Mobile Ministry Magazine

Mixing Mobiles and Meeting
I have to be honest about one aspect of the Internet that I never really caught onto, and that would be streaming video. Either I had a nice connection and the video was of poor quality/content, or I had a great video but the connection was horrible. Thankfully, broadband is happening in so many places, that this is almost not an issue (the non-HSDPA connection of my Treo 680 is felt here).

But other than that little piece of tech, there is some advantage of taking something purposed in one medium and then making it usable on others. Video is one really good aspect of that. There are many people who have no problem watching a 30 second to 2 minute clip of something on their mobile device if it is intersting. But the key is making it interesting.

That is exactly how I feel about MoBuzzTV. While it was that I got a chance to see some content via a nice desktop T1 line the first time, noticing that MoBuzzTV made their content available to mobiles, PSPs, and other operating systems just made me glee a bit.

And then they had this story about how a group in Madrid, Spain is linking the arts with mobile technology using Bluetooth. After watching this, I wondered how effect some ministries could be if they implemented the same ideas of media, mobiles, and meeting in the Godly context of things. Very many of us have some type of mobile device, imagine being able to harness the create-ability individuals have of those devices to create content that we want to share via a mobile device, for the purpose of sharing some aspect of living for Christ with another.

I have absoutely no clue on how to do this though. I am sure that it would take more technical knowhow than I can dream of. But to see it at least being attempted in another area of culture and society makes me think that the church has a unique hand and ability to reach people, and we'd be foolish to not at least explore doing so.

thanks to Textually for that link to MoBuzzTV
posted via Mo:Blog

As many of you know, MMM likes to explore different aspects of integrating mobile technology as it could pertain to ministry. One of those things investigated a great deal is QR codes. I believe that they can be quite effective in merging the print and mobile tech world, and at the same time, offer something simple enough that implementing and teaching people how to use them is not burdensome.

The folks at Kaywa have this excellent service called Feed2Mobile in which you can take an RSS feed and have it embedded into a QR code that one can point their mobile phone towards and then automatically subscribe to your RSS feed.

This is something that will have a better effect (in both use and explanation) when integrating mobile devices with paper (think MMM's Issue 4). But for right now, we've added this section to the center column so that those of you who are new to MMM, and want to subscribe, and have a QR code reader, can just point your phone/smartphone's camera at the screen, and then you have MMM in RSS right there.

Ring, Ring, Its For You
There is an excellent article that basically just got me out of bed so that I could post about it. The article is at All About Symbian and is talking about SIM free phones and why they are a good choice.

This article is really more or less targeted to Americans who are on a multi-year phone contract or who are on Sprint/Verizon Wireless/Altell and cannot easily get the phones that they desire that do what they would like to do.

Why does this matter to you? To take from the article, if Ford told you that to buy a Ford that you would only be able to use Shell gasoline and had to pay them to do so, how would you feel? Such is the case with mobile phones in the US and many other places in the world now.

The issue of locked phones can sometimes also fall under the issue of net neutrality. Phone carriers are essentially the gatekeepers to the mobile web (even on the Wi-Fi side of things). Understanding your rights as a consumer, as well as the abilities of the platform that works best for you is key to making the best use of mobile technology for personal, business, and spiritual uses.
posted via Mo:Blog

A Networked Church
Sometimes I think that aspects of technology that would be best used for ministry (community) are those things that to some degree can make connecting easier. Whereas we have many tools and services that allow us to connect with one another seemlessly, not all of the time can we do it as gently as we do a handshake or a wave.

What if a possiblity for using mobile devices to interact with one another had its bases in personal area networking (PAN)? I got the idea today when reading an article about Personal Cell Networks.

Now, the way that this article describes things, you are in an area and then because your personal mobile tech item can speak to another trusted device wirelessly, instead of using cellular connecting to do things like send a text message, it would automatically switch to using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Its really neat, and you'd have to read the article to get the entire picture of how it could work.

Now taking that idea to the fellowship. Imagine that as an alternate to handing out bulletins and flyers, there was a point in a meeting where you told everyone to turn their Bluetooth or Wi-Fi devices on and then wait to receive from your friend's device the bulletin. If you will, each person's device would hand off the bulletin to the other's device. One, creating a lot of beeping, but two giving people a sense of ownership about the information that you want to share with them.

