Don’t Close Down Your Facebook

People are asking, “Should I get rid of Facebook?” 

More than once, I observe a Facebook group conversation that begins with a simple post like asking how it is living in a state or sharing an amazing photograph, and somehow it becomes a political argument; a fountain of negativity spewing forth and inspiring reactions.

The difference between reaction and response is defined. Reaction is instant with no time to think. A response comes more slowly as you weigh your words. I encourage myself and others to respond and respond in line with the topic of the conversation thread. If politics isn’t mentioned, why bring it up? In the spirit of friendship, stay on topic, be kind, and start a conversation.

And don’t close down your Facebook. 

Be the light in a dark culture. Have meaningful conversations and pursue those conversations. Don’t give up. Set boundaries with your time online. Because life is too short for the majority of your time to be spent in the virtual. Spend some of it outside.

Like we did today…building up our marriage, loving each other, and worshiping God…

Wise Words on Plodding and Waiting

It is the nature of mobilization to say, “Hey, how about we do this thing we haven’t done yet?” For some, that type of thinking is all fun and unicorns. Others, however, particularly those who are in charge of “what we’re currently doing,” might not be so enthusiastic.

– Read More From Missions Catalyst

 

30 Days of prayer to raise my support from 34% to 40% sounds good. Scheduling open meetings every Friday in March is always risky, but I did with hands open to what God wills. Even as I write this, I am sitting in one of those coffee shops with my laptop open and the chair in front of me empty. Yet, as I catch up on email and blogging, I see this newsletter in my inbox from Missions Catalyst.

Notably, this quote strikes me, 

“I want things to happen fast. I delight in the rapid movements to Jesus we increasingly hear about. But I know one of God’s basic units of work is the transformation of the human heart and that usually takes time. As do learning a language, shifting the missional direction of a church, or opening eyes that have by years of habit been closed to certain works of God. We need determination over time.

William Carey, when asked late in life how he accomplished so much, replied, “I can plod. I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I owe everything.” (Read more.)

It’s that grit, that determination, that helped Carey and so many others live lives that qualify them to be on the “of whom the world was not worthy” list in Hebrews 11. Don’t grow weary of doing good (Galatians 6:9), and don’t give up praying (Luke 18). God will bring about his results through you.”

Plodding is my new word. As I sip a latte, look up expectantly each time the door to the coffee shop opens, I focus on plodding. I answer emails, write blogs, meet deadlines, and go to my day job.

And I dream! I dream of doing only one job. I dream of the new normal. That dream and hope keeps me plodding; that, and seeing the results of this calling as I serve in active ministry. I am learning about God through this plodding, leaning heavily on Him every day, and understanding that this plodding has a purpose.

Building relationships take patience and time. Creating change in the church takes time. Raising support takes time. This waiting and plodding is building up the kind of endurance that I’ll need in the next phase of this journey.

Will you pray with me? 

Book Review: A Song Unheard

Reviewing books is a great way to begin conversations and build relationships. While I’ve cut back on my book reviewing, I am still registered with a few sites to review books to refill my creative tank. 

A Song Unheard by Roxanne White is part of a series called Shadows Over England. It begins with an unlikely heroine, Willa Forsythe–a thief with an innate ability to hear music and play by memory.

The era is World War I. A mysterious man only known as V pays her to give him information. Until near the end of the book, no one knows if V is with England or Germany. For Wila, it’s another dangerous job that pays well so she can survive on the streets, cashing in on her abilities as the best thief in England. She justifies lying and thievery because she doesn’t steal from children or those in need; only from those with enough money to spare. She’s not as bad as other thieves, or so she keeps telling herself.

When she meets her mark, a refugee Belgium violinist named Lukas, to steal his fathers cypher, she encounters other interested parties; namely, a German spy who threatens her life and a man whose loyalties can be bought. Things aren’t black and white anymore. Complicating things is how her heart begins to soften towards Lukas as he shares himself with her and brings out a better version of herself. Discovery of the cypher will challenge Willa’s morality and strip away everything she thought was right.

