Should we minister on Facebook?

Well, considering that there are more than 400 million accounts, more than 50% of users check it at least daily, and over 5 billion pieces of content are shared weekly, it seems like a place to reach a lot of people.

Paul was all things to all people. With those stats, I do not think we can ignore Facebook. Some churches are starting to concentrate more on their Facebook presence then on their actual website.

There is a lot of functionality and customization that can be done on Facebook pages, can share discussion boards, photos, videos, can setup polls, setup events and ask to register,and link to other sites.

Plus, you can follow other churches, ministers, and ministries to see how they are interacting with their fans and followers.

Internet usage - Part 2

Continuing from my thought last week, what can/should the church do to reach people on the internet? Should the church use the internet?

Looking at the statistics, considering this is across all age groups and the next generations probably have even higher percentages, the answer to the second question is most definitely YES.

On the first question, I think we need to get personal testimonies and answers to questions that people have recorded and post them on video sharing sites. Be real on social network sites and share our faith through our lives there just like we should do in person.

Another idea is a discussion board for online Bible study.

Internet usage

Looking over some of the information The Pew Research has on internet usage and it is really amazing to see the percentage of people using different parts of the internet.

A small sample -
88% use a search engine to find information
86% look for a map of directions
83% look for medical or health information
81% look for information about a product or service they are thinking of buying
62% watch a streaming video
51% take a virtual tour of a location
47% use a social media site (Facebook, myspace, Twitter, LinkIn)
28% look for Religious information

So looking at these statistics, what does the church need to do in order to have an impact online? Seems as though putting the spiritual content out there is not the place to have the biggest impact or reach the largest group.

Instant communication - good or bad

Whether good or bad, there is no arguing that with today's technology we can stay current with information with in seconds from anyone of a number of places. Think how long it would take for all of the regimens involved in the Revolutionary or Civil war to get the message that the war was over. How long would it take for the passengers to travel by stagecoach from one state to another to visit with family.

Now we drive across states in a few hours, update statuses on Facebook and Twitter from our cellphones throughout the day, and have video conference calls for free with Skype, MSN, and AOL. I can follow a short term missions trips through a blog, get up to the minute news and commentary from all view points.

Yet with all this information at our fingertips, it seems as though we know less now then they did many years ago. Is it a matter of quality versus quantity? Are we getting too much surface knowledge without depth?

Facebook killing the church - don't think so

I read another blog where the blogger was blaming Facebook for the demise of the church. His theory was that Generation X would have left the church because it was tired of the "judgment" of the church, but the social aspect has kept them there. Generation Y is leaving because they can get the social aspect through Facebook, Twitter, Text messaging, so why bother going. This assumption made me think...

If people are going to church only for the social interaction, then they are going for the wrong reason. The purpose of the church is to celebrate and worship God as a local community and family of people. But is it not also a way to provide accountability and support for each other in love just as Christ told the sinners "go and sin no more"? If the church becomes concerned about people leaving because they feel "judged", do we run the risk of the church falling victim to political correctness?

So if the next generation is hanging out in social media, then let's be like Paul and be all things to all people. The church should be there, interacting, meeting them where they are, building a relationship with them, and use this medium to minister to them. Let the church use it to discuss Bible verses, to pray for people, and to be relational with people. Let's also use social media to schedule, announce, and remind them of events that are happening at the church. Because of the relationship we have on social media, we can skip the surfacey conversation when we see each other and be well on our way to building more authentic relationships.

Not high tech, but still interesting

OK, coming back to the blog with an interesting post. This group is having a Bible study in a pub in Utah. Just as Paul was all things to all people, Jesus ate with the tax collectors, these guys are getting together over a beer and discussing the Bible, creation, salvation, and Jesus. Why not? This is a better conversation in a bar then hearing the typical sports or sexuality. Worth a look at

http://beerandbible.tv/

Is social media real community?

I believe it can be and that it can either lead to people getting together in person or enhance in person relationships. Here is a great post discussing this.

http://bit.ly/6GMd1m

Purpose of Sunday services

One of the arguments about church online, video venues, multi site, or multiple worship locations is "Can people grow in their faith by attending these service?"

However, the real question is "What is the purpose of the service?" Is it only to help Christians grow, or is it about outreach to those who do not attend church (The great Commission)?

Can you grow in only 1 hour a week? Or does it take the weekend service, weekly bible study groups, and personal quiet time with God?