I even envision something like this working in areas where you are speaking to someone about the Lord and you want to give them a verse or two to hold onto. You then ask them if they want to receive that verse from your device (along with your contact information), and then you "share" with them via your personal network that Word on their device.

Some downsides would be security and lack of a wireless standard that would make this easy as it sounds. But, it does sound like something that would be tailor made for our interactions with each other. Especially those of us who like to fellowship and meet new people all the time. Nothing like getting a beep that your "buddy" is in the room and you can say a quick and unobtrusive hello.
posted via Mo:Blog

Just Another Mobile Monday (JAMM) sent some links our way some days ago and busy me has had a hard time in getting them posted here. The two articles talk about two aspects of mobile devices that matter most, communicating and protection/packaging.

The first article is a review of IM+. If you have a Windows Mobile device and are looking for an instant messaging solution, JAMM's review of IM+ gives you little reason to keep looking. Check out that entire review.

The second article is of the Proporta Gadget Bag. Simply put, if you really are looking at using a smartphone to go mobile the Gadget Bag should be on your wish list. It literally has EVERYTHING you'd need to go mobile and stay mobile (except a solar charger, but I am sure there is a pocket or clip for it). Check out the Proporta Gadget Bag review.

There is more at Just Another Mobile Monday than just these reviews. Check 'em out and tell them that MMM sent you.

An Alternate Means of Distribution
Greetings all. A lot that has been going thru my mind lately in the area of how to best use mobile devices in ministry settings takes the thought of how to take a current process and make it more seemless. If you will, in what areas would using mobile technology actually be a benefit, not just a "neat add-on?"

One area that I'd like to see mobile devices better used is in church (service) settings. Granted, there are many who would shun me for saying this, but I do think that many Western (and probably a lot more than many Eastern) churches are ready to give up handing out paper bulletins. No, not because they are not effective and litter the floor once service is over, but because there is a more efficient means of content delievery in SMS that can get people the information they want, and integrated into a device that will remind them that there is something going on.

Imagine if you will, the day before service you get a text message asking if you want to receive the week's announcements via email or text message (or by paper), and then before service, or right after you reply (opt-in), you receive the announcement bulletin right on your phone or as an email into your laptop. There are no pictures in the SMS version, but there are links to add things to you calendar. Same thing in the email, but there are a few pictures to keep it pretty. You also get the option to downlaod an outline of the sermon message and can bring in your own notepad ;)

Of course, thinking like this leaves out the visitor. In that instance, you would have a much smaller number of printed bulletins with the message during the service and in the bulletin that they can sign up for text/email alerts on a weekly basis.

This is something that I thought about as I visited a church this past Sunday and noted how the bulletin waas nicely printed, but even now, it sits in front of me having only been glanced at. I would have probably paid a bit more attention to it if I came via SMS, and especially if I could add some of the events to my calendar immediatly, saving me from having to type it in.

Of course, I also think about using R codes while in art galleries to get more information about a piece of work. Or, using mobile photo blogging as a means to get youth involved with sharing the Gospel in their communities. I just think that the tech is here for us to do a lot more than we are letting ourselves do, and its not that we are suffering, but it is that there is a lot of wasted energy. Is there a chance that some of that energy can be reclaimed so that we can have more time doing the ministry instead of administering to it?
posted via Mo:Blog

Thoughts on the Emergent Church
A website that I have recently discovered, Digital Sanctuary, has been writing some thought provoking questions lately about the use of technology in ministry. This article seems to hit from both a "what is possible" end, as well as the "what are we accountable to do with what we have" end. Its a very interesting read, and for those of us in the front of our churches and organizations with using technology, surely something that we need to pray and consider how God wants us to be used for His glory.
posted via Mo:Blog

Treo in A Trusted Role
Apologies for all of the posts folks, but I am (finally) getting thru my flagged RSS feeds and posting those that I have been wanting to highlight here. This particular posting atPalm Addict was excellent in every way. Not just because of mobile tech being used, but because it literally because a conduit for comfort to happen. Here is a snippet:

...This has been a tough time for me and the family. I visit my dad often, and the Treo has been a wonderful tool in this, bringing the family to him, by way of videos and pictures, when my children cannot come with me. The significance of this crystalized in a recent event...

