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Away From Social Media

Posted on by Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller
Analog has gravity


I’m stepping away from Social Media.


There are a lot of reasons, and I’m trying to come clear on them myself. Here are two:

1. It is very obvious that the conversation is dangerously manipulated (by the medium itself, by the algorithms, by the growing secular blasphemy laws, etc.), and can easily be shut down.

2. It is too easy. I want to communicate the wisdom and comfort of the Lord’s Word. Social Media is a seemingly easy and effective way to do that, but ease can make us lazy. I’m interested in the hard work of building broad and deep conversations, and the space for that conversation. I don’t think this is purely technical problem.

3. I’m not angry or worried. I don’t think you should shut down your Facebook account or stop using Twitter. If it’s helpful, or you’re having fun, but all means, continue! You can share my posts with your friends if you like.

* Wednesday What-Not will be the best place to keep in touch. (www.wolfmueller.co/wednesday)
* I think I’ll make a lot more little posts here on the blog. Please jump into the conversation in the comments.
* Hypocritically, I’ll keep using YouTube. (I’m not sure why that seems different to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Thinking about it. If you know, please comment.)

Who knows how long this will last. I look forward to hearing from you.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Lord’s Blessings, PrBW

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller
Bryan Wolfmueller, pastor of St Paul and Jesus Deaf Lutheran Churches in Austin, TX, author of "A Martyr's Faith for a Faithless World", "Has American Christianity Failed?", co-host of Table Talk Radio, teacher of Grappling with the Text, and theological adventure traveler.

67 Comments

  1. Heart in throat until I saw you would still be on YouTube. I’m not on either Twitter or Facebook so no loss there. Your sermons, studies, drive-bye’s and all have built my faith. I’m not frightened of dying anymore!!!!???. My father used to quote the Jewish curse that says ‘May you live in interesting times’. Another bit from St Francis that I’ve been pondering is where he said we don’t have the right to anything including an opinion. Thank you for your steady, steadfast ministry that grounds and feeds your flock. I see great challenges ahead for the church, both from above politically and the subtle mouldering of the foundations until it collapses in a formless mass. Lord have mercy. God has given you great wisdom and anointed your lips to preach and teach His word in a most powerful manner. For that He must be praised.

    2. Dear Judith,

      The quote, “from St Francis that I’ve been pondering is where he said we don’t have the right to anything including an opinion. ” Is really interesting.
      I’m someone who also has found great comfort in the Lutheran teachings and will add this one. I’m too worried about the politics in my our country. Thank you.

  2. Pastor Wolfmueller,
    I am so thankful to our Lord you recovered from COVID. I can’t thank you enough for all your hard work. I have been listening to you for years on Issues etc. You have been such a great blessing to me and I have learned a great deal from you. I go back into the archives and try to listen to as many of your shows as possible because I always learn so much. May God continue to bless you and your family.

  3. I think you need some channel because access to the people who wish to follow is paramount. Short of developing the “Wolftube” you need some medium to share content. I’m keeping social media without Twitter to be able to still shout into the darkness even if the algorithm blocks me. I fear what will happen if we stop using it to those who remain. Thank you for everything that you do. These Wednesday emails your podcast and YouTube our wonderful things to give me hope.

  4. I’m not sure how long this decision has been in the making, however a vast amount of how life has existed in the public sphere is about to change rapidly as the left dominates every aspect of culture, media, and information. The more broadly you can share the hope of Christ, who and what He is for us, the more comfort you can give to what is already been a tumultuous time for conservatives and promises to get worse. Naturally I respect your decision, however I would encourage you to create an account on MeWe where we have a growing LCMS presence. Whatever your final decision, God be with you.

      1. Pr Wolfmueller,
        When/If you start using MeWe can you tell us what your account is so we can follow you? I’ve just discovered you and now all that seems to be in jeopardy ?

          1. I am also struggling with my presence on Facebook and have been for some time. I have established an account at USA.Life which welcomes Christians and conservatives, but so far no one of my FB contacts has responded to my invitation. I still have meaningful connections on FB that I hate to lose. Glad I receive your emails and have the website bookmarked. Blessings!

