There are over 350 million active users on Facebook and 70 translations into different languages. More than eight billion minutes are spent on Facebook every day worldwide. Of Facebook's 350 million users, 5.4 million claim some Christian denomination (Zuckerberg 1). Facebook has been criticized in the media for issues such as online predators, hackers and low productivity. A bigger issue to worry about is the excessive use of Facebook which replaces the essential physical relationships we need to have communion with one another. It's a sad truth that we are so busy that we can't find the time to carve out an hour a week to go to church. For convenience, more and more people are turning to Facebook as a place to pour out their frustrations and praise to the status update question: "What's on your mind?" If people confess and share on Facebook, what is the Church's task in the virtual world? While the overuse and abuse of Facebook has negative outcomes, it is so widely used that it is a powerful evangelical tool for Christians to connect and encourage one another and to reach others in need. Facebook is used all over the world, so it's easy to connect with friends and family who don't live near you. For example, a friend of yours is going through a difficult time and you really want to be there to help him. The problem is, they live on the other side of the country. It would be illogical to abandon work, school and family to fly across the country for a few days. This is where the convenience of Facebook comes in. You can't give a friend in need a “virtual hug” and expect the same result as a physical hug. You can still give them words of encouragement on their wall or keep up with their lives and... middle of the paper... there on Facebook and change someone's life. The Church is not a building and God is not limited by walls. If using Facebook can show someone God's love, then why shouldn't it be used to advance His kingdom? Works Cited Gosier, Cicely. "Young Christians bring their faith to Facebook". The Christian radio and television network. November 15, 2009 .Nash, Diana "A Facebook Lesson for Churches." Christian Science Monitor October 15, 2009: 9.Academic research completed.EBSCO. Network. November 3, 2009. Rand, Lenora "The Church on Facebook." Christian Century 126.13 (2009): 22-25. Academic research completed. EBSCO. Web.November 3, 2009Rice, Jesse. The Church of Facebook. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2009.Zuckerberg, Mark. "Facebook". Facebook. 2009 .