Mobile Ministry Magazine

Winners have been announced for Nokia's Mobile Web Server Challenge. Instead of spoil the surprise, do check out the news posting at the Mobile Web Server website.

Labels: Mobile Web Server

If there is one thing that I wish that more churches and ministry organizations were able to take advantage of it would be the use of RSS. Not just for things like knowing when the pastor's blog is updated, but for everything (calendars, announcements, contact lists, etc.).

Think about it. Most of the information that you need from an organization is either very static (contact information) or very dynamic (dates to events). What if RSS (and XML in general) was leveraged as a means to get people this information. So, if you will, instead of just going to a website and having to wade through various menus of content. One would go to the page and simply see static information such as the contact information, and the rest would be RSS subscription buttons.

Why strip the data down to the bare essentials you ask? Simply because we can and it would mean that more people could access it the way that is best for them instead of the way that we content producers think is best.

A more indepth, yet similar proposal has been made to the US government (via Ars Technica). If effect, instead of having a ton of websites that are hard to maintain, rarely accessible and standards compliant, just give the information and let the user get to it as they wish. Essentially making portals of information just that. Portals of information - leave the presentation (look and feel) out for the applications that interact with it to take care of.

Given that many of you read MMM though some kind of RSS feed reader, this is something that you are already doing. What kinds of thoughts do you have towards this, and is this something that many churches could really get away with doing in order to streamline their online presence, and allow for more than just the best hardware to engage with them?

Labels: church, community, mobility, RSS

I don't want to fall behind too much in some of the current news as there is a slew of things going on these days that would be of interest to many of you looking at mobile devices, web services, and in general those things on tap for the side of tech called mobile.

• Evernote has left the beta stage and now has a few options for those looking for a solid note solution that can be done on several types of mobile devices, with and without inking/natural handwriting support. There's a free version as well as a pay version that offers a slew of options (via JK on the Run).
• An interview posted recently at the Adaptive Path Blog talks about an effort going on at Nokia called Homegrown where mobile devices are being looked at towards not only communication tools, but their impact on social and natural envrionments. Its a really impressive thing this group is doing, and speaks well towards a piece we posted earlier about sustaining the earth with our technology choices.
• The Nokia Internet Tablet has seen an update to the operating system for the N800 and N810 models. I'm still avidly using mine and despite some issues I run into, its still a genre changing kind of device. This latest update paves the way for several features and a new type of Internet Tablet device. Stay tuned here on that note.
• Nokia, Palm, and HTC have also introduced several new smartphones hitting all types of budgets.
  
  On Nokia's side, the E71, E66, and N78 all come in as nice lifestyle devices for business and entertainment use. Each of these also has GPS built-in. The N78 comes in a North American 3G compatable mode as well.
  
  Palm has introduced an unlocked Palm Centro - meaning that you can purchase it to be used on GSM carriers without needing a mobile plan to do so.
  
  And HTC has unveiled the HTC Diamond. A very impressive mobile device. Its a lot like the iPhone, a lot like nothing you've ever seen, and powerful as all get out. According to Palmsolo/Matt Miller, the HTC Diamond seems to really look and work nice with Laridian's PocketBible 4.
  
  Any of these mobiles would be suitable for engaging in a mobile lifestyle in my opinion. Do write in if you have had experience with any of these mobiles.
• Carnival of the Mobilists #129 is packed as usual.
• Logos Bible Software is doing a Show Us Your Work thing via their blog for those using Logos in notes, sermons, and other applications.

Pretty neat if you ask me. Tons out there on the mobile side of life just waiting to be applied in ways that are innovative and can speak towards meeting the needs of various communities around us if we use them as we are being Spirit-led.

Labels: Carnival of the Mobilists, Evernote, HTC, Laridian, Logos, mobiles, Nokia, Palm, sustainability

I just wanted to remind those that might have seen the posting last week and figured to wait a bit. The Nokia Mobile Web Server (MWS) Challenge Finalist Voting ends today (probably in a few hours Finland time). Do check out the five finalists, including MMM with the MMM Mobile Experiment Report.

