Growing Up Digital - Tapscott on Video

One valuable source for considering "trends" is the 20 videos provided by Ericsson as part of their 2020 Shaping Ideas initiative.  Here is Don Tapscott, Author of Grown-up Digital, discussing the emerging generation:



A very optimistic viewpoint...

Today's College Student: Lost in Transition (?)

For the next couple of days, I am focused on synthesizing research regarding the changing cultural landscape of today's college student.  I will post a few of the resources that have captured my attention and may be worth your time to peruse. 

The first is Lost in Transition, by Christian Smith, along with Hillary Davidson, Kari Christofferson and Patricia Snell Herzog (08-04-2011).

Based on their on-going studies of teenagers who have now become "emerging adults", Smith explores the "darker side of emerging adulthood". The chapters are:

1. Morality Adrift
2. Captives to Consumerism
3. Intoxications: Fake Feelings of Happiness
4. The Shadow Side of the Sexual Revolution
5. Civic & Political Disengagement

While sociological "data" can be extracted from each chapter, the writing focuses around in-depth personal interviews with 230 emerging adults, enabling us to understand, even empathize with the world of the 18-23 year-old (the narrower focus of this present study).  

Great insights into the world of today's college student.  

CoJourner Podcast: Power Play

Are you experiencing the power of the Spirit for witness?  Here is another of the CoJourner radio spots that I have done for MyBridge Radio Network.

Power Play

CoJourner Podcast: Heart Check

Is your heart (for the lost) healthy? Here is the first of the CoJourner radio spots that I have done for MyBridge Radio Network:

Heart Check

Millenials: Fast Company's InfoGraphic

In a couple of weeks, I will be sharing with a group of leaders an overview of the changing student culture. It is timely to have Fast Company publish their latest InfoGraphic, "The Blessing and Curse of Being a Millenial."  The infographic gives a visual summary of the generation's diversity, political leanings, lifestyle preferences, education and work opportunities.  Nice little summary.

Evangelism Like Tomato Gardening (Tim Downs)

From our friends with Overflow Today...

Backstory on the iPad

Flying back from Indianapolis last week, I set next to Carl---an engineer returning home on a business trip. A bit of exploring  (see CoJourner role: The Explorer) revealed an ex-Catholic who considers himself "spiritual" and believes that the gnostic gospels are equally important as the canonical gospels. Hmm....

As we visited, I asked it I could briefly show him Backstory, a visual synopsis of the Bible. Using my iPad, loaded with a pdf of Backstory (and using the Documents to Go application), I walked him through the seven themes:

• Intimacy
• Betrayal
• Anticipation
• Pursuit
• Sacrifice
• Invitation
• Reunion

Expanding each of the seven theme pages (i.e., the left-side photograph pages) to screen size and flipping through them one at a time, it was easy and engaging to briefly walk through and explain the story-line of the gospel. After further discussion, I offered him a printed copy of Backstory (the pamphlet), which he gladly received.

This was the first time I used my new iPad in a conversational witnessing experience. The iPad presentation of Backstory was gorgeous (given the black & white photography that provides the background for each theme.) Using the "up/down swipe" feature, enabled me to share without having to reference or even show the additional content (found on the right-side, white-background pages of Backstory). Knowing that the additional material was available at the swipe of a finger (i.e., right-to-left exposes the right-sde page; left-to-right returns to the photo-theme page) was nice, but not necessary for this conversation.

My conclusion: This will easily become my favorite way to share Christ when in a conversation it becomes appropriate to explain the gospel. 

BTW - Carl wasn't anywhere close to receiving Christ (as best as I could discern), but having a positive, engaging conversation, which included the gospel and for which he thanked me, was a gift from God. 

Here is a brief video introduction of how I used Backstory, shot with my iPhone video. Its not professional, but perhaps it will help...