  5. Pastor Woelfmueller, it makes good sense to get off Twitter. I use FB very selectively, with no friends, for information only, WSJ, ect…. There is quite a bit of very good information available on YouTube: there is you for one example, I listen to Jordan Cooper…..I listen while working out, and I’ve been listening to excellent programs recently on the Civil Wars in England during the 17th century. Hillsdale College is on Youtube, the Hoover Institute…..I realize I’m creating a profile here….but I’m sure you can see my point. My learning curve has sharply gone up because of Youtube, it’s the basis of many book purchases as well. Frankly, I developed an attachment to Confessional Lutheranism through you guys on YouTube. So I would not ditch that one. All the best, John

  6. Pastor Wolfmueller,
    It is a crazy world we are living in, isn’t it.

    Our family has benefited greatly from your personal website, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Worldwide Bible Class, Cross Defense, Issues, Etc, Table Talk Radio, etc. Thank you for all that you do to encourage, support, and build up the confessional Lutherans in this world.

    I applaud you in wanting to step back and meditate on social media and the like. Far too often, as you said, we do what is easy…but does that mean it is actually what is “good, true, and beautiful”?

    To have something that is “good, true, and beautiful” in any area takes time. Social media and the like, to me, is about “easy, quick, fast”. I am old-fashioned, I’d much rather spend time at a table discussing topics and learning that way, than another “post” of some sort. Now, I realize, we can’t all be together like that. There is the rub.

    I will be praying that you are given great wisdom and discernment to know what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. He is faithful. God be Praised.

    May the Lord send his angels to protect you and your family during this time.
    Carmen

    1. Keri (my wife) keep talking about “coming back to the kitchen table” as the restorative place of community conversation. They’re also needs to be a true public square. I think the newspaper is tried to serve that purpose as Americans moved into the suburbs and lost the common living space of the city center.

  7. If you want to know the truth, I cannot keep up with more than a couple things. There are a couple people I like to listen to. However, if they have more than on or two different platforms, it is too much to keep track of. So unfortunatley I must let them go. I go to BS at my small hometown church once a week, listen to a near by pastors podcast sermon from the Sunday and Wednesday before. And I try to listen to you. You have some really good stuff out there and have listen to your stuff dating back many years. I also listen to some other really good LCMS stuff out there. But when awesome people get too many things out there, it can get overwhelming to try to keep up with everything. Truthfully, I pretty much give up and stop following people. I would pay more attention to someone who puts out one really good thing a week. Not for lack of interest, but because I get too overwhelmed with a lot of little things. However, I love your Sunday Drive Home videos and have really learned some good stuff on there! I am a little confused with the Wednesday What Nots. I am not sure if I do not get the emails or what is going on there, but I get them very random and have given up on that. I think as a pastor, your congregation should come first and foremost. I think getting the word out to others is very nice, but you cannot pastor everyone. I think you should pick one subject, one day a week, from one form of media for people to listen/read what you have to share, almost like a weekly BS. I would actually look forward to the day it comes out. I would read (or listen to it) and take the week to reread and ponder what you had to say. Many times, I have talked with my pastor about what I either read or listened to, from you. Often we have a good discussion about it. But this takes time. If you did this once a week, I would be all ears to listen. But when it gets to be several subjects multiple times a week and on different social medias… it loses me. Slow and steady sticks with me and means so much more. It sinks in and the Holy Spirit does His work. Quality is better than quantity. I’d rather have less people solidly listen and learn from you, than have alot whiz past in a hurry to get it all in. This is just my thoughts and is what works best for me. You need to decide what is best for you. Family and church should get most of your time. We should only be getting what remains.

      1. I have been tempted to put together some of my favorite Sunday Drive Home videos that you have done in the past on a CD or something for others to watch. There is some videos that have really hit home and others that have taught me a lot. They made me want to research more on the subjects. Some very powerful stuff. But of course, the Holy Spirit does His work in a person the way is needed at the time. You have a great way of delivering it! You are a great messanger, Pr. Wolfmueller, know that God has blessed you well. Stay humble in your teachings, for you have yet a lot to deliver!

