Comments on: Why I am Now Using Twitter

By: Erik

Erik — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:50:57 +0000

Toby, glad Piper could unscramble my omelette for you J. And good idea on the flannelgraph.

Thanks Steve…good points and appreciate your kinship in the gospel.

By: shepherdsteve

shepherdsteve — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:50:14 +0000

I figured that your role in shepherding the south campus would make it more demanding to be regular on the blog. If you are a C- blogger but an A+ shepherd, then I am proud of you. Twitter might be an easier outlet for you in your busy schedule then posting a blog. God bless

By: Toby

Toby — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:41:08 +0000

Erik,

I read Piper’s comments. He is so good at clarifying issues.

My concern is not that it is a bad medium, but that it can distract from other tasks, such as evangelizing, teaching and discipling. Tweeting may help with these tasks, but moving from evangelizing to teaching to discipling this medium becomes less helpful. So, if the basics are taken care of, then the extras can be added, such as tweeting and blogging and flannelgraphing, all to the glory of God.

Toby

By: Erik

Erik — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:15:58 +0000

Toby, always enjoy your thoughtful interaction. I don’t think you necessarily have to make a choice on this one. This blog has a ‘limited’ reach and so do some conversations with 6-7 guys or a couple for that matter. However, what I am talking about is, within reason, and without diluting or overcrowding, using available means to trumpet the greatness of God and help people to think higher thoughts of Christ. In many ways this comes alongside of the blog and helps to reach folks that may be on Facebook or other mediums. Further, the way in which info travels and reaches others is amazing. I think of all that Driscoll garbage back in April (re: song of songs). I posted some things and they ended up on Phil Johnson’s twitter and then about 50 other folks. The thing went viral and people were reading and interacting with it. But at the end of the day my goal is not a great name for myself or this blog but for Christ! So if I can drop my posts, tweets, meditations, devotions or whatever into the various streams and God sees fit to bring these to various ports around the world…then I am pleased.

by the way, John Piper is doing it. Did you read his deal? I thought it was good and convincing.

By: The Benefits of Twitter for the Christian | Scripture Zealot

The Benefits of Twitter for the Christian | Scripture Zealot — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:28:29 +0000

[...] Why I am Now Using Twitter at Irish Calvinist [...]

By: Toby

Toby — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:59:36 +0000

I like the idea of interjecting Gospel into the lives of those you communicate with, and reducing interaction to a series of twits and texts shouldn efficiently broaden your reach. But it is an exclusive form of communication, so it narrows your reach to a certain group. It runs the risk of decreasing your interaction with those who communicate by speach almost exclussively. This is concerning, because I believe this is still the best form of communication and the best way to meet your goals and impact.

I don’t twitter, so I don’t know the depth of interaction there, but I do text and am not impressed by the depth of communication that happens there, in fact I find it a good way to communicate briefly and consicely by cutting down on the level of communication. We text to avoid talking for convenience and necessity, not to improve interaction. If using twitter is the same, then to reach your intended goal and impact you need to increase the level or depth of communication, not try and cut it down to its most basic level.

Just some thots J.

Toby

By: Greg Dutcher

Greg Dutcher — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:14:35 +0000

Erik,

You’ve summarized my own thoughts on Twitter better than I’ve been able to do- ha! I appreciate what you’ve done here, and also what Nathan at Calvinist has done as well.

By: Erik

Erik — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:32:02 +0000

Toby- it should actually save time. Most of it is automated and what is not is faster than most texts that I respond to J. And the goal / intended impact makes it worth it.