To vote, you only have to make your entry on the feedback form. Its easy and you don't get spammed for anything.

Prizes include a new Nokia mobile and gift certificates.

Thanks to all who've voted already. And even if MMM doesn't win on this note, I really appreicate the support from Nokia's MWS team for our contribution in this contest.

Labels: community, contests, Mobile Web Server

A friend and I were talking about our frustrations with Bible software development and we got on the subject of open source development taking some kind of stand in helping things along. We both agree that efforts like the SWORD Project could add considerable value to current Bible software efforts, however that is not the viewpoint from many companies. We see that companies are more or less inclined to ignore open source except for maybe some internal functionality, and then let the chips fall where it may in terms of sales and content.

I disagree with this mentality. Stating it clearly is a bit of a problem on my end. So please take the following a bit as a rough draft of a thought of how open source (OSS) and private software companies can work together in a manner that enhances development potential and maximizes profit.

The Great Misunderstanding

The major issue here is a misunderstanding on all sides of the equation. OSS developers see the entrance of big companies (investors) as an unwanted corporate presence that will not forward development and eventually make something proprietary that will not have community value. To some extent this is true. Intellectual property is how companies make money. If they cannot leverage this, then they have no means to be a contributing member towards OSS efforts.

On the other side of that, many (not all) OSS developers have very little understanding about business processes, freedom defined by structure, and how much OSS relies on big company involvement overall. To date, there has been no major OSS contribution that has not come without the assistance or financial backing of some major company.

The Great Solution

Communication, clear communication, has to be made for both parties to understand one another. It cannot simply be an issue of "go for what works for me." Both have to give some in order for both to win some. The best example of this is OSS efforts within Firefox. One of the major investors in Firefox happens to be Microsoft. If they did not invest intellectually into them, then as a company MS would not be able to work together for standard operating procedures, standards support across browsers, and even simple things like making sure the Internet has no major boundaries to entry. Working together makes things like this happen.

The Christian Side of the Discussion

On the side of our discussion, we have bible software companies and OSS. There are efforts on both sides to streamline distribution and even content. However, there are still major barriers either (a) because of a misunderstanding, or (b) a fear of doing something *not* done before, or (c) a general distaste - prejudice - for the other side. I can understand all of these, but its the Body, is not our standard of doing life higher than ego?

A Simple Question

One of my questions therefore is this: how does the Word see traces of God in the use of electronic resources when there is no major, public, effort made by OSS, private and public companies, and consumers to educate and empower one another to create a solution that speaks towards reaching the earth?

Or was even Jesus' declaration of the power that we are endowed with also a matter of ego reaching further than faith speaks?

Labels: Bible, community, software, tech

Now, I were mainly using a Tablet PC, this would be a great solution, and something that could make a solid inroad into using Libronix products for more than just study duty.

Tablet PC Extensions for Libronix is a custom toolbar that makes it easier to use right-click actions in situations where right-cliking might not be as possible - such as with using a TabletPC. Tablet PC Extensions for Libronix contacts a package called ALSTabletLink which does things like create an annotation input window by using a floating Tablet Input Panel and making the ability to make InkPad annotations to text.

This is considered Open Source software in order to comply with the license agreement of the embedded database used for InkPad storage.

There is a request to do two items if you find this software useful to you or others:

• Share it with someone else that may find it useful, and
• Consider making a donation to LDS Charities, or another Christian charity organization. Many hours of work have gone into developing this tool. You may repay that work by helping someone in need.

In my opinion, this is a very solid means to making inroads with using Open Source software with commercial products.

For more information, instructions to download and install, and to attain the source code, visit the Tablet PC Extensions for Libronix webpage.

Just a side note: if something like this could be extended to work with Rapier on the Internet Tablet, I'd certainely contribue to the effort.

