I’ve been getting caught up with lots of old friends this week.

Well, sort of.

A few days ago I got a notification from LinkedIn, “The World’s Largest Professional Network”. (www.linkedin.com)

I get lots of notifications from this online networking site, telling me about people who have invited me, or updated their information, or sent me a message.

Yeah, whatever.

I signed up for the site a couple years ago, but never used it much. I couldn’t even remember my password, but I had some time on my hands, so I did a password reset and thought I’d take a look.

5 minutes later,I had clicked two buttons, and inadvertently invited a bunch of folks on my contact list to “link” with me.

About 1000 of them. Oops!

And so, for the past week, my phone will light up every thirty minutes or so with a notification about yet another person who has accepted my invitation.

The realtor who helped us buy our house. The woman who was briefly in my congregation more than ten years ago. An old college professor. High school classmates. People I don’t recognize.

I suppose it would be exciting if there were much actual connecting going on.

Truthfully, I clicked a couple buttons, and most everybody else clicked a couple buttons, and that’s about it.

But I’ve marveled at the engine that powers LinkedIn. It’s the same with Facebook and lots of other social media sites. The powerful software behind these sites is designed to connect people with people.

That’s a huge part of what Christianity was designed to do, right? The Church largely exists to connect people with each other, in the name of God.

Yes, I think so, but as LinkedIn reminds me, that’s just not enough.

If all Christianity did was to put us in contact with all the people in our address books, then Christianity could be as simple as pressing a couple buttons and typing in a password.

And indeed, there are Christians who treat the Church like a social network–a take it or leave it kind of connection. A minimal effort kind of connection.

Nope. That doesn’t fly. Connection is only the beginning.

Christianity requires investment. Commitment.

The engine that runs Christianity is not as coldly efficient as the kind that populates a social media site, but it can be so much more powerful.

If you’re not connected, I guarantee it will be worth your time.

As for me, this week was a reminder of what a real connection looks like,

and I don’t want to be…

the weakest link.

Have a great week,

Mitch