What if MLK was active today? What would he and his team be able to accomplish with social media?
The civil right era proves to be a well grounded lesson in what Christians can do to get something changed for the better; what MLK and the NAACP were able to organize was unprecedented on its own, and with the political climate against an entire people group it seemed impossible. But God will shatter realities to make sure his kingdom is reflected on earth, and Martin Luther King Jr knew that.
"Black history is American history," yes, but it's also church history. Jesus was the heart beat and motivation for MLK, he believed in God's future-reality for the black community and, therefore, said what needed to be said and organized the movements needed to be done to see it happen. But the major publicity didn't come right away, it took time to become national news, let alone international and historic.
The mass communication we have available to us now is otherworldly when you compare life prior to it; we're used to it and might not think much of it, but the fact we're able to share a thought out loud to potentially hundred thousands, or even millions, if it hits just right, should make us dream like MLK. And with that thought, this is the question I want to ask: is the church successfully using social media to help alter realities for the kingdom? If not, why?
"Go Out and Support"
During the COVID year when we were in our homes and following the rules about social distancing, something really cool happened. Despite us being pushed into silos and shutting down a majority (if not all) in person socializing, people in Orlando felt passionate to help local businesses. Amazon hit new sale records, but "Shop Small" was as loud as it could be. The Orlando community wanted to make sure our local businesses would be taken care of and survive through the pandemic, and it happened. A lot of businesses stayed alive despite the restricted traffic.
A bunch of random people and organizations played a major role in assuring it, whether it was the Main Street program finding ways to drive traffic, companies making tshirts where some profits would go to that particular business, and someone made Bingo Cards of restaurants. I can remember being swooped up by the emotion and posting all day every day for Curry Ford West businesses. This amazing collective mission was organically formed; there's not one individual that the credit can be given to, but the kudos can go to social media.
Social media is what did it, it's what allowed us to be together when we weren't allowed to, and it was the place that helped us keep a "healthy" economic well-being. One person created "Take Out Tuesday" so everyone would get take out and support a local restaurant instead of making dinner; and it caused an entire city to be mobilized to accomplish a task that positively impacted the city. "There's power in numbers" and during this season we believed in that. One of the times during the spring there was the Great American Takeout circulating around Instagram so the whole nation would participate in this mission together.
Again, at no point could you give one single person or organization all the credit, it was an atmospheric current that charged all of us. That's the crucial part, there was a spirit we all were attached to which helped us have the same mind and heart. For a moment we were all connected across the country, using virtual means.
And that's a lesson for the church, it doesn't need one individual or one mega church to start viral moments that reflect God's kingdom, it needs everyone playing a part: people posting what they're doing or ideas and people wanting to share or mimic--with the accepted caveat that a majority of attempts will be a flop.
Redeeming The System
MLK is known for many things with the bus boycott being the start, but it didn't come out of nowhere. It was something that built up to it, there were micro incidents and victims that culminated into Martin Luther King Jr becoming an organizer. As much as I love history, it tends to blur true moments in leadership since it only shows the highlight reel. Dr. King did an amazing job at listening and following, and that's what helped him lead an entire society.
God used various people and moments in Montgomery to help accomplish his mission--same with all of his other missions, it's not just the leaders on the stage.
The famous Montgomery bus boycott also wasn't an original, it was already done in Baton Rouge two years earlier by another Reverend and his church. The one in Louisiana isn't as well known, but it was the predecessor and inspiration. Which goes back to my point about how news traveled back then compared to now, if Reverend Jemison of Baton Rouge had social media in '53 there might have been a South Eastern wide boycott two years before Montgomery, because the segregation they were facing was an experience shared in this entire region.
And once again, MLK showed true leadership by asking how they did it in Baton Rouge so he could replicate it. He wanted to mimic, he knew it'd help the movement.
These boycotts were essential for the nation to see the issues, how fellow humans who also had the image of God were being treated. They spoke volumes financially and publicly.
Two things I like to take away from the boycotts: what these Christians used their platforms for and how they happened.
The power of boycotting isn't something to overlook, we tend to look pass the beauty of a market economy, we can spend our money where we want. These civil rights activists were done with supporting a transportation system that didn't deserve them as customers; why should they allow themselves to keep sacrificing portions of their income when the character of the system needed to change? And that power still exists today.
If the church felt it was necessary to boycott, then with social media, Christians across cities or states could have an effect on any organization or system.
We know there are companies that we frequently use with poor practices and policies, but not all of us know the exact extent of the real damage. There are people who do, though, who can guide us with what they've researched. Just need some Christians to start posting about it and some to follow and then there will be a movement.
It can be done, we've seen changes during the civil rights because of organizing and we've seen ourselves in present day be mobilized through social media during COVID.
Local Labs
The second takeaway is most movements and trends need to start in a local area where it can be tested and tried before it can be sent off.
Like mentioned in last post, the three things we'd want to see is:
A united church that chooses the gospel essentials over denominational preferences and willingly communicates, which can lead to..
Using our numbers to influence politics through selecting candidates and influencing policies, so it can help..
Create societal change locally and nationally that helps reflect a city on the hill so the goodness of God is seen.
These three can already be comfortably achieved at a hyper-local level, like a district, neighborhoods, along a corridor, etc. In my neighborhood, Curry Ford West, several churches from different denominations have been partnering (Crosspointe, Oasis, Real Life, and Grace Covenant). We are not coming together because of a network that spouts the exact same beliefs, but due to proximity and dedication to the area God has placed us in.
Social Media isn't needed as much when you have 4-8 churches who are minutes from each other, who's members already intertwine because they're in the same community, or when you can get a handful of people in the same room with ease to discuss info and take it back to their congregations. But without social media those three goals can only be achieved at a micro level, not even a normal local level like city or countywide.
However, we're able to test ideas at this level. Some of things we've done is a "CFW Takeover" where all the congregations select a date that tends to be slow for businesses and we drive traffic to these places and tip well. We've also done first responders appreciation and backpack drives at these local restaurants. The heartbeat is the belief that a healthy neighborhood needs healthy businesses and healthy businesses should give back to it's neighborhood.
Another project we're working on this year is trying to reach every elderly person in the area that needs little tasks done in their home, but can't do it themselves. It's not the sexiest thing, but very James.
We've also been able to meet with our neighborhood elected officials to discuss ways we could partner in the community. We know the government has resources and the churches have people with a will so the elements are there to see our district develop an identity that reflects the kingdom.
As we learn what works and doesn't work locally we'll be able to share through social media, then other churches can try and perfect in their own districts. Meanwhile we're watching them and learning as well.
Meta
I can't stress enough the primacy of our belief systems; our beliefs, religion, faith--whatever term you like for it--is usually the most important thing in our lives and, therefore, makes it something we look out for. Similar to the kinship we find with people of our same culture, we generally attach ourselves to fellow believers. This blind bond is what helps form unity and a cohesiveness across the virtual.
This love for Jesus and his mission is what binds the churches together in my neighborhood and wants us to become partners. It supersedes the different attributes that makes up the their denominations and forges a relationship that allows us to meet and work together for the Curry Ford West community. It's this love for Jesus that will make us feel connected to someone in a different city or state and want to join in on the movement they're talking about to help it leave an impression.
The main issue I see, though, is the perspective and passion about politics.
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