> @StickyJesus 6) Holy Spirit: The Power Source

In celebration of Internet Evangelism Month, this is the sixth in a 15-part blog project discussing the book, @stickyJesus: how to live out your faith online.

God has not given me the gift of writing and so I thank Him for the gift of my editor/proofer, Terri, when I do blog projects like this. I kept praying about how He would want me to respond to the chapter about the Holy Spirit in @StickyJesus and He just kept telling me to be myself.

I do have the gift of mercy and teaching and what I learned in File 6 was that it is important to use your gifts online as well as off. We do this “by remembering—at all times–who you are and whose you are” (p. 75). I don’t know about you, but my heart was stirred while reading this chapter. It made me remember the first time the Holy Spirit entered my life and became my “global positioning system” (p. 76). Thank God, because I was royally messing things up by trying to do things on my own and relying on the world to guide my steps.

The Gospel is Good News (it is to me), but really I was timid about expressing that online, because I was not plugging into the “heaven’s power source.” This File (and all the subsequent Files) has helped me to live out my faith online. I now feel confident about using my gifts online because I know that God has called me to show them here and now and in this digital age. I am also a very social person and what better way to live out my faith than through social media.

“Ask the Holy Spirit to help you grow and deepen your circle of influence online, and direct you to the right people, tools, and topics. Make it a habit of daily asking the Spirit to help you. Then listen, really listen.” (p. 78)

Big takeaways in this File are the ways that we can wisely engage online (my related scripture is added in italics).

• Learn the Culture: Acts 17:16-34
• Listen: James 1:19
• Be Tolerant: Romans 2:11, Ephesians 4:32
• Seek Common Ground: Romans 12:4-5
• Be Present: Romans 8:10
• Keep it Simple and Powerful: John 3:16
• Be Original: Psalm 139:14
• Keep Your Words in Check: James 3:9-11
• Respond Well: Galatians 5:22-23

@StickyJesus says that “you can’t give what you don’t have” and by using your own God-given spiritual gifts and taping into the ultimate power source by using the models of wise engagement (listed above), then the digital world is sure to light up. “The Holy Spirit is your always” (p. 77).

1. What are your spiritual gifts and how do you use them online?
2. When you “engage online” what is the most challenging things to remember from the list above?
3. How do you align yourself with God’s attributes?

5) Jesus: King of content <– @StickyJesus project –>7) Christ followers: the game changers

Sarah Holbrook

Sarah Holbrook is the Communications Director for Cypress United Methodist Church (a suburb church in North West Houston). She has been married to Brandon for 14 years and has two boys. She believes whole heartedly that she is a work in progress and is happy to have Jesus mold her, she shares ideas at her blog God Is My Gardener. In her spare time, she loves to teach adult Sunday school, cook, create jewelry and garden.