Read the rest of this powerful story and just consider the "reach" that technology can have when it becomes something that empowers and gives life.

An please keep this family in your prayers.
posted via Mo:Blog

Logo 3 Demo at CTM
Church Tech Matters posted a few days ago about their impressions in using the latest Logos 3 Bile software. If you are really into using your desktop or laptop as a tool for preparing lessons and sermons, this review and software is something that should be high on your list. Granted, not everyone has the budget for it, but knowing what is out there and how it works can help you craft a solution that works best for your needs.
posted via Mo:Blog

Prayer for Tech
A really simple question was posed at Church Tech Matters today;

Do you pray for the technology at your church?

Nice question, and one worth reading why you should.
posted via Mo:Blog

From BBC News:

...there is growing evidence that mobile phones are more than a fashion accessory and can transform the lives of the people who are able to access them. The most obvious anecdotal evidence can be seen all over the developing world. From Kampala to Mombasa, handset sellers are plying their trade - some based in small kiosks, others sheltering from the blazing sunshine under large, colourful umbrellas. An enormous number of people, including taxi drivers and tradesmen, now rely on mobile phones to run their small businesses - well over 80% in Egypt and South Africa alone, according to a report by the UN's Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad). The mobile phone boom has transformed ordinary people into micro-entrepreneurs...

Why post this? When we take ourselves and want to immerse ourselves into another culture with the purpose of sharing the Gospel, we need to understand all the windows and doors of communication that are available, and stragetically use the appropriate tools for the job.

What's Your Mobile Doing?
Was speaking with one of our team members this weekend and he was telling me about how his new approach to being mobile is enabling him to stress less about being connected and getting done those things that he needs to do.

What is your mobile device or device solution doing to assist you? Is it playing the role of secertary, handling calendering and contact information? Or, is it the role of entertainment assistant for a younger child that might need a few moments of "work" while you accomplish other tasks? What is your mobile device doing for you, and is it something that could be easily replaced with another technology or service?
posted via Mo:Blog

Opportunities for Mobile Use
A lot of times here at MMM, we talk about those ways in which you can use a mobile device, whether that is a smarpthone, PDA, or laptop, to improve your productivity, or to engage people and communities in ways that lend to you having more face time (and not more electronic time). This is good, but in thinking about these opportunities, one has to also consider the possible changes that can happen when you do enable people to literally "live" outside the box of normal commuicative practices.

What are the changes that "going mobile" can allow? For instance, where it was once an issue of having a print Bible, things became downloading and storing the Bible on your device. Now, we are at the point where you can literally just go online and look up a verse.

Or, you have instances where you want to send a message out, and instead of people having to call a switchboard system, a text message blast can be sent that will notify people of a change in meeting places or times.

In later posts and articles, members of the MMM team will be talking about how recent decsions to "go mobile" have changed their approach to computing, and how they view the possibilites of ministry now that they are not confined to a box if you will. What we'd like to know from you is what has opportunities have happened as a result of you going mobile? Or, where do you see yourself having a Christ-like effect on your communties and family if you do go mobile?

What does a mobile lifestyle look like? And how can that lifestyle emulate one that lives and breathes Christ?
posted via Mo:Blog

The Heart of Ministry with Us Innovators
I was just reading a post at Chruch Communications Pro about Cory's heart for ministry and ministering and it showed me (again) something that I have many times walked out on, but have had a hard time in putting down into words:

The heart of those that like to do new things in ministry is not always apprent to those who cannot see what they see.

When we are doing something in any ministry endavor that has not been done before, chances are that people will not understand why we do and see what we do. No, its not to say that you are right and they are wrong. But, because God has gifted you in an area of doing something that no one else has (or has successfully) you cannot get beside yourself in wondering why people don't see or don't follow you.

Long before I started Mobile Ministry Magazine I had been using PDAs in both church and in college classes. I had a professor in a computer science class swear that I was not able to keep good notes (then I showed her the print out of my notes that I originally handwrote on my Palm); I've had members in church as me to put my phone away when I was there reading the Word with them. Its different, and never apparent to anyone but the innovator that they are doing something people might not be ready for. This is not a bad thing, but it does serve as a notice that one should examine themselves (to take from a Paul Washer sermon I just heard) and then be ready to teach or answer when asked (look up this phrase at zbible.mobi).

