meantime, I love your approach of tweeting to the broken and keeping it real.

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kevin Davis, ERF Online, Brenda Renderos, Brandon Miraflor, Janet Oberholtzer and others. Janet Oberholtzer said: "I believe technology is neutral" @MikeFoster from a good post "Tweet to the Broken" at @POTSC: http://ow.ly/1pTNt [...]

hey seeking…glad youre here and thanks for your thoughts.

thanks steve…and welcome to twitter

certainly everyone has to find what works for them and a process that seems appropriate. i will have to admit sometimes i cant keep up with all the tweets coming in

Seeking,
As I read your post I was reminded that Christ came not for the healthy, but for the sick, the sinful, and the seeking. Isaiah 61 says he came for the brokenhearted, the captives and the prisoners. Thank you for your honesty about journey and your fears. One thing I am sure of is that God has found you, and he wants what he has found. Keep seeking!

sherrie and mike, thanks for your kind responses.
seekingintongues.blogspot.com

I hear the Holy Spirit loud and clear through you. Good company you keep.

Great post. How Colossians 3:17-esque:

“Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.” [The Message]

Thanks!