Social Media and the Pentecostal Church

Social media has also caused a shift in influence within the Pentecostal church. Social media has allowed flag churches such as the Lakewood church and Bethel church to exert influence comparable to a denomination. They are able to set the tone of the faith dialogue by making posts on Facebook framing the terms of the discussion. This ability means that the influence of these churches can be felt on a day-to-day basis by adherents. Butler notes this in her article stating, “Classical Pentecostalism no longer constitutes the center. The messages, still text-based, have more power in their aesthetic representations than in their doctrinal constructions. For good or ill, the center of the movement is comprised of Charismatic and neo-Charismatic offshoots.”[60]

Social media’s essence is about relationships and providing both individuals and institutions with a platform for interaction. Churches have also long had an emphasis on relationships and Pentecostalism’s emphasis on early adoption has lent itself to churches quickly moving their church networks onto social media. However, the widespread use of social media has shifted society’s understanding of relationship in significant ways by allowing different groups to interact, but also by allowing individuals to avoid interacting with certain demographics. Both social media and Pentecostalism are new developments in history and it has yet to be seen how the advent of social media will continue to influence the development of communal understanding and doctrinal development.

 

Kyle Smith
March 12, 2016

 

 

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