  8. I don’t have a Facebook or Twitter account, and I use YouTube very sparingly. I primarily use it for DIY instructional purposes. While I enjoy your videos, it is still on a platform that shares the same characteristics as Facebook and Twitter. There are other video sharing platforms that don’t share those characteristics, so maybe think about migrating there. Those who already actively follow your videos will follow you to a new platform. The new platform may also open up new potential audiences. Lastly, I still believe analog is the best way to communicate and preserve your theological musings. I would recommend you focus more of your time on your books (both original and republished works of old). Lastly, everyone should really consider deleting (as much as you can ever delete) accounts with Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc. (and no I haven’t completely don’t that either, so still work to do on my end). When use of their services only turns you into a commodity and gives them the ability to manipulate your information and views, or worse persecute you, the upside to continuing to use their “free” services doesn’t seem worth it. Either way, I look forward to seeing where you go from here. Thank you for all you’ve done.

  9. There is not a lot for me to add except to say “me too.”

    I appreciate the care that you are giving to the use of social media: God bless you in your pursuit.

  10. Dear Pastor, I’m happy to learn your decision. Personally, I use an old style mobile phone with NO internet service. Freedom! Relationships mostly face to face. I think internet is something like credit cards, to use them we must have well trained self-control and be clear of the difference between what we “need” and what we “want”.
    I use the computer to receive emails like WWW, listen to Issues, etc., listen to some good music from YouTube (google wanted my mobile phone number to keep my account, so I let go of the account, now I’m audience only of YouTube). But mostly I use it to look for great old theology books, especially in archive.org. Therefore I do most of the reading from touchable, real, “undeletable” paper. The scriptures time and again urge us to be watchful, not to be deceived.

  11. Dearest Pastor, we like to joke that you catechized us via You Tube (in the mid-to-latter part of 2019) before we ever set foot in a Lutheran Church. If the outcome of the virus had made it impossible for you to continue, the body of work you have on You Tube, especially Christian basics and other playlists like it would remain as a testament to your passion and commitment to teaching the true faith, in our opinion. So, that’s something to consider. By the way, we did set foot in a Lutheran Church (December 1, 2019), we did get catechized by our own dear Pastor (January 20-June 20, 2020 – quick studies, thanks to you) and we did get baptized (July 19, 2020), just so you know we followed through. Two thumbs up from us for continuing on You Tube, please.

      1. Bryan, I fully agree with D&P Dransfield. Stay and fight. Don’t let the present political situation in the USA to make you take wrong decisions. FB, Twitter, YouTube are nothing but mediums of communication never imagined before and they have been blessed because, even if evil men rule them,the Gospel has been heard via them also and people (like my family) learned the truth. We love you.

  13. I have followed your teachings for many years on Issuesetc and then on You Tube and although I seldom comment, I pray. In these “new times” of Covid along with continuing social and political unrest, I am also concerned about the “in your face” tactics of the media and how traditional, conservative, Christian values are considered dangerous and must be eradicated. I will pray for your decision, knowing that your recent battle with Covid must have been a time of reflection and maybe a warning to you not to spread yourself too thin. I will follow your sound teachings from the Scriptures wherever you feel led to present them. I too am a great fan of your You Tube church services and your Sunday drive home. Many thanks. God be praised.

  15. Pastor, This YouTube theologian would be very sad if you left us. I dont understand the issues you may be having with social media (I dont use any except YouTube), but if they cause you distress, DROP THEM LIKE A HOT POTATOE!!! I am grateful for all you have taught me in the 1-1/2 years since I have been following you. You have been prolific and have given me enough to ponder for years to come. May God continue to bless you, Keri and the kids.

  16. I am with you 110%

    I think I will read my Bible more and attempt to capture His will for me. After all, the Bible is the only real media with power to change our lives.

    Thank you for everything you have done!

  17. Dear Pastor Wolfmueller,

    Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with us, as you think through how best to use (or not – ha!) social media now. I don’t really have much to offer, except to say your words have encouraged me to continue thinking through what its best use looks like for me now. (I’d already been scaling back some of my activity, as the US led up to the election.) Very much appreciate your not being dogmatic about what each of us should/shouldn’t do (& love the encouragement to continue to “sanctify” social media in today’s newsletter, if that’s where we’re led!)… & I’m quite excited to hear you may be writing more (not too long ago, I gave “A Martyr’s Faith” as a Confirmation present, as well as one of the books you’ve made available for us via Lulu).