A Song Unheard is an excellent story.

*Book given by publisher to review. 

Let’s Also Make Good Followers, Too

In scrolling down my Facebook news feed, I lost count on how many posts targeted leaders or potential leaders. A great many books and conferences are around leadership, but I wonder how many conferences talk about grooming good followers?

“The headline “Americans no longer want a boss” was seen above a story about a FreshBooks report that says the number of self-employed workers could triple in the next two years.” This came from LVB.com. 

The original article on “Americans No Longer Want a Boss” somehow got lost and deleted in my phone notifications. The above article didn’t go into as much detail as I would have wished, but it matches what is coming from the work force. Somehow, everyone wants to be a boss or a leader (or they want to play more and work less) but where are the good followers–that awesome team of supporters gifted in specific areas that can help the leader in the overall objectives and mission of the company, church, or missionary organization?

Where are the conferences that help create a dynamic work force that encourages each volunteer or employee to treat their places of employment like the mission field?

A conference can focus on the following:

  • Coming to work every day no matter the political climate, work environment, or how you emotionally feel.
  • How to give more back to your co-workers than you receive.
  • Starting the morning with Bible reading and prayer to fortify yourself for the day and to face the day with a “can do” attitude no matter the stress; to pray for difficult co-workers and working situations.
  • How to serve like Jesus in the work place.

Bosses lead the rest of the company forward. Without a good team, a boss will fail. We don’t need Zombies. We need thinking, creative, dependable, and honest workers who can love like Jesus and pursue holiness in their relationship with Him, even if the workplace is miserable.

My magazine is blessed to have such a team. Without them, TRC Magazine would suffer. They are an example of leaders understanding how to be good followers, and followers understanding how to support the overall mission and vision of a company.

 

What is a Calling?

A writer I like to follow posts interesting, even controversial content (I absolutely love his status updates!). In one post, the writer wrote about how he dislikes the word “calling.” Why can’t a calling be to a barista, an auto mechanic, etc rather than noble or glamorous fields like missionary or pastor? Calling is indeed loosely used without an understanding of the word and all it entails.

In my experience, a calling is, “…something that drives you to live in obedience to where God has called you to serve. Callings are not glamorous, require you to die to self in painful ways, being humbled at times by people who are smarter than you, being a life long learner, and drawing closer to God because you are leaning more and more on Him to walk the unknown path. It is being honorable in your calling in words and actions. (my comment in response to the status)” 

In looking up “calling” on Got Questions, it said, “Sometimes, God does give an individual a specific ministry, but He always does so in His own timing. Like training before a competition, it takes time to develop the wisdom and skills we need (1 Corinthians 3:2). If God were to give us the mission before the training, we’d try to do too much too soon. Instead, God holds us back, taking time to build our practical skills (Luke 2:52), spiritual knowledge (2 Peter 3:18), and faith (James 2:22). James spoke to this in James 1:2-4: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

The last part of the above quote doesn’t quite sound so glamorous or noble, does it? In fact, it sounds like hell. And why not? If you examine the Scriptures and look at the Apostles, their jobs weren’t glamorous.

I relate to the above quote. My calling didn’t come until the last couple of years. I served in a variety of positions in the church as a ministry leader or sometimes just a follower supporting a leader. In fact, even as I say this, I realize how broad my calling is. My calling is with WorldVenture, but under my title is a variety of duties and lots of creative freedom. Many might call writing a calling.

I remember reading in a book written by a literary agent how writers fall into two categories: glory seekers and (forgot the name now) serious writers (for lack of the actual word in the quote). Glory seekers usually only want a name on the front cover, less the work. If it’s a calling, this writer also said, why aren’t we perfecting our work to publish quality stuff? I agree, but my biggest issue is this–What I do with WorldVenture isn’t glamorous.

