Dead Scientists and Facebook

If you are like me, you have two questions about Johannes Kepler:

1. Why is he holding chopsticks in that portrait?

And more importantly…

2. What would 17th century  German scientists think about modern issues?

One of the great tools that we have in communicating with people in missions is Facebook, and other social networking. It gives an easy way for people to know how to pray specifically for people and situations. It is great for missionaries to be able to share how how God is blessing, and let supporters see the fruit abounding to their account.

It has been great for us over the past year of deputation for those reasons, and also because it helps us stay in the loop and pray for other pastors, Christians, and churches that we have met.

However…. (cue ominous music)

There is a dark side to social media and the ministry: increased visibility also = increased opportunity to criticize from afar. FB often degenerates into a mudslinging contest. Think you are more separated than your fellow Christians? Blast them on FB! Annoyed by other people’s methodology? Throw some labels at them on FB!

I hate the fact that I have to be cautious about updating followers about where we are and who we are with, because someone is going to dislike that church/pastor. I’m a missionary, and I don’t have a “camp”, or a “circle”. I have a MINISTRY, and it’s not just to Spain: I really try to look at deputation as an opportunity to preach the Word, encourage, strengthen, and just generally feed God’s sheep.

Unfortunately, as anyone who knows me can testify to, I like to argue. I like to debate. I’m opinionated, I’m loud, and I don’t control my tongue as well as I should. I have foot-in-mouth disease like nobody’s business. So when I say that FB has a dark side, I’m not slinging mud at the mudslingers: I have a dark side. I have a carnal nature that has to be fought and suppressed if I want God to use me to be a benefit to His church and His cause.

I recently read some quotes from Johannes Kepler, and they were very convicting to me, and if they sound familiar, it’s because they are pretty biblical!

“My conscience commands me to love an enemy and not harm him, to avoid adding new causes for separation; it tells me that I ought to be an example of moderation and mildness for my enemy; perhaps though my actions, I might encourage him to do the same, and then at last may God send us the desired peace.”
Kepler, Glaubensbekenntnis, GW xii, 28:3-5

“My argument about religion is that the preachers are becoming too haughty in their pulpits. They do not live by the old simplicity. They arouse dispute; they bring up issues that hinder devotion, accuse one another wrongly, stir up the nobles and lords against each other, and cause many to fall away when a persecution begins.”

“I could quite the entire dispute by signing the Formula of Concord without reservations. Yet I cannot be hypocritical in questions of conscience. I would sign, if they accepted the reservations I have already presented. I want no part in the fury of the theologians. I shall not judge brothers; for even if they stand or they fall, they are still my brothers and brothers of the Lord. Since I am not a teacher of the church, I should pardon others, speak well of others and interpret favorably, rather than just indict, vilify and distort.”
Kepler, to Mastlin, December 12/22, 1616, GW xvii, nr. 750:260-66

So I’m not just preaching to the choir, I’m preaching to ME: let’s show some grace and moderation in how we treat God’s people, whether they are right or not!

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