    I’ll echo others above & say how thankful I am you’re not leaving YouTube. Even more, I’m thankful to Our Lord that you are still able to reach us & teach us, in whatever way seems most prudent for you now. God bless you, your family, & your congregations!

    Ardith

  18. I never started on Twitter, but still have Facebook, although I know others who are getting off of Facebook.

    Thank you for all of what you do.

    I pray for you and other pastors I know every Thursday evening and Saturday evening.

  19. I came to a similar decision recently, I think maybe in part due to Joy Pullman’s talk on Issues, Etc (I may be confused about that, so if that doesn’t make sense, I don’t know where I heard the suggestion). For me that primarily means Twitter, Facebook, gmail, Yahoo! Mail, and YouTube. The only one I really use a lot is gmail. Since I somehow feel that Google is the worst of the Social media companies, I’m going to work on getting rid of gmail first.

    One question: When you say you got rid of Twitter and Facebook, do you mean that you deleted your accounts or that you simply stopped using them?

  20. Pastor Wolfmueller, I completely understand your thinking. I cancelled Twitter a couple months after the pandemic began. It was becoming a real sewer. Our church has a Facebook page where I post a daily devotional. Since our Wednesday Bible class is not meeting now, I offer a Bible study Wednesday on Facebook. BTW, I’m using your Teaching Christian Basics, so thank you for that great study. We are also broadcasting our Sunday worship service on our Facebook page, so we will continue to use Facebook until I say something so outrageously Biblical they’ll cancel us. I don’t do much on my personal Facebook page. I use You Tube and follow a lot of blog sites. We can pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to give us the wisdom and guidance we need to proclaim the Gospel through social media according to God’s plan and purpose.
    I am glad that you are mostly recovered from COVID. You do great work, I have been following you for several years, have all your books, and your teaching & preaching has helped a great deal in my ministry. We look forward to your future plans.
    Blessings in Christ!
    John

  21. In the ‘Little House on the Prairie’ books Ma would wrote one letter a year back east. Carefully written down the page on both sides and then written crisscross the page to save paper. Now, there is so much emergency, immediacy, crisis that has to be attended stat. As a public figure, it’s a courageous move for you to back off social media even if only for awhile. The times suggest a burrowing, pressing in deeper to life with even greater results with your writing and publishing.

  22. I am thinking of dropping my facebook accounts. It is hard in these covid times. There are many ways to communicate. We shall see where our govt pushes us.

  23. There are other video outlets, too. Rumble is a good one. I’d be shocked if YouTube censored you though. They’re after political content, not theological.

    1. Martin Niemöller’s declaration
      When the Nazis came for the communists,
      I remained silent;
      I was not a communist.
      When they came for the trade unionists,
      I did not speak out;
      I was not a trade unionist.
      When they locked up the social democrats,
      I remained silent;
      I was not a social democrat.
      When they came for the Jews,
      I remained silent;
      I was not a Jew.
      When they came for me…
      There was no one left to speak out.

      1. Tom, this declaration tweaked interest in me and I was about to send it off to some friends of mine and I decided to go off line and look him up before I did that. I have learned not to go off blindly accepting words of peoples I dont know much about. The declaration on its own strikes a sound chord in me however.
        I will read more about Martin Niemoller and his journey. He appears to be Martin Luther like in his Christian journey and transformation. It reminds me that we can still be sinful, transformed and forgiven children of God. Thank you.

  24. Pastor,
    I too have deactivated my Facebook account this week and Twitter a while back. I respect your decision as we are all trying to navigate these trying times and attempting to figure out how not to be pulled into the anger and despair that seems prevalent on so many of these social media platforms. Thank you for continuing to thoughtfully and wholeheartedly continuing to share God’s word.

  25. I have been off Twitter for almost a year now. I use my church’s page on Facebook to remind myself that everything I do on the web is public. When FB&T were not like public forums, I still found them not nuanced enough to communicate in a personal way. Zoom and YouTube are better. Thanks for your work at Doxology this week

  26. Pastor, you should consider backing up your Youtube archive to another freer video website. I’m planning to start backing up my Youtube videos to Rumble, since Rumble is supposedly more in favor of free speech. But since it doesn’t have cross site transfer as an option the uploads will take a while. What I would suggest is upload to both Youtube and somewhere else, that way you’re safe if/when Youtube decides you are too much of a nuisance, and people who don’t want to use Youtube for ideological reasons will have access to your work.