Labels: extensions, Libronix, Logos, open source, software, tablet PC

What's the reason for this challenge? The reason that I came up with this challenge is because my needs and wants for Bible software are changing, and doing so rather rapidly. When I first started studying the Bible and using Bible software, I was someone who only occasionally made use of commentaries and dictionaries, but never even dared to try to use the original language tools that I had available. I would, of course, dabble into the Strong's Concordance from time to time, but that was about it. Since that time, I have come to appreciate such resources and have made considerable use of them in WORDsearch's software to the best of mine and its abilities. Now that I am actually learning to read the original languages (Greek and Hebrew), my desire to do more with this knowledge has grown tremendously. What sense does it make to learn Greek and Hebrew and then not make use of it in my study? Therefore, I am now wanting to make the best use of this knowledge so that I: 1) don't lose it, 2) continue to learn more about it, 3) better understand the text of the Bible, and 4) better communicate the truths of God to His people. With these changing needs, I figured that it would be best to evaluate which software applications would be best for making this happen...

Labels: Bible, Logos, software, WordSearch

LJ posted an item at Palm Addict that I've been meaning to link to here. Its a great look at reasons for going mobile, and what has changed in his life for it. Here's a snippet of that post:

...After a few months of mulling over whether I wanted to buy yet another electronic device, I opted to purchase a Palm Z22 to give it a try, and I was immediately hooked when I learned how to use Palm Bible+. I quickly began to use the device for my daily Bible reading, as well as reading devotions and commentaries; it even got to the point where I was proficient at using the device to take notes at church using only the handwriting feature of the Palm, switching back & forth between memo & Bible+...

Read the rest at Palm Addict.

Labels: device, mobility, Palm

Another Bible magazine has jumped onto the scene, and this on is of the print variety. Bible Study Magazine is a new publicaion by Logos which will focus "on tools and methods for Bible study, as well as insights from respected Bible teachers, professors, historians, and archaeologists".

There's a little bit of everything that's being covered in the magazine, but its defintiely geared to the paper-reader sect (nothing wrong with that, its mobile too).

Check out an outline of the upcoming issue on the Bible Study Magazine pre-publication page.

Labels: Bible Study Magazine, Logos, paper

This is a pretty neat thing to do to any mobile device. Granted, I think it would be more helpful if you kept some pages and then used it as a bit of ink-based reminder system, but I guess this works too.

..That's fine, but the little iPod gets uncomfortable to hold after a while, and it lacks the presence of a real book. Imagine seeing an attractive girl (or boy) sitting outside a pavement cafe, drinking an espresso, smoking a Gauloise and reading a tatty paperback. It's a romantic image which is shattered when you swap the book for a PDA. I decided to disguise my iPod as a book, and if that wasn't pretentious enough, I put it in a modded Moleskine, the notebook of choice for fops and dandies the world over. Follow along to see how it turned out...

Read the entire article at Wired Magazine

~ via MobileRead

Labels: iPod Touch, Moleskin, reading

Some good news to break into things today.

The MMM Mobile Experiment has made it into the final round for the Nokia Mobile Web Server Challenge. You can vote for the MMM Mobile Experiment as well as the other four finalists by visiting the new article announcing the finalists.

The really interesting thing is the variety of applications for the mobile web srever that is presented in the finalists. Whether you are an end-user, programmer, or just intrigued, there's something solid to be voted for.

For me, I'll finish campaigning for the moment, but please do vote for someone :)

Don't forget that the MMM Mobile Experiment is available as a PDF for your reading as well.

Update:: thanks to everyone who has voted so far (special shouts out to Jaiku, Brighthand, and Palm Addict folks a big thanks there)

Labels: community, Mobile Web Server, mobility

Ok, so that last post might have painted YouVersion's iPhone-friendly format in a bad eye, but the truth is that besides this and Laridian's iPocketBible, there really aren't more touchscreen-friendly Bibles for iPhone devices.

The iPhone version of YouVersion isn't live just yet. They have made a small preview of the iPhone version here.

Labels: Bible, iPhone, Laridian, software, YouVersion

Hopefully, you all aren't too tired about this subject. There is certainely room for improvement with Bible applications, and this makes for a great forum to discuss how they can be enhanced and improved.

With the introduction of the iPhone, Apple also announced a service called MobileMe. Much like Microsoft Exchange is in the workplace, MobileMe allows users to sync and use information such as email, calendar, and contacts, across several devices. My interest in MobileMe though is what it was made from and how that speaks to another way of thinkning about mobile web applications.

