LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 221

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11. CHURCH AND CULTURE
To Encourage Appropriate Use
of Social Media
RESOLUTION 11-01A
Report R66.4 (CW, 224–31); Overture 11-01 (CW, 407)
WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church
Relations (CTCR) in February 2019 issued a report titled, A
Snapshot of Trending Tools: Christians and Social Media, which
cites a definition of social media as “forms of electronic
communication (such as websites for social networking and
microblogging) through which users create online
communities to share information, ideas, personal messages,
and other content (such as videos)” (Report R66.4, Workbook,
224); and
WHEREAS, “These rapidly changing methods of
communication are considered indispensable in all areas of
life—at home, at work, at all levels of education, in managing
health care and providing entertainment” (Report R66.4,
Workbook, 224); and
WHEREAS, The CTCR report seeks to consider how
Christians can “best use—or, if necessary, avoid the use of—
this technology to glorify our God and Savior, build up the
Body of Christ and extend His kingdom in the world” (Report
R66.4, Workbook, 224); and
WHEREAS, “Lutherans have always been open to the
constructive use of new technologies for sharing the neverchanging truths of God’s Word—think of Luther and the
printing press! At the same time, Lutherans are clear-eyed
about the power of sin, the world and Satan, and are therefore
realistic and necessarily critical about how such technologies
can be twisted and misused. Social media is a prime example
of this and is also evolving and developing (in both good and
bad ways)” (CTCR Executive Director Rev. Dr. Joel
Lehenbauer, “CTCR report looks at ‘Christians and Social
Media,’ ”
Reporter
Online,
May
29,
2019,
www.reporter.lcms.org/2019/ctcr-report-looks-at-christiansand-social-media); and

Resolved, That Christians be encouraged to exercise
caution and great care in choosing the words and images they
publish on social media, taking into account the challenges
involved in online communication, and making every effort to
be both clear and compassionate in whatever they share; and
be it further
Resolved, That Christians also be encouraged to exercise
charity and patience in considering what their neighbor
shares on social media, not assuming the worst but
interpreting everything in the kindest way, while also seeking
to respond in love with words and ideas shaped by the Holy
Scriptures, the Lutheran Confessions, and the language of the
Church; and be it further
Resolved, That Christians who use social media be
encouraged to do so with thanksgiving to God for this gift, and
to sanctify their online interactions with the Word of God and
prayer (1 Tim. 4:1–5); and be it further
Resolved, That church workers and leaders, being held to
a higher standard and representing the church by virtue of
their office (1 Tim. 3:2, 7), are expected to exercise caution in
their use of social media and lead by example; and be it further
Resolved, That we commend the CTCR Report A Snapshot
of Trending Tools: Christians and Social Media for study and
discussion by pastors, current and future church workers, and
members of the congregations of the LCMS; and be it finally
Resolved, That, remembering our baptism and living as
baptized children of God, we fear, love, and trust in God above
all things while using social media as a means of loving and
serving our neighbor.

WHEREAS, Social media is neither inherently evil nor good,
and while it can be used to help proclaim the Gospel, it has the
potential to amplify and accelerate the harm that is caused by
slander, libel, and other forms of false witness; and
WHEREAS, Much of the content on social media is driven
by the world’s moral imperatives and utilizes the world’s
vocabulary, presenting temptations to Christians and
undermining Lutheran catechesis; and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
(LCMS) provides helpful guidelines for its own social media
community (www.lcms.org/about/privacy-policy/social-mediaguidelines); therefore be it
Resolutions

Committee 11 Chairman Terry R. Forke
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 221