AUTHOR: Tony Birdsong and Tami Heim
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2011, (216 pages).
How do the authors propose to live our one's faith online? They begin with Jesus. After introducing the impact of social media, with statistics from Barna, television networks, and other sources, they assert that only in the light of Jesus' life can we learn to shine for God in the online world. Thus each chapter ends with a list of "Downloads" that have practical tips on how to live for Jesus. It is quickly followed up by an "Upload" which is a prayer for help. The list of "my actions" is a good list to help us not become addicted to social media. Jesus is the model to follow as far as building relationships is concerned. In leadership, servanthood, consistency, compassion, encouragement, and inclusiveness, Jesus' life sets out for us a way forward. The rest of the book deals with the nitty gritty of what social media is, how we can connect meaningfully and Christianly, how to get online, and the do's and don'ts of online behaviour.
Key to the success and longevity of the book is the link to supporting sites such as www.stickyjesus.com, Facebook (@StickyJesus), and Twitter (#LiveSticky, @stickyjesus, @tonibirdsong, @tamiheim).
It is evident that the authors have done loads of research on social media. After all, they met on Twitter! There are lots of ideas and tips to trigger anyone's creativity. Meant more as a reference rather than a book to be read from cover to cover, this book will definitely appeal to the uninitiated, or anyone new to the world of social media. I have cited this book elsewhere in my blogs. They are available here and the latest here.
Rating: 4 stars of 5.
conrade
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