MobileMe uses a JavaScript framework (skeleton) called SproutCore. Now while the framework in and of itself is ok, the fact that it is so powerful makes it possible to explore desktop-like functionality on a web application. This would mean that folks like Laridian (iPhoneBible), eBible, and YouVersion can do more than just make a mobile Bible application, they could also make one that leverages the browser's inbuilt ability to be a Bible reader across several types of devices.

Of course, I've been panned a good bit recently with an article that was publised at Brighthand last week stating that Apple made a mistake in backing off of the idea of just doing web-based applications. A framework like SproutCore, in addition to browsers supporting offline functionality, makes the idea of web-applications that can be used online and offline more of a possiblity and less of an exception.

For example, you already have a group like the SWORD Project that already utilizes some open source development. Adding something like SproutCore to it, along with some offline ability (Google Gears or an advanced browser) would really make getting into the Word easy and a piece of cake.

Considering the range of this particular discussion, I'd like to hear some of what you all think. Because not every mobile device has a browser, let alone a good one. And not every user feels comfortable with applications that constantly talk to a server - though that is what every web page does, go figure. What can the Body look at in this area in terms of a solution towards not just making yet another iPhone or mobile site but something that really does blurr the line between web and offline in a way that makes us all better for it?

Labels: Apple, Bible, browser, JavaScript, MobileMe, offline browser, software, web application

Carnival of the Mobilists #128 is up at Ubiquitous Thoughts. While this one is a bit more iPhone-centric than ones in times past - the new iPhone was introduced last week - there is still plenty of good thought in and around the mobile blogsphere on mobile issues.

Labels: Carnival of the Mobilists

One of the comments in the virtual seminary post a few days back has me thinking a bit. As a person who has not (yet) taken any seminary classes, the idea of having classes that are virtual are quite appealing. Besides the ease in scheduling, it would also allow for the use and exploration of various types of mobile tech needs on both the student and teaching sides of things.

Ignoring the IT side of things - that would be better served for another post - what would a seminary training portfolio that encouraged the use of mobile tech (web-based apps, smartphones, laptops, etc.) look like?

Depending on the depth of the responses, this is something that MMM could consider sending to seminaries for further thought and opinion, and maybe some kind of initiation towards enablement on their side of things.

Labels: information technology, mobile, mobility, seminary, software, tech

The folks at Church Relevance have develed a bit deeper into a subject that we spoke on recently about the church's response to the increasing gas prices and what that is doing to communities coming together. Here is a snippet:

New Ministry Opportunities
Although rising gas prices create a number of problems, they also create some opportunities. Mosaic Church (Charlotte, NC) gave away $2500 worth of free gas ($15 per car) to bless their community and create awareness for their church. And Fellowship Church (Miami, FL) created a direct mail piece that could be redeemed at the church for a $5 gas card.

Read the rest of the post 10 Theories on High Gas Prices and Chruch at Church Relevance.

I'm with the thinking that we need to think of creative solutions instead of continuing with the status quo.

Some of you have been hit by gas and other resource shortages, what are you (or your communities) doing to adjust and how is mobile technology playing a part (if it is)?

Labels: church, community, mobile, mobility, tech

Hopefully the folks at MinistryTECH won't get on me for getting this up late, but the next MinistryTECH conference has been announced and will be held April 23-24 in Colorado Springs, Colorado (USA).

MinistryTECH is a national conference dedicated to church information technology, audio-visual, and production professionals. Come join some of the leading church IT professionals to learn how they are using technology in their ministries.

In addition to the coming conference, there has also been a call for presentations for the 2009 meeting. Here's the information from the post:

We are accepting workshop proposals from ministry leaders, volunteers, and vendors on all topics relating to ministry IT, AV and production. Workshop submissions will be reviewed by the program committee and selected presenters will be notified by August 31, 2008.

While we would like to accept all proposals, we always have significantly more offers than available slots for speakers.

