Mobile Ministry Magazine

Sometimes, we need to do more than just think outside the box, we need to think beyond it:

...Last summer, Chipchase sat through a monsoon-season downpour inside the one-room home of a shoe salesman and his family, who live in the sprawling Dharavi slum of Mumbai. Using an interpreter who spoke Tamil, he quizzed them about the food they ate, the money they had, where they got their water and their power and whom they kept in touch with and why. He was particularly interested in the fact that the family owned a cellphone, purchased several months earlier so that the father, who made the equivalent of $88 a month, could run errands more efficiently for his boss at the shoe shop. The father also occasionally called his wife, ringing her at a pay phone that sat 15 yards from their house. Chipchase noted that not only did the father carry his phone inside a plastic bag to keep it safe in the pummeling seasonal rains but that they also had to hang their belongings on the wall in part because of a lack of floor space and to protect them from the monsoon water and raw sewage that sometimes got tracked inside. He took some 800 photographs of the salesman and his family over about eight hours and later, back at his hotel, dumped them all onto a hard drive for use back inside the corporate mother ship. Maybe the family’s next cellphone, he mused, should have some sort of hook as an accessory so it, like everything else in the home, could be suspended above the floor...

Read this entire article in its context at the NY Times.

Can we really say that we are using the Internet and its associated technologies to the benefit of others and to the glory of God in light of examples like this?

Labels: community, innovation, Internet, mobility, poverty, wealth

This week, I had the honor of giving one of my pastors a Nokia N810 Internet Tablet. It was something that he had been looking at getting for sometime and after seeing me with my N800 (the previous model), he would ask of me questions and such about it.

Well, after receiving a bit of an extra blessing from some work over the past month, this was something that I ended up being able to purchase (from another friend) and then present to him. It was really neat just seeing his face as he opened the package and was able to take that next step towards enabling himself to "get out of the office and minister more." Given that his office is kinda everywhere (virtual), this aspect of getting out will get some additional play.

That got me thinking this week: considering the economic times, and the fact that many are tightening budgets, what can we do to enable people to better position themselves (with or without mobile tech) for ministry opportunities. Whether that is something as simple as doing some PC support to a person's computer, or taking some of the extra server space a business is using and renting that out to a ministry who is looking for a web presence.

Even further, what can ministries do with the mobile and web tech that they already have to make it easier for those who might not be able to come to a facility? Can the addition of virtual ministry outposts such as delayed video blogging, podcasts, and even discussion forums help facilitate some of the community involvement that ordinarily would be missed?

It's increasingly important that as the Body we have as few layers as possible to people interacting with us. Even if that makes us a bit uncomfortable that pastor's office is now the local coffeeshop, we have to adjust with the times and give the opportunity for people to be met by Christ no matter where they are. Personally, I like to be the kind of church that goes out to people, mobile tech helps me do this; and giving mobile tech even more so.

Related note: Celio is still offering the Redfly smartphone companion device for $199 (till the end of the month). If your pastor is like both of mine, mobility is just as important as content. Smartphones are great for this, but the screen and input methods can be a bit limiting. This opens things a good bit. Consider asking your pastors and others in leadership if this is something that would work for them, and then go bless them with it. You might find that a little enablement might go a long way towards helping all of us keep mindful of God's needs during this time.

Image by Allen Qu on Flickr

Labels: community, devices, gifts, Internet, internet tablet, mobility, N800, N810, Nokia

Over at the Digital Sanctuary, a post and conversation has been going on entitled 10 Challenges facing the Church in Cyberspace. Now, I'll not take her points and just reiterate them here. Its better (for our needs) to look at these challenges within the lens of mobile technology and see where challenges and solutions might be a bit more of a behavior change than a technological one.

(1) Accept the Virtual World's significance:
Its not just virtual, its mobile and virtual. Content is not respective of the tool anymore, and therefore the church's response needs to accont for this. Not just a mobile version of a website either, integrating SMS/MMS, and teaching about security and safety online needs to be areas where the church steps into and innovates.

(2) View online expressions of Christianity as valuable extensions of real world faith:
Take this how you want to, but frankly speaking the current and next generations of Internet users are not living two lives (online and offline). The two intermingle and therefore what they do online with faith has just as much importance as what they do offline. In other words, get on their phone and see what they are living out from what you are/aren't teaching.

(3) Embrace the opportunity for Church without borders:
This should go without saying on a mobile site, but think about it. If you are mobile, time and geography are only contexts, they are not content. Learn to get out of the idea of content and context (in terms of location) being the same and see how the Church can and should engage people outside of traditional locations.

(4) Welcome the presentation of God's Word in the vernacular of current culture :
Ok, so we aren't going to be using IM chat in the mist of a service (all the time), but understanding how language is changing within the context of mobile and Internet will help you decode how best to engage people with Christ.