It’s hard work, and doubly hard when I face people who lack understanding of social media. When you call yourself a writer, people want to hear more and buy your book. You are selling a product they understand. What people can’t imagine without hearing the whole vision is how social media and the church go together.

I’m interested in partnering with the local and global church to empower their understanding in the use of social media to use it for godly purposes, not for marketing, but for outreach, utilizing their own congregation, to change most of the church in how they use it, and help the creatives who lack technology know-how grasp this wonderful communication tool. I’ve consulted with Christian writers, business people, and churches as well as individuals who simply want to share God’s love and their hearts through different and creative online venues.

In the end, I agree with the writer on Facebook. Calling is too loosely used and little understood as to what it entails. I simply take exception to the words glamorous and noble in reference to pastors or missionaries, but agree that we need to view our jobs that we go to every day in a different way.

  • Go to your job and be a walking testimony.
  • Make honorable decisions.
  • Make difficult decisions well.
  • Go the extra mile.
  • Work with humility.
  • Serve as Jesus served.
  • And stop looking out after “number one.”

If we are going to name something a calling, a new level of commitment needs to be undertaken whether we call ourselves a missionary, pastor, barista, auto mechanic, writer or church secretary. Are you ready for that level of commitment?

If you would like to hear more about what I do with WorldVenture, leave a comment. If you wish to support this work and the global church, click here to start a monthly financial commitment. 

Like Owning a Truck…

An old saying goes like this, “When you own a truck, you always have friends” (or something like that). Meaning, everyone knows the truck owners in the neighborhood. They are called when a need arises to transport furniture. Bumper stickers on trucks protest: “Yes, this is my truck; No, I won’t help you move.” As a technologist with WorldVenture, I often get asked for help with online marketing. The line between ministry and being helpful is often blurred.

Helping businesses with marketing is a great service, especially if that business is Christian-owned. But this calling is more than about helping a business succeed. With limited time on my hands, I have to make choices. As my schedule becomes tighter, I have less time open to meeting with Christian business owners seeking to learn only marketing, not ministry. With working a 40-hour a week day job and managing various projects and websites, I barely have time to take care of my marriage and myself.

I’m not complaining. I love that I can help another, but now I have to watch the time I use every week. If the business is open to partnering with their church in their church’s mission and vision in connecting with their local and global community, I am eager to help. I am eager to share that vision and help them reach their business and ministry goals.  But like the truck owners, someone has to pay for the gas. 

2018 is going to see some changes in that I must focus on my various projects and websites, helping missionaries, churches, and missionary organizations, and only those who are doing business as missions. For now, I must guard my time to ensure that I am doing what God has called me to do, continue to raise 100% support as I am accountable to WorldVenture, take care of my spiritual and physical self, and take care of my marriage. I can recommend a person who teaches social media for business owners. I have made arrangements to refer people I cannot help to this person.

Thank you for your overall support and understanding of this issue. I’m on Day 4 of 30 days of prayer on my Facebook page. Will you consider partnering with me on a monthly basis as a church, individual, or business? Go here to learn more: www.worldventure.com/nhahn. 

How to Act on a Calling

1 missionary for every 216,300 people – The Traveling Team 

How can a pastor of a 300 to 5,000 member church give quality time to each congregant member? How can a missionary possibly give quality time to 216,300 people? How can a famous online Christian with thousands or millions of followers develop individual relationships with strangers? In a recent conversation, someone wanted to give a lead on a new believer to a missionary. Instead, I encourage every church member to tap into the resources available, the guidance of mentors at your church, and available missionaries or pastors to ask for help in answering the call to an unbelievers questions about Jesus. That’s what I do…one of my jobs as a worker with WorldVenture is to empower the believer to answer God’s calling in their own lives through social media.

Here are more stats from The Traveling Team.