Old tech geek

Well, my father in law passed away this past weekend. He was an old school tech geek from back in the day when a computer took a whole room and you had to align the drives, had a stack of punch cards for data entry.

We are spoiled with modern technology. There is more processing power in my cell phone then that whole room computer ever had. I remember my first PC repair job was increasing the memory from 1mb to 4mb and thought that they would never need that much RAM.

Question is, how can we utilize this technology for spreading the Word of Jesus Christ while not allowing it to overrun our lives?

Where is God? Where can you encounter Him?

Is God limited to just the building we enter into once a week? Do I have to be in that building to worship or spend time with God? No, I can do this anywhere, anytime, and should be doing it throughout my day everyday. God is everywhere and all knowing. So then why do we think that only inside the church walls is where we can meet Him?

There are multiple places in the Bible discussing this, here is one in Acts from the Message - www.youversion.com

Act 7:46 David asked God for a permanent place for worship.
Act 7:47 But Solomon built it.
Act 7:48 "Yet that doesn't mean that Most High God lives in a building made by carpenters and masons. The prophet Isaiah put it well when he wrote,
Act 7:49 "Heaven is my throne room; I rest my feet on earth. So what kind of house will you build me?" says God. "Where I can get away and relax?
Act 7:50 It's already built, and I built it."

Sermon on CD/DVD/Cassette or online

So you just sat through a great sermon and thought "Wow, my friend/neighbor/family member/whoever could really benefit from hearing this." Do I go in next week and purchase the CD/DVD/Cassette and hand it to them, or do I email them a link to the sermon online?

Is there a difference?

CNN interview with Craig from Lifechurch

A CNN HLN interview with Craig - lead pastor at Lifechurch

Learning opportunity

Nothing thought provoking the next few days. Excited to be heading to Oklahoma City tomorrow to hang with the Lifechurch.tv gang, try to learn as much as I can and spend time in worship with them.

Cannot wait, and thank you ahead of time for taking the time out of your weekend to show me around your campuses.

minister from afar

Have you ever been talking on the phone with a friend and they tell you things are going rough for them right now? Then what do you do? Have you ever prayed for them right there, on the phone? If you have, how did they feel afterward, did it lift their spirits? Well wouldn't this also work through a web meeting using Skype or some other online meeting place? How about a text message, especially if they work somewhere they cannot take phone calls, or get personal email?

I personally think that a text message in the middle of the day telling me that my friend was praying for me at that moment would lift my spirits. Is it the same as them being right there with me in person? No, but that is also an unrealistic expectation all the time, although I would love to be able to be at my friends or families side for every little bump in the journey of life. Maybe my friends and family are praying for me, but maybe they are just saying they are, but if they text me, or call me, or email me, then I know they took time and some effort to let me know for sure that they were thinking about me.

Technical difficulties

Let me start by saying I am a huge technology geek, and I am fully behind the church internet campus with streaming video. In my job I get to work with clients remotely a lot through various internet technologies. For the most part this works very well, the client saves money on travel expenses, I get to stay home with my family and not lose time flying back and forth, and many other benefits.

However, there are the times when this remote work is very difficult and very draining. Whether it is a lack of understanding between the 2 of us that cannot be relayed easily or difficulty with the actual technology, it just is hard and sometimes I want to give up on it.

The interesting thing though is that no where does Jesus say "Come, follow me and it will be easy". If you can find this passage in scripture, please forward it to me. The reality is that just because we follow Jesus and are trying to spread the gospel, it is not always easy, and in some cases it is very hard. So, my point is, teaching the gospel through the internet can be done, and if it is what God is leading you to do, pray for strength and energy, and with His help, you can persevere.

God bless,
Marty

Internet becoming main communications tool

As we look at the internet and it's use today, it is far from the original intentions. Today we are able to upload videos for the world to see, and rent movies to watch on our home computers that can be connected to our big screen TVs, as well as communicate the old fashioned way of email. We can research things to buy, buy them, and have them shipped without leaving the house (even our food), and now I can do this through a web enabled phone no less. I can get an accredited college education from a number of schools without setting foot on their campus, and some are only available online without any physical classrooms.

So, if I can sit in my house and learn biology, math, physics, languages, art, whatever, why not theology? Is there harm to teach the Bible through an online church campus? Is this even the right argument?

Just getting started

This blog is about technology and theology. Can the church use technology or even create new technology in order to minister to people.

This is going to be a combination of my thoughts, other churches, interviews, and Bible content. It is not the answer to the question but a thought provoking discussion.