Over the past three weeks (or more), MMM has been in several venues connecting with others who are doing work in ministry, IT, education, and other industries. For many of those persons, those conversations were their introductions to MMM. That might also be the case for you visiting, so I’d like to just take today’s post in just summarizing what MMM is, how we got here, and where you come in.
What is MMM?
Mobile Ministry Magazine (MMM) is a web-based magazine that looks to answer the question, “what happens at the intersection of faith and mobile technology?” As with any magazine, we have articles which pose this question in a number of ways – with the end result of us being a place where we are already sending or receiving the information to help answer that question.
The front-face of the MMM is this blog. We use the term magazine but define it as story. On this end, we talk about mobile ministry through the lenses of mobile devices, mobile services, best practices, social engagement activities, and theological/philosophical commentary.
Behind the scenes, we research, train, speak, and consult with ministers, ministries, and organizations whom are looking to best utilize mobile as a part of their communications and ministry strategies. The “stories” of the challenges and successes from these is what you usually see presented in the items that are posted. In addition, we have a running list of resources and case studies, which are more specific to various aspects of mobile as it can be used for ministry needs.
How Did We Get Here?
MMM was started in October 2004 first as a PDF magazine. It was initially designed to be a resource for pastors as a means for them to have something that was accessible specifically to them towards the in-coming mobile technology use. Now, one question that we’ve mentioned often is, “what were you doing with mobile in 2004?” That’s the vision-set that MMM started from, and it was from that use that MMM got started.
In April 2005, MMM restarted in a blog-based format, and through two content management systems (Blogger and now WordPress) and over 2300 posts between them, we’ve become one of the leading voices in the mobile community asking questions, presenting approaches, and occasionally experimenting with mobile as it relates to digital faith engagements.
Yes, a small question has some large ramifications. Most of which were unseen when started. But like any good lesson, you learn and adapt. Whereas we used to concentrate mainly on bible applications and how people used them, these days the entire experience of mobile brokers our conversations: devices, services, and experiences. So, we end up not just covering devices, but how services (social networks, programming languages, etc.) and experiences (user interfaces, theological questions, media/political ramifications) factor into this intersection of faith and mobile.
Who is MMM?
MMM has a few hands keeping things going. Antoine RJ Wright (the guy writing this) serves as the primary voice to MMM. I asked the initial question and therefore dive into as many layers of life as possible in order to better understand and relate those items into content here. Being the primary voice also makes me the only paid person “on staff.” MMM is supported by the speaking, training, and consulting engagements that are gained in-between the research and writing times.
We’ve got a other contributors, Brad, Brett, Melissa, and LaRosa who chime in from time with perspectives on mobile based on their experiences and concentrations. And then we repost content (with author attribution) from Wes Allen and Mobile Active – both have their own sites with focuses, yet many times their work intersects with ours and we’d like for them to have attribution to their work.
We are a part of several groups/associations including the Mobile Ministry Forum, Internet Evangelism Day, the Visual Story Network, GCIA, and Wireless Industry Partnership, with a good deal of the networking and training practices taking place because of these group associations. We’ve got some more work to do here in terms of connecting with other associations more frequently, and that is sure to continue to happen.
Where You Come In?
From you, we look to build a relationship either because you are interested in mobile and would like to learn more about its intersection with digital faith efforts or because you’ve got activity in mobile that’s relevant to digital faith efforts locally, regionally, or globally. That might be a hello on Twitter, that might be something more substantial like asking us to present or consult with you towards specific mobile needs you might have. We are here to hear your story, or help you create one, let’s talk and see how we can work together.
You might be a budding writer or technologist and have content which might be of a benefit to a greater community, and we’d definitely receive your works. There is a lot of the world, especially the non-English speaking word, which needs to know what is happening with digital faith efforts, and how to move forward. Just about 45% of our site’s visitors come from outside the US/UK, we’ve got work to do there. So send what you’ve got, we’ll work with you to get it posted.
And lastly, we could use your prayers. Maybe its just one of those weeks, but it seems like our entire team has been hit with something personal over the past weeks. If you could keep MMM, and all of its contributors and partners in your prayers, that would be greatly appreciated.
That’s Our Story, Here’s Our Goal
So, that’s our story (in short). And where we are right now. Lord willing, we’d get to go a bit further, building with the Body of Christ, and helping to send and receive those mobile tech leanings which might help us see one another in a better light.