MISSIONARIES PER RELIGION:
  • Tribals – 714,108,000 population with 11,900 Missionaries: 1 for every 60,000
  • Hindus – 984,532,000 population with 5,500 Missionaries: 1 for every 179,000
  • Unreligious – 831,267,000 population with 11,700 Missionaries:  1 for every 71,000
  • Muslims – 1,703,146,000 population with 4,200 Missionaries: 1 for every 405,500
  • Buddhists – 520,002,000 population with 2,000 Missionaries: 1 for every 260,000

With Social Media and technology, the church congregation can partner with their church’s mission and vision to reach their community, and the church can partner with their missionary organization to work directly with available missionaries in building local churches and local fellowship of faiths greatly reducing the above stats; thereby answering a calling.

Imagine if a believer in our own country took the time and trouble to build relationships on and offline with a non-believer who may not agree with them politically, culturally, and who may have come from another country. Imagine if that non-believer became a believer and was taught to share the Gospel with friends and family members via Social Media who live in their home country in their heart language?

But first, the congregation needs individual training on how to answer God’s call on and offline. It’s harder than it sounds. It’s much easier to give in to insecurity and pass on the opportunity to our pastors and missionaries. Developing those online and offline relationships can be acutely frustrating, challenging, but worth it. Learning about the culture, understanding the language (even while using Google Translate), and learning to care about the person you are speaking to in person and online is an important part of a church congregation partnering with their church in online outreach teams.

Just imagine…

To learn more about me, go to worldventure.com/nhahn. Support me in empowering a worldwide media movement.

Re-Thinking Social Media

When you’re so sure you’re right that you’re willing to burn things down, it turns out that everyone is standing in a burning building sooner or later. – Seth Godin (emphasis mine)

 

I am reminded every day that businesses, missionary organizations, churches, church plants, advocates for adoption and foster kids, and those against human trafficking need people like me who understand social media and make it work for them. In the spirit of collaboration and partnership, I am always checking my motivations and words. The Gospel is too important for it to be all about me or my ministry. That’s why I love Facebook groups that encourage this kind of collaboration, like Church Communications, AR/VR, etc. That’s why I began a group to encourage a change of narrative.

For the Christian, Social Media is about serving online.

Change the inner narrative, you change a person’s whole perspective:

“But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart…” Matthew 15:18a

 

The Struggle of Self-Promotion

Self-promotion was the biggest emotional struggle within the minds of Christian writer friends in 2007. Publishers required (and still do) writers to promote their work online. At that time, blogging was more about being real and creating community. Having to self-promote felt cold and against our worldview. When I attended writers groups, I encountered a lot of self-promotion. I recalled this when I read this week’s chapter of Called to Create by Jordan Raynor:

As we saw in the previous chapter, following God’s call to create replaces our motivation to make a name for ourselves with motivation to create in order to reveal God’s character and love others.

We wrote to glorify God. Our heart was to connect, to pray for each other, and cross-network through guest blogging. Most of us made peace with self-promotion because we made it about Jesus. Our blogs bloomed into mini-ministries. It was about the books we read and how what we read impacted our daily lives. We weren’t shy about sharing our emotions. But, as the glory days of blogging faded, and marketing took over with content written to get noticed on Google, some writers lost their way.

There’s a danger of becoming too focused on creating a work around making a name for ourselves.  I loved how Called to Create spoke about famous people who built their careers to make monuments around their name. They worked to glorify themselves. In this culture of negativity, can we find ways to #RedeemSocialMedia and use the web strategically and authentically, making sharing the Gospel a priority?

“Generally speaking, entrepreneurs attempt to figure out where the world is going, and leverage those trends to considerable financial gain,” Blanchard said. “Could our aim [as Christian entrepreneurs] be for more? Disrupting negative cultural trends and encouraging positive emerging trends with innovative, transformative, gospel-minded ventures?”

© 2026 Nikole Hahn. Designed by Quema Labs.