(5) Respond to the globalization of the planet with hope:
Nuff said; its all possible. Let's just show folks how God's folks can bring the hope of the Gospel with it.

(6) Develop and maintain an online presence purposefully populating cyberspace :
How do you do this with mobile? Easy, get out of the house and create a mash up map where you let people know that they can engage you and Christ and utilize healthy boundaries (presence notifications in phones and common sense with people) to emphasize that you are reachable as well as available. Mobile allows this more than any other medium, and its getting better.

(7) Establish virtual outposts for evangelizing, preaching, equipping & training :
Ok, the cynic in me says get a Mobile Web Server and do something fun :) But this is as simple as just making sure that your mobile tools are not just tools for being productive but also an outlet to teach. Our best reference is Inner-Linked; taking what we've learned from using the tech and making a place to teach usability and accountability in the forfront of that use.

(8) Create interactive portals for experiencing Church (streaming media):
This is the same as #6 in terms of mobile. Everything about being mobile is interactive, take advantage of it (as the kids with the PSPs and DS Lites how to do it if you aren't sure).

(9) Practice spiritual disciplines in the global online conversation :
You are not immune from laws, nor can you claim that ignorance is a calling card. From end-user-license agreements, to service agreements, to warranties, to local and international laws, we are responsible for upholding those things that God has allowed rulers to establish. And from there, we find innovative ways to address Christ-less-ness in areas where those laws curtail the freedom to believe on Him. This also includes personal boundaries towards use and being connected; learn how to disconnect and make engaging people the point of mobile tech, not just falling in love with the shiny-shiny.

(10) Encourage strategic investment in the iGeneration:
Donate, set up scholarships for execllence, teach, develop programs, work alongside those that already have programs, or simply just connect with people and families in need to knowing that digital is life-next.

Now, its your turn. Go and teach all, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You've got mail to deliever.

Labels: children, church, community, computer, content, culture, Internet, mobile, mobility, stewardship, sustainability, website

This year, one of my biggest struggles with just about everything has been to remember that there's a good bit of relevance that must be undertaken with everything. And especially in the field of mobile technology where things just move faster than people want to even write about, its important to remember something I've been told often, technology is only relevant when it is personal. Some recent thinkings have put me in a position though where I realize that I have to do a lot more evangelism than just using this stuff in order to make this point clear.

I can start with the example of my use of Nokia's Mobile Web Server. Frankly speaking, this is probably one of the most far out things that I use and one of those things that people go "ooh" about, but just don't understand. Without repeating the entire post that I wrote up on my personal website, I will say it like this: using a web server on your mobile phone, or even just the idea of having a web server in your home gives YOU control of the information that you put on the net. Not Google, not Nokia, not anyone. You administer it, and you say how it gets anywhere, if it goes out at all.

The mobile device that's that and adds the ability to associate that personal information with the context of your environment. Its not just an IP address, its an IP address that's attached to a photo of a place or a contact person or a a mesh of all of those and more. That's not the web virtual, that's a literal web. And its already something in your hands. Imagine knitting the Body together with that kinda stuff.

Or about about mobile devices in general? Most would say that while they are enabling, that they offer no real benefit over other computing situations. That might be right, until you consider the cost of powering devices. The wastefulness that we display as a computing culture is crazy. Slimming down to the bare essentials should allow us the time to develop more accessible and renewable solutions, while making all of those previously stated connections all the more fruitful.

Connecting: I want to be the kind of parent who has the "key" for allowing his household to be online. If you will, I'd like my mobile device to be the gateway for my family. This way I can see and interact with what my kids are doing, and my wife has an accessible and open means to keep me accountable. Far reaching? Nope. Using something like this soon to come software and a solid smartphone this is not just possible, but probably advisable.

Look. I am not saying that we have to do this. I am saying that the technology is relevant if we look at it as being so. I still think that a partnership between churches and developing nations could do more for increasing technical competencies for both sides than just doing nothing. I still feel that solutions like Earthcomber should be used by more urban missionaries to share and live the Gospel. I still see the need for people to put these devices down and interact with one another being an important part of using these devices. I just have a problem with just letting it sit here. I'm made in God's image. I'd like to believe that somewhere in me beats the ability to be relevant with whatever is in my hands and life.

For me, it just happens to be mobile tech and its various applications, intersecting with my faith, in a way that just happens to push the green light out a bit longer.

Labels: accessiblity, Bible, children, church, community, computer, environment, innovation, Internet, Mobile Web Server, mobility, networking, OLPC, smartphone, software

I had an editorial/article posted at Brighthand that also has some merit here in terms of getting a bit of an understanding as to where computing is going. The subject is called "cloud computing" and is usually characterized by applications, data, or some combination of both being stored on a network and accessible through the Internet (wired or wireless connection). While many in corporate settings might be familiar with this, other than email, most people are not aware of some of the positives and negatives, nor of the types of cloud computing options.