The heart of all ministrry should be that we lead people to realize the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ as a resoultion of their life in sin. Never should the focus be anything but Christ. And while that is MUCH EASIER SAID THAN DONE these days with the various media and opportunities that culture does allow; our witness should be of Christ, and our hearts, whether it be thru music, technology, knitting, or anything else, should lead people to realizing that for them the stone rolled away and they too can be redeemed.

You are an innovtor if you are reading MMM most likely. You are probably a person to whom others identify as one skilled in some area of technology and they look to you because you have been able to take what you have learned about God, and apply it to how you use technology. Don't let that light stop, but also don't lt your heart for teaching/serving/loving God's people be dulled either. Your ability to do what others cannot do (yet) is a gift, let that gift minister life (Isaiah 61:1-2 (look up this verse at zbible.mobi)) to those around you.
posted via Mo:Blog

Mobile Bible Searching at Zondervan
Its always a good thing when a company in the print publishing world takes a step into the digital domain. Aside from usually making a complete product, the reach of the print company usually serves as a beacon to other companies and individuals about the relevance of a partular technology.

This is why I find a recent post at Church Communications Pro about Zondervan creating a Bible search tool/application that can be used from one's mobile phone as being of a near groundbreaking event. For those that do not know, Zondervan is one of the largest publishers of print Bibles in the world. They have a HUGE library of BIbles, dictionaries, and study guides and that number seems to grow every year. For them to take a stretch into the wireless domain by offering a search means that not only are they interested in making sure that technology is usable to as many as possible, but also that the Word is too.

Read the entire post at Church Communictions Pro and then check out the Zondervan Mobile Search (zbible.mobi) for yourself or for a friend.
posted via Mo:Blog

The Future of the Web and the Christian Body
... As Christians (both leaders and laypersons) we find ourselves at a unique juncture in the history of human communication. Since we carry the Gospel , we have something significant to communicate. One of our challenges is to harness Internet technologies, not to control them, but to use them for the spread of the Gospel, the equipping of believers and as a service to the Kingdom of God. Additionally, we must learn to embrace Web 2.0 technologies and utilize them effectively. Resisting technological communication advances is unwise and will only relegate Christians in the near future to the place of having our lights under a baskets. (Matthew 5:15)...

This is somthing that I could not have said better than myself. Read this entire post at the Digital Santuary and this one at Church Relevance and pray and move in those areas where God would lead you to effect change at the intersection of faith and technology.
posted via Mo:Blog

This is a question that I have gotten a whole lot, and due to the nice folks at Howard Forums, I can present you a solution for getting into the Word on your T-Mobile Sidekick (SKII and SK3 as well). Here are the instructions:

1. Download and install 411SMS (get it via SMS: 3109043113 or go to http://411sms.com)

2. Once you have gotten 411SMS setup on your device (To: 3109043113 Msg: Setup411)...

- To get any bible verse send message to 3109043113 Msg: bible < verse > (Ex: bible john 3:16; bible genesis 1; bible john 1:1-5)
- To get the bible verse of the day send message to 3109043113 Msg: bible

For more tips on how to best use a T-Mobile Sidekick, see this thread at Howard Forums.

Church Comm. Pro 's Nominations for Favorite Websites
In conjunction with Rick Warren's Ministry Toolbox , we're asking what the best (or favorite) websites are out there for pastors.

Nominate as many sites as you want (including this one!) but the deadline for entries is Feb. 28 … we're looking specifically for these categories, but it's not limited to these either: Preaching/Sermon Helps, Leadership/Ministry, Personal, Blog, Theology, and Just for Fun...

Read the rest and nominate your favorite blog.
posted via Mo:Blog

A big thanks to Christy over at Secret Angel Gifts for making the fav icon for MMM. She did it initially when we were in a meeting at church together and I just took forever to get it posted.

About Secret Angel Gifts
It's a creative way for you to be a Secret Angel to someone in need in Africa. Each time you purchase a piece of our unique, handmade jewelry, a portion of the proceeds is set aside to help fund a well in one of the poorest villages in Africa.

