Social Media Revolution

In the genre of the Did You Know videos, here is The Social Media Revolution:

Had you seen this one already? What did you think?

What are the implications for outreach and evangelism?

I Am Second - One Year Anniversary

Last February, I wrote a brief post regarding "I Am Second". Keeping my eye on such initiatives, it seems fitting to note its one-year anniversary by linking to Christian Today's article "I am Second Teaches Christians Evangelism without the Script".

The article reports the site has had 1.7 million visitors worldwide, while originally considering it a local (Dallas-Ft. Worth) initiative. Guess that is why it is called the World Wide Web.

"I Am Second" is brought to you by e3 Partners. You have to impressed with the intellectual flexibility of a ministry who can create the low-tech Evangecube and hi-tech, hi-quality "I Am Second" campaign!

College Students & Technology: Totally Wired

Here are insights from the Center of Media Research report, "Totally Wired", based on Alloy Media + Marketing's 9th annual College Explorer Survey:

Technology is third in student discretionary spending, behind food and autos.

Students are spending twice as much time on their computers (5 hrs/day) as compared to television viewing (2.5 hrs/day). Cellular devices come in third (2.4 hrs/day) and MP3 at 1.3 hrs/day. The encouraging news (in my opinion), is gaming devices are only .75 hrs/day. But together that adds up to 9.5 hours of media intake per day. Now if you are good at math, you say, "Wait, doesn't it all add up to almost 12 hours/day?" Ah... you forget. Students love to multi-task. So the 12 hours are accomplished in 9.5. Aren't you excited about the 2.5 hours saved?

The conclusion: Andy Sawyer, SVP, Media Services for Alloy Media + Marketing, concludes that "... advancements in technology have clearly given students increasing control and ease... to socialize, communicate and be entertained on demand..."

"Socialize, communicate & be entertained on demand..." Hmm... What a life...

An Internet Campus - Who Gathers?

Internet campuses for the body of Christ are emerging. Notable in this category is Church OnLine, from LifeChurch.TV. But who chooses to connect (worship? fellowship? learn?) in this fashion?

Bobby Gruenewald of LifeChurch.TV indicates for groups who choose do so (extracted from Outreach Magazine, "Catalyst for Creativity", July/August 2009, pate 86):

Distant: People who are outside the physical reach of the church
Curious: People who would prefer to explore their interest in spirituality in an online context
Mobile: People who are part of our church, but are looking for an option to worship together because they are traveling or displaced
Digital:People who prefer to experience much of their community in an online context

They are hearing accounts of changed lives from people around the globe. A sign of things to come?

Are you curious what an on-line church experience is like (but not wanting to take the time or make the effort to experience it)? Here is an introduction from LifeChurch.TV

God is...Online from BlueDoorMinistries on Vimeo.

Text & Twitter: A Future?

Increasingly aware of discussions regarding the value of "texting" and "twitter" for ministry. For instance, Mark Galli of Christianity Today just posted an article entitled: "Does Twitter Do Us Any Good?" The article begins with the Trinity and then interacts with Kevin Kelly's article in Wired entitled, "The New Socialism: Global Collectivist Society is Coming Online". Fascinating.

In a more playful manner, Timothy McSweeney offers "God Texts the Ten Commandments" by Jamie Quattro. Is this what "dynamic equivalence" means?