  27. Pastor Wolfmueller,
    Most everyone has said what I would say. Last year was definitely a terrible year but also a good one(spiritually). When our congregation shut down because of COVID-19 YouTube brought me to you and Pastor Fisk. I can’t say enough to describe how the Holy Spirit have used both of you to help me, my family and my friends spiritually.
    Your Wednesday What-Not, Sunday Drive Home and the worship services have been invaluable as resources. Thank you so and God bless you!

  29. Pastor Wolfmuller,
    I thought I sent this message to you but I can’t find it anywhere. If it’s a repeat please forgive me saying one thing– 2x.
    I recommend that to remove your wonderful YouTube of the LITANY from the LSB.
    Why? It now has ‘old’ information specifically naming the president and vice president who are, sadly, no longer able to continue in the job.
    Please re-record it but leave the office of president, vice-president, governor, and mayor listed by job title only. Let us name these positions. I have to change the name of the governor and mayor anyway.
    I have used this beautiful prayer many, many times and hope to be able to do so in the future too.
    Respectfully yours, Lisa Brickman from Menands, New York

  30. Twitter is not a platform that appealed to me from it’s inception so I can’t comment on that. I facilitate three pages on Facebook, our Church and Youth group being two of them. As for my personal account, I deleted the app from my phone early into the pandemic as the noise became disturbing for me.
    Facebook has been an easy way to connect the Church to its members and the wider community, for this it has some value. We could be using other platforms for this though. Youtube I would agree is a much more useful space. The pandemic has been a much needed veil lifter. For Facebook it has opened the curtain to reveal the truth of our (insert gasp of surprise) sinful nature behind those glossy smiling photos and inspirational quotes so common to many feeds that build the allusion of community and all is well. As a Canadian watching the goings on south of our border with the comfort of an observer (we are not far behind you…) If “we” as the Church can find platforms to connect ourselves and the wider community without being part of the mass chaos that social media thrives on we would be able weather the storms of change better as society changes and continues to view the Church as an annoyance to silence. Your friend Pastor Fisk has been a great example of taking the reigns on that!
    Thanks be to God for you and your ministry! It is a blessing.

  31. Pastor Wolfmueller, I’ve toyed with dropping FB but right now I’m posting Scripture and a prayer everyday and my circle of friends frequently comment that is just what they needed to read. I also post puns and bad dad jokes, just because that is fun. I am the administrator for the Southern Illinois District LCMS Advocates for Life and we have an active FB page on which I post life affirming issues that many of my non Lutheran/non Christian friends follow along with many here in the SID. So right now leaving FB is not a good option for me. I completely understand about your choice though. Two weeks ago our Pastor’s post on FB of the link for our worship folder was blocked by FB with the reason “does not meet our standards”. There may soon come a time when none of us will be able to post what we want, and that is sad, but Jesus did warn us that hard times are coming. Thank you for all you do and God bless your endeavors. Robin

  32. Greetings!

    I too have been contemplating dropping out of social media. I believe you have done the right thing. I also think you have pushed me towards leaving. Thanks!!

    I think we need real interaction, up close and personal. Not what is offered via social media.

    I look forward to your thoughts and to know how it works out for you.

    Pax,

    Jon Rumsey

  33. Please stay on youtube, Pastor! I feel that has the greatest impact and I truly feel this is the sort of outreach the Church needs in this age. Of course hearing you on all platforms is great, but I would have to say your youtube videos, radio/talk, and your writing have had the largest impact for us and the people we know. I’ll stop there as I will just repeat the above sentiments from others, thank you for all you do!

      2. I started all this a few years back when Fisk did Sharper Iron. I absolutely loved it and faithfully listened and commented on FB as he was filming live. I miss that so much! However, I am no longer a stay at home mom and have a full time job at our small town news paper which keeps me busy during the day so anything that happens live feed during the middle of the day would be too hard. I loved the interaction Fisk had with us and by addressing questions as he was going along. When the live feed was over, many times the guest paster would get a hold of me to continue the conversation. Sometimes they would stay on after the radio station was done airing the Sharper Iron segment and discuss the subject we were talking about. One hour was not enough time, ha! We had some very deep and very good conversations, I learned SO much! This is actually how I heard about you. You were a guest pastor on there quit a few times and I really liked listening to you. Then I started listening to your Sunday Drive Home segments and signed up for Wednesday What Not and have been listening to you ever since.