Workshop presenters typically cover their own travel and lodging expense, but do receive complementary registration to the conference. Breakout session speakers typically do not receive honorariums.

The following items must be included in your workshop proposal:
- Basic contact information (name, organization, mailing address, email, phone)
- Biography of presenter (1 page max)
- Session title Session summary (100 words max)
- Workshop outline (1 page max)
- Description of handouts to be provided
- Equipment needs

Email your proposal to tsanders@ministrytech.org. Deadline for submission is August 15, 2008.

Well folks, you have your assignments. Either make plans to go, or encourage someone to go. Lord willing, I'll have something to send to these folks as well, and maybe I'll get to see you there.

For more information, visit the MinistryTECH website.

Labels: church, Church IT, community, information technology, MinistryTECH, presentations, tech

Just wanting to put this out there for discussion and thought (and something that can lead to a post that is a bit more researched and thought out).

- To those of you who are in, have done, or are looking towards going to seminary, does the ability to go mobile with some aspects of your learning appeal to you?

- To those who have done seminary, are there ares which would have been better served with a more flexible virtual setting than the classroom/set-schedule one that you had?

- And if you are one that doesn't see a need for seminary; why?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

Labels: flexibility, mobility, schedule, seminary, tech

With the iPhone 3G now out and eyes even more wide open than ever towards mobile solutions, its a good time to take another look at the subject of technology strategy and how to execute a solid strategy in the mist of the shinky, new, needed, and useful technology out there.

How to Model Your Tech Use

In the last time we talked about technology strategy, we had this as a first point:

Are you modeling your technology use/adoption after Jesus, or is Jesus modeling your technology use/adoption?

The assumption here is that in deciding that something is worth attaining that it must have some purpose beyond simply just having it. For many who are savvy with information technology, this is a blurry line, yet one that we need to constantly look at and make sure that we are judging with the right mindset towards what is good and perfect towards mobile tech and our example to the Body.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5and said to him, "Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations." But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, "Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them." (1 Samuel 8:4-9)

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." (Exodus 20:17)

I will admit that I am probably the worst at this, and I try and justify more often than not. But those things that I see other people with in terms of technology I often want. And many times, I want them for the reasons of doing what others do, or even trying to do better than others do with them.

Before I can even assume that I will attain any new technology, I have to ask the most import HOW question: how is me getting this new thing not lusting after what someone else has that may not be God's intention for me to have right now? (James 4:3)

Ok, after I have gotten past the point that it is not my own wants that I am trying to fulfill by going to a new device, I have to take the mental jump of discerning what this tool will help me to grow/harvest (Proverbs 31:16). No one buys a hammer just to hang it as decoration, you purchase it to use it. In the same way, mobile tech has to take the place of having a purpose, and this purpose should come as a part of you walking out on renewed mindset that you have towards proving God's effective justice and salvation to the world around you (Romans 12:2).

At this point, we now get to all the fun stuff like making sure that there are no hidden costs - the opposite of Matthew 13:44 if you will. For example, many have detailed already that the new iPhone 3G will acutally cost users MORE than the previous version. Be sure to crunch those numbers, there is no reason to not be wise with your resources even though this is something that will grow the King's view in the minds/hearts of others.

After that its even simpler - its not about you. The tech, the service, and even everything from the homework you do to reading the manual after the purchase are not about you. Part of that making disciples action (Matthew 28:18-20) has to occur in this process.

Its not just about attaining a new skill and or getting a new device. Its about expaning the Gospel by small actions as well as the large ones. Understanding how a device works because you read the manual might be something to put you before kings to help them in the area that God has them. Yes, small picture tech, but the bigger picture has to be God's glory throughout.

As time permits, we'll hit on some other areas of technology strategy and where the picture of this as a Christian is very different than that of one who is not.

Labels: community, gifts, minister, mission, people, stewardship, study, tech

I've been a bit slacking on posting about the Carnival of the Mobilists, but hopefully I'll not make that mistake much more. #127 of the Carnival is up at Wap Review. As usual, the Carnival of the Mobilists is filled with posts and thought from mobile device users and professionals from around the web. Take some time to catch up on some solid reading.

