A question for younger believers

I would choose a face-to-face group over a virtual group in a heartbeat. However, I'm closer to your age than to the group to whom you reached out.

My opinion is face to face is so much better !! To join hands in prayer prior to any biblical discussion. To feel your brothers and sisters in Christ hands on your shoulder as they pray for you. Virtual reality can never top this 🙏🙏🙏

I have a question for you. (or multiple questions)
I am a men's small group leader. Right now there are 6 of us that meet regularly. (yes, face to face over coffee).
Over the last few weeks I have been inviting a few men mostly in their 30's (BTW I am twice that plus) to join us.
I get a rather neutral response.
I have been advised by someone I trust that social media allows folks to interact "real time" and that face to face ministry is a thing of the past.
Is that true?
If so, what would be a reason you would do a face to face fellowship. What are things you would find of value in this.
Sorry if I sound out of touch here, but I guess I am, since I am asking this.

I hope you can help me here.

I have a question for you. (or multiple questions)
I am a men's small group leader. Right now there are 6 of us that meet regularly. (yes, face to face over coffee).
Over the last few weeks I have been inviting a few men mostly in their 30's (BTW I am twice that plus) to join us.
I get a rather neutral response.
I have been advised by someone I trust that social media allows folks to interact "real time" and that face to face ministry is a thing of the past.
Is that true?
If so, what would be a reason you would do a face to face fellowship. What are things you would find of value in this.
Sorry if I sound out of touch here, but I guess I am, since I am asking this.

I hope you can help me here.

Interaction via social media and interaction face to face in real life are two completely different interactions even if they're mostly real time. As for a preference for virtual vs face to face interaction among younger generations; it's easier and less emotionally costly. If some stranger on the internet is telling me I"m being an idiot I can write them off as not understanding. If they disagree with me, there's a button to make them go away so I don't have to consider that fact that I might be wrong or narrow minded (that's only other people who disagree with me who are like that). Of course much not quite real time social media interaction also lets me talk about me all the time and well if I'm interested in someone else I can find out what they have to say when I want. It's very impersonal, but I think it also has the ability to make people feel more visible and significant (after all the whole world (or my x thousand friends at least) can read about what's going on with me so they must all care.

I also want to say something about how social media can allow us to begin and keep our social lives with the same people even when we move away from each other. So now when I graduate college, I don't have to leave all my friends behind because we can text each other as easily across 3 states as we can across campus.

You can probably tell I'm not so much a fan of social media, but there are good things about it and like many other things in life it's a wonderful tool but a terrible master.

Just out of curiosity, was the person who told you face to face is a thing of the past of the age group you were trying to recruit or an outsider looking in?

Interaction via social media and interaction face to face in real life are two completely different interactions even if they're mostly real time. As for a preference for virtual vs face to face interaction among younger generations; it's easier and less emotionally costly. If some stranger on the internet is telling me I"m being an idiot I can write them off as not understanding. If they disagree with me, there's a button to make them go away so I don't have to consider that fact that I might be wrong or narrow minded (that's only other people who disagree with me who are like that). Of course much not quite real time social media interaction also lets me talk about me all the time and well if I'm interested in someone else I can find out what they have to say when I want. It's very impersonal, but I think it also has the ability to make people feel more visible and significant (after all the whole world (or my x thousand friends at least) can read about what's going on with me so they must all care.

I also want to say something about how social media can allow us to begin and keep our social lives with the same people even when we move away from each other. So now when I graduate college, I don't have to leave all my friends behind because we can text each other as easily across 3 states as we can across campus.

You can probably tell I'm not so much a fan of social media, but there are good things about it and like many other things in life it's a wonderful tool but a terrible master.

Just out of curiosity, was the person who told you face to face is a thing of the past of the age group you were trying to recruit or an outsider looking in?

Yeah I think thats whats making so kany people soft (myself included) its easier to turn off an unwanted opinion. We need some toughness

I would choose a face-to-face group over a virtual group in a heartbeat. However, I'm closer to your age than to the group to whom you reached out.