      1. Great suggestion, and thank you, Pastor! Btw, in a similar Lulu vein, the Hope Calendar has been such a blessing (one is even on its way to a formerly homeless woman – she is excited!)

  35. Pastor Wolfmueller,
    A courageous stance for your well-being. Recent events have confirmed and legitimized the reality that Facebook/Twitter etc… were not designed to be “beneficial” for the users, but were designed to create benefit from the users for ulterior purposes. I would invite you to consider Gab.com or Parler.com as viable alternatives to Facebook/Twitter. They respect free speech, religious liberty and God loving people etc… Tv.gab.com and Rumble.com are good alternatives for YouTube if you decide to shake off Google.
    Current state of affairs seems quite similar to the Red Sea moment when the sea had not yet parted and Pharaoh and his troops were closing in, the people were frightened, yet God knew the outcome and Moses had faith.

    1. Tom, thank you for your comments and thoughts. For what I’m meditating on now, I don’t think an alternative platform is what I’m looking for. There are certain activities of the conscience that are active in a real face-to-face conversation that are missing when the interaction is online, and propped up with likes and shares. I’m still trying to sort this out, in fact, I’m just at the beginning of being aware of the problem. Thanks for reading and commenting!

      1. Very true and I completely understand. Blogs/articles/forums are the closest I get to communicating via Unsocial Media. I do enjoy from time to time reading/browsing anonymously (no account/not logged in) though in an unattached manner, but generally stay away from it.
        PS: Just a thought, if we look back through history many were “deplatformed” via their particular technology/societal structure(s). Romans and Pharisees/Sadducees tried to deplatform Jesus many times, Moses as well before that by others. Seems to be a recurring tactic that tyranny uses—remove the ability to speak out against tyranny and lift up the voices to God. Ahh, the “Romans” tried to deplatform Martin Luther. Did not work out too well for them in any of those examples as Truth still triumphed and their voices/the Voice were not silenced. 🙂

  36. Dear Pastor Wolfmueller,
    I deleted my FakeBook account last Saturday. I didn’t even take time to save my photos. I may need to re-open to get them, I have thirty days.
    I live alone on a dead end road, in the country, behind a gate, with no real friends and no pets.
    I thought Facebook helped me stay in touch. Well, no, I guess.
    Except…. One little lady has reached out to me. We text a couple of times a day now. Keeping each other up on what’s happening politically and reassuring each other’s faith. I went to school with her but we weren’t friends back then.
    Out of 1,300 + people, I have one new old friend about 6 hours from me.
    I’m also reassure by reading that you and others have left social media. It’s not just me then.
    Thank you for all you do.
    Blessings,
    Rebecca

  37. Pastor, We have come far , since the days of Paul, and Dr.Luther, visiting a few; perhaps several hundred at a time, traveling great distances by Horseback, Wagon, and a Team:
    And never had to worry, except perhaps Outlaws. And Highway men. But even then Our Lord always provided what was needed , because The Gospel and Sacraments were being given.
    Dr. Billy Graham had a much different approach, Visiting Thousands at major cities,
    ( Making a Decision for Jesus) I don’t think so!
    And how much of that really ( Stuck) at the local Congregation , where people who ( Made a Decision for Jesus ) really continued on with a Church life.
    This is every thing Evangelism is about; Bringing Christ to The Nations , and At The Local Congregational Level .Teaching the Laity to Witness, out of Christ’s Love.
    The Scriptures Speak for themselves; Graham, as much as I enjoyed him, was trying to invent a new mouse trap, and His theology
    Was on many occasions out in left Field.
    Social media can be used as an efficient tool
    At times, to reach people with the Gospel , however, it will never replace the one on one Contact of Concordia.

  38. Pastor, I support you in stepping back from the infinity pools of FB and Twitter. I love the emails and the youtube work. Thank you for all you do through St. Paul’s and online.

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