Labels: Carnival of the Mobilists

After some edits by Kevin A, I went back to the MMM Mobile Experiment Report and cleaned up a number of outstanding issues with it. Besides a new summary at the beginning of the report, there is also the addition of a cover page, and links throughout to correspond to the links that appeared in the blog postings of the MMM Mobile Experiment Report. Of course, grammar and spelling fixes abound. And more are probably to come.

I will say that this is by no means a finished product. It is considerably better than what it was though. Hopefully, this is something that will be of an enlightening read for you; and give you some understanding of where Mobile Ministry Magazine's goals lie in terms of the type of content to expect from this site.

Please do not hesitate to point out any issues relating to this PDF. And if you know of anyone who'd be able to devote some time to editing this and similar MMM-produced pieces, please let us know by dropping us a line via our contact form. Such services are greatly needed.

Read and download the MMM Mobile Experiment (PDF).

Labels: Mobile Web Server, tech

I've spent the better part of the last few weeks thinking about the idea of a Bible Notes application and have been drafting some ideas about how such an application can work out. However, I want to throw some questions out there as I am pretty sure that I am not considering everything when it comes to something like this. If you could be so kind as to respond to these quetsions in the comments to this post, it would be greatly appreciated - and possibly help any developers who are looking at doing something like this.

• Do you use a browser that has the ability to view/save/edit content when you are offline?
• Is tagging and searching of notes more important, as important, or less important than the notes content itself?
• How do you feel about being able to link to content from other websites easily (verses, commentaries, Wikipedia terms, etc.)? Would you prefer the application came with preset resources, or was a user-added feature?
• If you are a pastor, could you see an application like this assisting both in sermon preparation and study follow-up?
• How would you feel about using this kind of an application on a laptop, smartphone, tablet, etc. during services, studies? Would you encourage the use of mobile tech if such a program is used?

These are some of my thoughts, do you have any others?

Labels: Bible, browser, commentary, community, developer, notes, resources, software, tech, web application

One of the things I like about Palm Addict is the various user submitted stories that come in. For example, this one about a Treo user who uses his mobile on the mission field. Its a nice look into how mobile devices are being used for more than just personal productivity:

...I love my Treo 680! I am a missionary, and I use my phone to keep up with phone numbers, appointments and other information. I have the Bible on my Treo in both Spanish and English...

Read the rest at Palm Addict

Labels: mission, mobile, software, tech, Treo

An important decision that many ministries are facing right now, especially in the US, is how to conserve energy with the rising energy and gas prices. Whereas many could say that it would be of some advantage to do things such as carpooling and some virtual office tasks, another cog in the puzzle has to do with the hardware itself. Is what you are using too much for the task at hand.

It's hard to think about mobile tech in this light though. For the most part, many of use understand the concept of get it just in case. And while this motto of "be prepared" is a good one, sometimes its something that is too much for what is really needed.

What I am getting at is part of that decision process of how to go mobile if there is a change in computing lifestyle that is needed. Considering things such as resources, device ability, personal ability, and perceptions are a part of this process. We look at how going mobile will impact several aspects of our lives, and what positive and negative effects that it will have for us and others later.

In March 2006, I suffered the experience of a laptop whose motherboard fried. I was left with a computer at work that I could bring home on occasion. But mostly had the use of a Palm Treo and a wireless keyboard in order to do everything from manage this website to connect with the world around me. Because of this trimming of my computing, I found that I got work done more often - the smaller screen made me more purposeful. Also, in telling others of my situation, I began to be an evangelist towards what is possible with mobile devices. Yes, an emergency initiated my situation - just like what happened with this person at Internet Tablet Talk - but I had a choice. I chose to learn what was possible, and it influenced me to change my perceptions of what is possible.

As you engage with various aspects of mobile technology, I would hope that you take the time to challenge your perceptions as well. You might not need all that you have, or you might need more than what you have. But you need to assess and then drive the boat. You'll be surprised where it can take you and others.

