Facebook Fast Draws Thousands Around The Country

Thousands are expected to participate in Wednesday’s National Facebook Fast, an event planned by Texas pastors Kerry and Chris Shook to encourage people to refocus on face-to-face relationships.

“You can have 1,000 Facebook friends but not one close friend you can sit down with face-to-face and really share your heart,” said Kerry Shook, who with his wife leads 20,000-member Woodlands Church in The Woodlands. “In our society we’re more technologically connected than ever before, but it seems like our deep and rich relationships are more disconnected.”

Through their New York Times bestseller One Month to Live, the Shooks have challenged people to live each day intentionally, as if it could be their last. That call even led to a 30-day, citywide One Month to Live campaign in The Woodlands earlier this year that was followed by ABC News.

The Facebook fast draws from a similar idea. On Wednesday, instead of spending time texting, tweeting, e-mailing or chatting on Facebook, the couple is encouraging people to spend quality time with those around them.

Charisma News Online contributed to this report