A new Facebook group has been created to serve as:
A place for Christians and church leaders to discuss ideas and share content for using social media to prepare hearts, minds, and homes for the birth of Jesus.
As the Occupy Advent movement gains momentum, many pastors, church communicators, and Christian laypersons have a growing desire to using social media to help people overcome the busyness and consumerism that so often plagues the season and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Rather than each church, ministry and individual come up with their own social media plan and create all their own content, we can develop better plans, better content and save time by working together.
While the Occupy Advent Facebook page and Twitter account are for public consumption, distribution and discussion, the Occupy Advent – Social Media Strategery Facebook Group (yes, despite the seriousness of the issue, we also have a sense of humor) is a “behind the scenes” place for you to discuss and share your own Advent social media ideas and check out the ideas and resources other ministry leaders are working on.
The group is intended primarily for pastors and church communicators who are preparing now to lead their congregations through a more peaceful, reflective Advent season through social media. However, the group is open to anyone who wants to use social media to Occupy Advent.
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4 Comments
Occupy Advent? Really? Wow! Is there a book I missed in seminary "How to Cheapen the Christian Faith by Using Cultural Events as Marketing Tools"?
When will we Christians stop trying to "be relevant" by borrowing and linking cultural events, especially those having everything to do with money and property and the stuff that burns up in the end?
I jokingly Googled "Occupy Church" "…Faith, …Jesus, …Till I Come. Wow. How cheesy and weak can we get?
Sean, this isn't an attempt to use cultural events as marketing tools. The Occupy Wall Street movement is about taking something that's gotten out of control and returning to it's rightful purpose. That is the same concept here – Christians occupying Advent in an effort to reclaim it from the out of control busyness and commercialism that have taken hold of it and returning to a season of peace and reflection on Jesus.
Is your church making any efforts to help each other avoid busyness and commercialism this Advent and focus on Jesus?
The very term Advent is a Christian marketing tool for Christmas / The nativity of Jesus and not an actual Biblical event,
Though, I must admit that while I understand and to some degree support the "Occupy" protests,, I think that the tie in to this particular purpose is obscure and may have some negative conotations which might be counter-productive to your cause.
Jon, the birth of Jesus was both a biblical and historical event. And the Advent season represents the 400 or so years the Jewish people waited for the Messiah.
I'm not too concerned with people questioning or misunderstanding the Occupy reference. So far it seems to be opening the door to discussion. What sort of negative connotations concern you?