Related Posts:

• Technology Strategy (MMM)
• Your Preferred Combination (MMM)
• Go Mobile to Sustain the Earth

Labels: Laptop, mobile, mobile accessories, phone, smartphone

I was filling out an application for Gospelcom membership and there was a question asked that I felt whose answer needed to be shared here.

What is [Mobile Ministry Magazine's] online ministry?

It has been a while since expounding on this to the reading community here and so I want to share the answer that I gave them.

The online ministry of Mobile Ministry Magazine is only discipleship in the context of exposure and awareness of mobile device trends and how they affect the Body of Christ- awareness leading to planning successful solutions.

The main audience of Mobile Ministry Magazine is technology-enabled ministers and missionaries who are decision makers and technology influencers for their respective Christian communities. The age range is from 18-45 for the main reading audience, and the countries of reader origin are USA, UK, South Africa, Germany, and some countries in South America.

In visiting Mobile Ministry Magazine, it is my hope that people see that at the intersection of faith and technology that they have a decision to make. They can choose to let it come and go (reactionary), or can be proactive and develop uses and solutions that speak towards meeting the needs of discipleship and service in their respective communities.

Mobile Ministry Magazine is a content driven website. It means only to facilitate discussion in small bursts, but to also provoke meditation and constant checking of how effective technology is for the cause of Christ.

I do this because I have see the effect that mobile technology has had on myself and others towards allowing them to see a view of Christ's workings that they had not experienced before. Doing Mobile Ministry Magazine has opened the door to share the Gospel with those who were burned by it before, though this is not the site/organization's main purpose. It is to demonstrate Christ differently yet following along the same lines Scripture has presented as a God who was acquainted with our needs, and was willing to challenge convention to meet them.

GMPSoft announced the release of a new Bible Bundle for Windows Mobile and Palm OS PDAs. This is a NIV Bible Bundle also including the LAB and KJV versions.

For those looking at electronic Bible readers, this is a solid bundle suitable more for reading and light study than some other Bible readers. For more information and to download ($48.00 to purchase this bundle, though many others are available for less), visit the GMPSoft website.

Labels: Bible, GMPSoft, software

I was passed this link earlier today and find as something worth meditating on today:

The pastor, then, is like a pilot who is flying by instruments. He can see nothing out of the window. He can't chart his course by sight nor feel. "I do not even judge myself," Paul says (1 Corinthians 4:3). He has to go by what the instruments tell him. In the pastor's case, the "instruments" are the Word of God. The pastor must beg God's humbling instruction through His Word and commit himself to all of it (1 Timothy 5:21), he must attend constantly to that Word (cf. 2 Timothy 2:7), he must grow in his grasp of (and "graspedness" by) it (1 Timothy 4:15-16) — and he must, in the final analysis, defer the final assessment of his ministry to the judgment of God on that Day (1 Corinthians 4:1-5).

Read the rest at the Pyromaniacs blog.

Labels: Devotions

Simple question: do you see mobile and Internet Technology as a time enhancer?

There is an article at Scripps News talking entitled Ministers Find Online Word Time Consuming which looks at the bergoning nature of the Internet and asks if it is just something that is too much for ministers to handle.

This is my comment on the matter. Check out the article and let's discource some.

I doubt this will be an issue as the generation of users who have grown up with this tech are adept at balancing online and offline actions. I say this as one who does.

I've stated this on Mobile Ministry Magazine several times, but it begs to be said again: when the Internet and its associated technologies are a layer on top of what you do, it will be harder to stay on top of it. Its only when those technologies become lifestyle choices do they work seemlessly. Its easy to learn something new when it is a part of your nature - that is, you are predeposed to learning and applying technology as a sign of the times.

The other issue, the one that is alluded to but not really expounded on in this piece is that of prioritization. Yes, web and mobile technologies are here to be learned and adopted. However they must be done in light of making sure that balance in the needed things are kept. When ministers act out of balance for the sake of keeping up, then articles like these outlining the 'time consuming' instead of 'time enhancing' nature of tech becomes louder spoken.

Its not that hard of an issue. Use what you are designed to use best, and foster maturity in your approach as you execute on the Great Commission.

Labels: community, computer, minister, mission, tech