Shepherding Digital Sheep: Pastoral Responsibility Regarding to Members' Use of Social Media

Abstract

The pervasiveness of social media is unquestionable. It has become a part of a majority of people’s lives. As the sheep of God’s flock move into a digital landscape, they may encounter a variety of problems that may pose a detriment to their spiritual and physical well-being. Pastors have the responsibility to address these problems and point the digital sheep to positively using social media. This paper will look at the problems the sheep may face, how the pastor’s responsibility lines up with those problems, and how the pastor can carry out his responsibility in shepherding the digital sheep.