You get beautiful jewelry.
They get clean water.

This is a great organization to support and the jewelery is pretty nice. Granted, I am not a lady and don't wear more than a Treo and a pocket watch, but if there is a lady in your life that would like something elegant that has a purpose for more than just making one beautiful on the outside visit Secret Angel Gifts and make life beautiful for someone both in your life, and in Africa's.

Church Marketing Sucks Series Innovative Churches: Technology
How will technology, including the use of media and the web, influence churches in the future?
Technology is one of innovation's best friends. Technology can be such a creative conduit for innovation. At the same time, technology can also be one of those friends that get in the way of innovation. I am weary of anybody that comes to me with a great idea for how to use technology to tell a story...

Read the rest at Church Marketing Sucks

Therr is also a previous post talking about how leaders can foster a culture of innovation that was really good IMO.
posted via Mo:Blog

The Linked Word Project
Here is a new project called The Linked Word Project as reported by Church Relevance.

Seems like this could be something that would be very usable in an area where you just use a browser. I wonder if other versions wl be supported in future versions?
posted via Mo:Blog

Using Cell Phones to Fight AIDS
Mobile phones are being harnessed to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa under a new $10-million scheme announced on Tuesday with the backing of leading companies and the U.S. government...

Read the rest of the article from SmartMobs
posted via Mo:Blog

Does Location Matter As Much As We Think?
That was something that just came to mind as I was reading an article a few minutes ago. Sure, meeting one another for fellowship is a given, but what about when that is not possible. Is there enough within the social wb around us to compensate for being together (for a short time at least)?

And if it is that location matters more to admin work than it does to fellowship, should the mobile or home office be the rule, rather than the exception?
posted via Mo:Blog

It's been a while since we have posted some devotional-type content here at MMM. While listening to yesterday's sermon at my church, I was just awed by the application it had for all areas of life (especially the tech-centered lifestyle).

Check out the sermon. It's in MP3 format and so should either download or stream for you in any MP3 player.

JKontheRun has done an excellent write up/report on how a recent MS Vista installation to a Fujitsu P1610 TabletPC has gone. Here is a snippet:

...Vista has been tweaked to provide a better experience on mobile devices than its predecessor and it shows in daily usage. The Mobility Center is a useful dashboard for interacting with key mobile settings like screen brightness, WiFi and the Sync Center. I have programmed one of the buttons on the side of the screen to pop the Mobility Center up when needed...

Read the rest, and share with MMM your experiences in using Vista on your mobile devices, or if you are in the process of making the decision for getting a mobile device running Vista.

Quite a number of people are taking a look at smartphones, but some of the issues are being able to do some light document editing when on the go. Documents to Go is a pretty popular program, but to date, having a Moto Q, T-Mobile Dash, or Cingular 3125 meant that you were out of luck until now.

As also reported at Smartphone Thoughts, Documents To Go has been released for Windows Mobile Smartphone devices. You can view, edit and create Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, view Adobe PDF files as well as unzip files on your smartphone.

Read at the DataViz site for the full list of features and system requirements. A trial version is available, but you can purchase it for $29.99.

More Mobile Phone Use Stats
A post I just read talked about how mobile phone use is very important to developing countries, and then how that can translate into an opportunity to create those relationships that led to people hearing and receiving the Gospel. Its an exciting time that's for sure, and mobile devices seem to be right in the thick of it.

One thing to consider though is that in many developing countries, evangelizing to people is considered illegal. For you to have Christ-centered content on your mobile device might be seen as offensive, but it will open the door for conversations (if you will, to be questioned as a witness instead of coming at them as if you are a marketer).

Thanks to Strategic Digital Outreah for the link and insight.
posted via Mo:Blog

One Techie Note
Concerning this new design, I am noticing some issues when viewing on a mobile device. I'll be working on those as I get some time over this weekend.

If there is anything that you would like to see on MMM that is not here, contact us and if it is feasable, then that is something we can consider doing.

Be sure to submit your logos for the side bar. There is plenty of space and it costs you nothing but an image to be linked to :-)
posted via Mo:Blog

Olive Tree New Beta Released
I was reading at Palm Addict and there was a posting that Olive Tree has released a new beta version of their Bible Reader. If you are an Olive Tree user (or just know someone looking for a BBible reader with an excellent library of BIbles, commentaries and lexicons to choose from, Olive Tree is one of the best.