This article is more of an overview than something very technical. But especially for parents, teachers, and those in IT settings, you will want to understand this so that you can use and point those under your influence in a direction that speaks towards their needs, moreso than towards the market's desires.

Here is a snippet:

A term being bantered about a good deal since Apple's iPhone 3G release has been that of "cloud computing." Essentially cloud computing is when the data that you work with -- contacts, bookmarks, email, calendaring, etc. -- is accessible though an Internet connection and with several devices.

There are three ways of taking advantage of this idea of cloud computing: data completely in the cloud, local applications that utilize some data in the clouds with some local, and being your own cloud where you provide the local data from your device to a service.

Read the rest of The Three States of Cloud Computing at Brighthand.

Labels: communication, community, information technology, Internet, software, tech

Ok, so I've already blasted the fact that we don't get out enough and just commune with one another. The fact is though that there is sufficient mobile tech out to help these matters in these times. Applications such as Earthcomber and Google Maps have been around for a long time helping us get from point to point. And how Nokia Maps 2.0 joins the fray as another solid entry that gives you n excuse to be sitting still (lest you are reading MMM).

Nokia Maps 2.0

Nokia Maps 2.0 was previously a beta application in Nokia's Betalabs. It has recently been made an official release and adds several new features for those who are unaccustomed to using GPS, maps, and location-based services in their mobile device. And to those who are familiar, there are a few new wrinkles that can be explained in the terms Drive, Walk, and Discover

Drive, Walk, Discover

Drive is similar to how many use GPS devices when in automobiles. Nokia Maps 2.0 adds an improved Car Navigation component which adds PND-level car navigation experience with faster routing; an updated User Interface featuring a new navigation carousel with pre-defined navigation views such as navigation, arrow, and bird-eye views; and enhanced navigation features such as signposts and multi-stop route planner which are usually found on top-of-the-line GPS devices.

The Walk feature is designed for use when walking instead of moving quickly over terran such as in an automobile. Walk features a pedestrian navigation system which uses visual guidelines, contextual information about the surrounding areas, and in supported devices, the direction being walked. The Walk features public transit information for 17 cities with localized icons. For better performance, Walk uses advanced multi-sensor positioning using A-GPS, and pedestrian orientation using the compass feature (specifically to the Nokia 6210 Navigator device).

Discover takes advantage of the fact that there are areas to be discovered in traveling. This feature offers satellite images with hybrid rendering overlays for selected cities; a "one-box search" for places, addresses, restaurants, nightlife, outdoor, accommodation; and premium multi-media city guides including features photos, video, audio streams.

Use and Availability

Nokia Maps 2.0 uses vector-based maps provided by Navteq and TeleAtlas which cover over 200 countries and over 70 of them navigable. Maps can be downloaded over the air directly to selected devices or by using the Nokia Map Loader on a PC. A new beta version of the Nokia Map Loader is available on the Nokia Betalabs website.

Nokia Maps 2.0 is a free application, however some features may have trial-then-purchase limitations. Nokia Maps also uses data services in order to view and update map data. An unlimited data plan, or Wi-Fi connection is advised for use.

To download Nokia Maps 2.0 and more information, visit http://www.maps.nokia.com.

So, Get Out A Bit

Even if you do not have a Nokia device, that is no excuse to not get out a bit and see the community around you. Besides being able to interact with people, you can also find out about places to eat that you've not see and sow into local businesses. And you never know, you might end up going out and about and catch a crime in progress that you'd be able to report. (LINK HAS QUESTIONABLE AD CONTENT)

Get it? Use that mobile tech and let that faith intersect with someone :)

Labels: church, community, Earthcomber, Google Maps, Internet, maps, people, software

I was reading through RSS feeds when I noticed a post talking about the church's response to the rising gas prices. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't see much wrong with that posting, nor with what some churches are doing to get people to fellowship in the mist of this. I just wonder if there is a solution towards things that we've kind of missed a bit.

After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. (Luke 10:1-3 KJV)

There are a few ways to look at a crisis such as this. Either we have to continue in the ways that we are used to, and make every effort to continue what we know. Or, we take the situation as a chance to do something different and effect change differently.

What I have seen (in the USA) has been much more of the former and not enough of the latter. Innovation in these times looks like carpooling, cell groups replacing Sunday services except for once a month, and localized community outreach. There is more than enough ability with the Internet and communication technologies to fill in the gaps until the crisis is no more, or if it is more, we are effectively going out into our communities and becoming an agent of Christ, changing an apparent crisis into an opportunity.

Think about it like this: you have an opportunity to drive less, walk more, and team up with believers in your immediate vicinity for the sake of demonstrating Christ. Do you really need to continue driving 20 miles to church instead of literally being His sheep amongst the wolves that also appear in a time of crisis?

Labels: church, community, Internet, tech