Millenial Hispanics

Here is a very helpful research summary of Millenial Hispanics -- based on Pew Research Center studies, but summarized by MediaPost. Deserves more thoughtful interaction than I have time for at the moment, but wanted to at least make it available to you.

Facebook's Reign -Only Site that Matters for College Students

For today's college students, Facebook is the only social networking site that matters. That is the conclusion of a new study released by Anderson Analytics. While that may not come as too much of a surprise, there are a couple insights worth noting:

• All other social networking sites studied were considered "lame" by students. Guess there really isn't any up and coming sites threatening Facebook's position any time soon.
  
• Blogs are declining among students (down 8%). Maybe they are spending so much time communicating on Facebook, they no long have time to blog.
• Hulu.com now ranks among students' top-ten favorite web-sites. The migration of TV and video watching to internet streaming is underway! Still watching the shows, just through a different delivery system.
  

My favorite quote:

"With its increasing variety of applications and flexibility, Facebook is delivering one-stop shopping... (in a) hyper-fragmented digital universe... (it) is becoming more of a hub than just a social networking site - almost a mass medium... " opined Anderson.

Barnardo's: Change a Child's Life

This is a convergence of a couple areas of interest. First, the story and legacy of Christ-centered, gospel-shaped individuals serving others with compassion. The second is creativity in telling a story.

Through the later, I became aware of this powerful commercial for Barnardo's:



Captured by the images, I wanted to figure out what Barnardo's is, which led to to who Barnardo was. Thomas Barnardo was an Irish doctor, who while preparing for the mission field to serve with the China Inland Mission, came upon his life work among the homeless children of London and the United Kingdom.

I really know nothing much about Barnardo's today, save what I just read on the web. But the legacy of Thomas Barnardo is challenging. Is it not?

Evangelizing Postmoderns Revisited

In 1998, I had the privilege of working with Dr. D.A. Carson and others from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in co-sponsoring "Telling the Truth", a three-day conference focused on evangelism in a postmodern age. As I shall be presenting a two-part workshop at Encounter '09 conference in Greensboro on "Evangelism in a Postmodern Age", I picked up "Telling The Truth" (the book which compiled our conference talks from '98) to see what has changed -- what we have learned since then. Interesting exercise that will perhaps (if I'm ambitious enough) will provide the grist for future blogs.

The first chapter is by Ravi Zacharias exploring, "An Ancient Message, through Modern Means, to a Postmodern Mind".

The most memorable line from Ravi's talk was the probing question,

"How do we communicate the gospel to a generation that hears with it eyes and thinks with its feelings?"

A decade later, is that still the question? Does that hit the bulls eye in defining the issue?

If so, are we communicating better now than ten years ago? My answer is "definitely" -- but more on why later.

Your thoughts?

A ChaCha Glimpse of Research

It is the midst of tracking student issues and attitudes, it is sometimes refreshing getting a quick read on how they are feeling "at the moment". Christmas time certainly qualifies as a distinctive moment to check in. Susan Marshall, Vice President of Marketing at ChaCha, shares what they are hearing from their constituents in MediaPost's "Bah Humbug!"

ChaCha has received almost 2 million questions over the last few days. Interestingly, about 43,000 related to depression and the holidays. Hmm... That is interesting.

What concerns ChaCha users? Overwhelming concerns: The Future. College. Jobs. The Economy.

Their research shows what was number one the gift wish -- electronics. (That clue should help you do your Christmas shopping.)

What is NOT surprising?

It's pretty obvious that they really want to be connected and to feel loved, especially during these uncertain times.

No surprise there...

CoJourners: Power of Metaphor

Aristotle wrote:

"The greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor."

That may be an overstatement (or miscalculation of greatness). Certainly we can come up with something greater.

But it hints at why CoJourners has been so well received. It utilizes five metaphors in evangelism:

• Journey: As the overarching metaphor for life, witness is joining others in their spiritual journey.
  
• Explorer: Discovering where people are at in their journey.
• Guide: Showing the way to Jesus.
• Builder: Constructing pathways over or around the obstacles keeping others from Christ.
• Mentor: Encouraging others on in their journey with Christ.
  

Master these five metaphors and you will be a "great" witness! Wonder what Aristotle would think of that?

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!