To those of you who like to keep up with Olive Tree, there is also the Olive Tree Blog where you can read some more insights as to what is going on with some recent Olive Tree releases.
posted via Mo:Blog

Greetings all; I want to first apologize for the lack of posts lately. I have been one part quite busy, and another part breaking into my new Treo 680. I am almost at the point of having on it most of the software that I had on my 650, but there are yet a few things to add (like the keyboard driver for my external keyboard). While much of what I needed to do has kept me away from the desktop, here I sit at one again because not everything is "smartphone mobile-enough" yet.

Here are some notes of some notable posts in the past few days that I have bookmarked in my RSS feeds:

- Church Tech Matters has posted part three of their Bible software review. This installment looks at some of the web offerings and throws in the question of which one do you use. There are a few that are nearly good enough to be a full study Bible (given a solid Internet connection and an input device like a TabletPC), but what do you all think about online Bible resources?
- Church Tech Matters also posted about a Christian Blogger survey that is being undertaken. Results will appear at at Church Communications Pro and Rick Warren's Ministry ToolBox.
- A website that I visited some time ago but had not checked it out again until recently is Stragetic Digital Outreach. A neat post there talks about mobile phone use in developing countries. The state of the mobile device is much different there as people use their mobile devices from everything from talking to people to fighting crime. Tis a great place and opportunity to teach a healthy use of mobile tech, while enabling the Gospel to have some digital legs as well.
- A story in the Washington Post talks about how one church is making technology work towards connecting and expanding the reach of the local assembly in the DC Metro area. I think that the most impressive thing is that this church has gotten so large that they realize that getting bigger is not necessarily the answer, but that they have to be more responsive in taking the Gospel to those areas that need it. Their use of technology (mobile, audio, video, people) to do this is quite impressive. While a large church, there are many ways to apply what they are doing to a smaller area or towards a smaller ministry effort.

Do you have an interesting news bit to share with Mobile Ministry Magazine? If so, feel free to drop us a line with the news item and we will post on it. If you have a product or service that you want for us to speak about, please do allow us time to review the item, and then we will most assuredly get up our thoughts on your item.

Remember also, we are featuring logos of companies in our links bar now. If you want to be included in the list, shoot us a note with the link to your logo, and we shall put you on that side bar. Peace and blessings to all.

Many times we wonder with all of the new technology that comes out (continually) when we should go ahead and make a purchase. Whether it is for hardware or software, there never seems to be that right time to go out and purchase something.

Well, that is the case if we are looking at things from the mindset of tech is just a fashion accessory, or something that we wish would make us more productive. The truth is, if we do not have a piece of hardware or software without the vision and foundation behind us that already ensures our success, adding that piece of tech will not do much to help, but will in fact hurt.

There are a few people who many time ask why is it that I would tell them that they are not ready to use a PDA, smartphone, or even a laptop. The reason is that they are thinking that the tool will make them more productive. Oh, the quantity of work done might go up, but there will be nothing lasting within it. When we use technology, the principle that we would be best to go into it with should be, "Lord, I have done all that I can with what you have placed in my hands. I believe that getting this tool will enable me to do 'x' better and leave me more time to develop relationship with you and with other around me. Is this a move that I should make?"

Placing the use of technology within that confine of whether it will help us better walk out the two greatest commandments will ensure that we do not make hasty decisions and purchase, and will also keep us walking slowly enough that even if something new does come out that meets that need, we will move slow enough that all of the bugs are worked out of it before we put it into Kingdom use.

A recent comment reminded me of something that I've want to know for sometime:
How many of you who read MMM or have wives/girlfriends/family/etc. that appreciates and uses mobile technology in ministry settings? What different patterns of use do you notice and does the tech landscape cater to women moreso or less-so than it does to males?

A few posts that I ran across made me think that it just might be possible to do all that I am doing with my phone now, plus a lot more.

The first post was of a docking station for your phone. Simple, but basically since phones are nearly as powerful as they need to be, to dock and work them is a logical extension for quite a number of industries and professions. Uhmmmm...

