One of the pitfalls that I run into when thinking/doing mobile happens to be one of the more notable items illustrated here: there are approx 4 billion registered mobile devices (3.5-3.75 billion mobile users) but only 1-1.2 billion of them access the web on their mobile (how big is mobile). See what I see? 25-33% of mobile users are online, how does one develop a ministry with mobile when its more than just the web that’s needed?

Now, its been noted (by Google’s Eric Schmitt) that mobile can be a magic wand – of sorts. If you will, its not necessarly the fact that the mobile is connected, but because of its various sensors and the analytics kept with them, a mobile device could unlock interactions where there was none before. This is what I wish to get to get you – the mobile thinking minister or org – to ponder, plan, and do.

Imagine a church with this stance. The doorpost into the church was a digital bulletin board where people posted dates of their salvation, healings, disciples, etc. Bibles in the pew were just as often read as they were photographed and then messaged to those who couldn’t be at the sanctuary (mobile camera with OCR, send as SMS, MMS, or email). Sermons and studies were recorded, transcribed on the spot (speech to text on the mobile), and then posted (online) and messaged (SMS, email, IM) for other communities to interact. And instead of tracks/pamphlets/leaflets, people received cards with pictures or barcodes on them to which they could not just read The Gospel, but are encouraged to share the card with someone else so that they could interact with the Gospel – read, SMS for prayer, map to local church(es), etc. – and be called to the action of sharing that card with someone else.

Its these kinds of interactions that mobile allows us as a Body to work with. The key is to not get stuck on the web. Yes, there’s a signifiant portion of mobile that means “web.” But, we can’t get stuck there if we are going to be applicable to those persons who’s concept of web is the spider they greet every morning.

Take a good look at this video of a CSI spot where they talked about using a QR Code to crack a case. Note how many interactions, both web-based and not, that were facilitated – with the mobile as simply a wand. Then, try something similar in your ministry/org and let us know how it fares 🙂