First we had Web sites. Then we had blogs. Now we have social networks — MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and dozens of wannabe sites. And they aren’t just for kids anymore. Social networking sites are the wave of the future, and they’re quickly replacing Web sites and blogs as ways for adults to share information, keep up with friends and family, network, market, minister or witness. With the profusion of iPhones and Blackberries, updating one’s status or posting a Tweet is as easy as that old standby, text messaging.

If the previous paragraph left you saying, “Well, duh!” then read no further. But if you thought perhaps I shifted into a foreign language, keep reading for the translation. Whether you decide to participate or simply need to speak the language of the 21st century, you’ll want to understand more about social networking.

my Life, my Way ...
Social networking is a method of staying in touch with people you care about — friends, relatives, church members, business associates, fans, anyone — in a quick, easy, efficient manner. It’s also a way to expand and promote your ministry presence online.

One of the first networking sites was MySpace.com, started in 2003, and followed quickly by Facebook.com in 2004. Other sites joined in, usually focusing on specialty populations. For example, ShoutLife.com caters to Christians. Sites like these allow you to register and set up a page that serves as your hub to connect with others. Most allow a photograph, some even more personalization. You can post a comment everyone in your network can see, send a private message, or chat online (“chatting” is conversing in real time by sending typed messages through an “instant messenger” or from within a social network). You can post photos and videos or join causes. You can even send virtual hugs and gifts. Some sites will remind you of your friends’ birthdays and give you an easy way to send a greeting. For many participants, one or more of these online locations becomes “home,” replacing phone calls and e-mails as the primary way to connect with others. In fact, “talking” among these communities of social networkers, means any form of online posting. Each site has its own vocabulary and rules of conduct, but all function in a similar way. Your friends’ “status updates” or “postings” — entries telling people what they are doing or thinking, or how they feel about something that is important to them — show up on your home page and yours on theirs, so it’s easy to get a quick overview of who’s doing what. “Friends,” by the way, are people whose profiles are connected and who are allowed to see each other’s information.

MySpace is among the more open of these sites. Once you join — a free and simple process — it’s easy to find friends. MySpace has attracted a younger crowd, and I find much of what I see there off-putting, if not downright offensive. Growth has leveled off at MySpace, which currently boasts about 130 million members.

Facebook was originally a closed network, limited to those with a college e-mail address, but is now open to anyone. The college and postcollege crowd the site originally aimed to serve now makes up less than a quarter of its users. Current growth is highest among baby boomers. Facebook has over 175 million users and is growing at the rate of about 5 million new users per week.

Although some people protect their privacy on these sites, many welcome anyone as a friend. You can search for a person by name or other criteria, and send a “friend request,” which the other party can accept, ignore or refuse. This can be good news or bad news. We lost contact with my 30-something niece a few years ago. When my aging mother wanted to find her, I checked MySpace and, sure enough, I was able to send her a message and reestablish a relationship that is turning into ministry to her.

However, you should alert your children to be careful with MySpace. Just because someone says he’s 14 doesn’t mean the person behind the profile and photo isn’t an adult with less-than-honorable intentions. If your children use MySpace or Facebook, be sure to join and become friends with them so you can keep an eye on who they’re communicating with. Many parents make this a requirement of participation. Some people accept friend requests only from people they know or have met face-to-face. That’s a good rule for children and teens.

my life in 140 characters or less
Is there life beyond MySpace and Facebook? Absolutely. It’s Twitter.com, a micro-blogging site where you have only140 characters to post a “tweet” — an update, a quotation, a Bible verse or link to an interesting Web article or photo. Started in mid-2006, Twitter is smaller (about 5 million users), but growing at a faster rate than Facebook. In 2008, Twitter grew at an astounding 752 percent and isn’t showing any signs of slowing. People seem to love the flexibility, and then there’s a cult of users vying to have the most “followers” (people who receive their updates). A few have over a million, many have tens of thousands. Why? Because they can …

On Twitter, you can “follow” (receive the posts of) people without permission unless they have blocked their updates, requiring their approval of your request. You can also “direct message” (DM), sending a private tweet between you and someone who is following you (or who you are following). You are notified when someone follows you; etiquette says it’s polite to follow back, but it isn’t required.

To manage the onslaught of postings, a number of applications sort tweets according to your criteria. Follow the social network experts and you’ll find all the resources you need. My favorite is TweetDeck.com, which allows you to sort tweets into columns (for example, you can have a column of close friends, small group members, etc.) and search by subject (for example, “missions”). You can choose to see everyone’s updates (the “public stream”) or just those you follow. If someone likes what you write, they’ll “retweet” (RT) it, forwarding it to their network of followers and thereby increasing your influence, perhaps exponentially. You can also set Twitter to post to Facebook, or vice versa, through TweetDeck, further extending your influence.

Twitter is an amazing ministry tool. I follow a number of well-known and unknown pastors and writers who share ideas, questions or ministry announcements. Some share their love for their spouse and how glad they are to head home at the end of the day — an ever important message. It’s easy to post a link and a few words regarding any Web article, including ministry and political posts, spreading the message quickly. It’s impossible to know the influence a comment can have because of the followers you don’t know and the power of the retweet.

caveats
In the delight of connecting with so many friends or followers, it’s easy to say something that should remain private. It’s important to manage your online presence in a consistent way. If you’re identifying yourself as a Christian, for example, take care to avoid negativity, rants or hateful sarcasm. It’s OK to be political or opinionated, but remember, hundreds of people you don’t know may be accessing your posts. Be careful about posting anything proprietary or anything that would reflect badly on others. Good rule of thumb: Don’t say anything you don’t want made public at your Supreme Court nomination hearing.

So … go have fun with social networking and discover how it can extend your ministry. You can follow me on Twitter at @patsikora.