The other idea came not long after that when I read on a site about the logical approach of making sure that mobile applications work offline as well as online. If you will, being able to work offline for most aspects, but then connecting to the network for sharing, uploading/downloading, collaboration, or extended services. I had this idea before when talking about a hybrid Bible reader. And think that someone is bound to at least try it in that area this year (I hope so).

And while you are there at Mobbu reading that last link, make sure to check out the Carnival of the Mobilists latest edition. Tons of great articles there, and only a tip of the content that the mobile web has to offer.

Geekcorps in South Africa
A good deal of what can make tech usable as a missions objective or part of one is being able to engage in training and knowledge shairing activites. Geekcorps has been doing this for a long time all over the world, and one of their latest postings talks about what they are doing in South Africa:

...Two Geekcorps volunteers have been hard at work in Cape Town, participating in the Digital Freedom Initiative (DFI) in South Africa, with a third Geekcorps volunteer arriving in early February. DFI is a new form of public-private partnership to promote the economic growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs in the developing world through ICT. Geekcorps´ participation in the program is funded by USAID... .

Read the rest of this posting.
~ posted via Mo:Blog

Let me preface this piece by saying this:
In no way can any technology take the place of actually getting personal with people and meeting their needs right where they are. At some point, what is in my hands has to translate into being an empowerment. These are just some thoughts on that, and where that can possibly go.

At the intersection of faith and technology is one corner called mobility or mobile technology (depends on which side of the street you are coming from). This technology is a call to making accessible those services and communication that were once harder to come by. And on another end, mobile technology is a answer to a problem that many did not know that they had - having access to tremendous amounts of information with very little effort and how to use it.

When looking at what this intersection means in the context of ministry applications, one tends to think first about email, Internet, and contact/calendar management. This is not at all a bad thing as these are the outside peels (think onion) of what this technology is capable of. Moving a few layers in we have systems such as content management and social networks that take email, Internet, text messaging, and multimedia, and places those into a service offering that streamlines a small area of our communication population. But what about further than that? What is the part of the interaction of faith and technology that stings our eyes? Where does mobile technology and faith meet in this "onion" to create something that actually moves us past communicative tasks, and puts us in the earnest positions of creating change and exposing the heart of God to those who would have never seen His heart before? I have an idea, but its not yet finished so please bear with me.

I have read a few articles that talk about the use of mobile technology as a part of the educational process (here and here)as being something that if not considered, it should be; and if it is considered, it should be pushed faster than it is because of the knowledge and uptake of this technology by youth. Things such as the integration laptops and eBooks with wireless Internet so that students are not just reading one person's account of history, but reading that account along with multimedia or cross referenced with other writers. Or think about that search/study issue with Bible software where your mobile technology is not just able to mindmap how you are reading and considering Scripture, but you are able to share that with a classroom of students so that they better understand the process of analysis, versus just looking at a 2D formula. My proposal is somewhat simple - take a leap of faith not just a leap of technology.

At the center of any intersection there is an calm area. Cars may pass it, but very few things stop in the middle of an intersection (unless its a cop directing traffic or an accident that stopped it). Its an intersection because at its very center, there is the possibility that stasis is met. The more that I use my mobile devices and mobile accessibility in various situations where it will change and enhance the lives of people around me, the closer that I think I am getting to that point where it truly is not about the technology, but about the people who are also walking this walk with me. This is that centerpoint that I believe ministry is able to meet with all aspects of faith and life. The technology is just a tool to get there, but at the intersection of faith and technology, we see the possibilities of where we can go and what we can do, just as easily as we can just turn around and do nothing.

Imagine a ministry who's goals are to teach the skillful handling of technology so that the community can benefit from increased economic and spiritual health. An onion that has been unpeeled and the smell is that of Christ working in email, Internet, social networking, and people to engage those who have the least, and bring them into the community where they can be cared for, taught, comforted. When I look at a laptop or mobile phone, I see it as just being a part of that street, but not yet that intersection. I just don't know how to get further than where I see this now.

Now, if this sounds like a really weird collection of thoughts, you can blame part of that on the hour at which I am writing this. But I am convinced of one thing, and I see it repeated just often enough to pay attention - when technology gets to the point of changing lives of the back of the pack, then we can truly say that computing is a good thing for the whole of humanity.

Your thoughts?