Mobile Ministry Magazine

Ok, I am probably the last person to want to say that we want to elevate the Christian experience over the truth of the word - as this is a recent marketing thing that pretty much bugs me (and a few others) - but I do want to highlight that that if done in concert with discipliship and accountability, speaking and relating our Christian experience can have some value.

Getting back to that experience thing in a more content-neutral fashion (I hope), I like to see how others are making connections with the Body and enabling the testimonies of God to go further and further than ever before.

There is one post over at digital.leadnet that speaks about a holographic pastor as a means of relating the Word. As much as that's very much affluent and something in the future, it does speak to where tech can go in terms of making the sharing of the Gosple something where boundaries don't have to be an issue.

Then again, we can keep things in a more relevant light and look at the recent Mojo experiement that Nokia is doing in South Africa. Similar to the Reuter's experiment, this is exploring the use of mobile technology to create content and do so in a means that works with the environment instead of above it. I really like that Nokia is doing this and like them, I think that being careful crafters of content in this day and age is something that is also worth teaching.

What I like about the Mojo project is that it gets students involved and teaches them how to tell stories. A lot of time, we want to relate to others about what it means to be a Christian, or even talk about some important social speaking points, but have gain little in the way of training. I see a solution like this as being beneficial towards helping people to see their identity in Christ as something that can empower their communities. Pretty neat, and not so far into the future at all right?

Labels: communication, community, N95, Nokia, virtual

In airing last week that I am moving to a new device, there's also a bit of a change that I'd like to do that is a lot more far reaching. I'd like to make an effort in this coming year to be a almost-always mobile blogger. Meaning that I'd like to not just post the occasional post to the blog, but even go as far as produce and admin all the content for it.

Doing this is going to be a good bit of a challenge. The major hurdle will be getting the devices and accessories needed to make this happen. Right now I have the 3G phone, but looking at either expanding that to the N95-3 (US 3G super phone) or just getting an Internet Tablet and running from there.

Sidenote: the N95 would allow a good bit more play in terms of creating multimedia-themed aspects to things (here and elsewhere), while making outreach something that will challenge perceptions. The Internet Tablet aspect is more personal and would allow for the investigation of reading and study solutions that haven't been pursued as much.

I've gotten a keyboard ($30 at Amazon). But then I'll need to make sure that my charging solutions are together (car and solar are already on tap).

After that, it will be a matter of just doing it. And by it I mean everything. As it stands right now, there is not a suitable web/offline application that works as a great reading, studying, and journaling Bible (still). That's something that I'd like to see (and would help develop if time permits). I'd need a suitable platform to admin this blog, and might even have to move to another platform to make that easier. And then there is the web/offline office apps that I'd use. Its a lot that I'd be pushing to happen on this move, much of which I've aired in part before, but will be a bit louder about making happen.

In a recent Brighthand editorial, I mentioned that moving away from the the Treo the the N75 was like changing into a new relationship. And in a lot of ways it is. But the kicker is that I've made this change so that I can walk even more fully into the mobile life that will probably define most of the rest of my 20s (not that many more to go there). I think there is value enough in what's to come that I'm willing to push out and try something not-yet-done.

My only hope is that I don't reach too far, else no-one benefits from this, and I end up with a nice sized empty wallet. I've already seen this happen with my inability to get to BibleTech 2008. I've got to make sure that this move is a good bit more planned, and then executed so that the intersection of what works and what doesn't in terms of faith and tech, is made clear.

Labels: Bible, BibleTech, internet tablet, mobile, mobile accessories, N800, N95, software, tech

This morning, I packed up and sent back the Nokia N95 to Nokia Blogger Relations. I've had it for a number of months, and have been both disappointed and impressed with it. I wanted to write some of my closing thoughts about the device, some of the software that I've used with it, and how devices like the N95 have a bigger place in ministry than we might give them credit for at times.

First, about the N95:
I was very impressed with the device's capabilities. As I spoken about many times, the sheer number of features that the N95 has can really make you sit back and appreciate where technology has come from to this point.

My most frequented feature was the TV-Out. I would set up the N95 as my evening computing device and then play music while browsing the net with either the impressive Nokia Web Browser or Opera Mini.

Doing this though revealed several flaws of the N95 (which are corrected in both the just released N95-3 for the US, and N95 8GB). The worst was battery life. While I could really get out a solid usage run from it, as an all day device it would be dead most times before an 8hr day was done. Then there was the issue of low memory errors that cut off programs in the background. That was frequent on my end and very much frustrating.

Those let downs were not enough to stem my opinion though of the N95. I would heartily recommend the N95-3 to US users in a heartbeat, even given the $700 price tag. It is designed to change your mind about what a mobile can do, and is very successful in doing so.

Software I'd Recommend:
There was not much that I installed, but of what I did, here are my favorites:
- S60 Bible Reader: uses Bible+ bibles, easy to use navigation, and little impact on memory
- Jaiku Mobile Client: the only reason I used Jaiku was because of this mobile client. Integration with the built in addy book was a plus, and the latest client release added more community involvement. I really wish there was a mobile client for my Treo, this app and service is just that good.
- TalkPlus: This application/service enables one to have a second phone number attached to their mobile without the use of swapping SIM cards. Is pretty much like a VoIP solution, but much cleaner n implementation. On the N95, it would run in the background and so I could call it up when needed. For one who recently moved, this was a life saver in some situations.
- Mail for Exchange: enables one to connect to MS Exchange servers for email, contacts, calendar, and tasks. I keep all of my info on an Exchange server and so keeping the Treo and N95 synced was pretty much a breeze with this software. It was the main source of my daily battery drain issues though. With the small battery of the N95, this was probably just a bit much.

There are certainty others out there that could work for many, but for me, these were just the best for me. Because of them, usability of the N95 approached that of my Treo in some areas. For that, I was very impressed.

Consequences of the N95:
Devices such as the N95 prove that while there is a place for computing, that most do not know that place for it in their lives. From those that need the educational window, to those who bank, to those who just want to connect, a computer is personal, communal, and persuasive.

As a Christ-follower, we are called to be examples of Christ not just in the way we talk, but in the way we live. I have seen the N95 as helping to foster in me a sense of humility towards what can be brought to the table. The device does a whole lot, and one should be hard-pressed to use EVERYTHING that it has to offer. Will it be the best in every situation? No. But it will be an example and a teaching point as to what is possible.

I learned that just simply putting yourself in the way of the Spirit of God presents opportunities for Him to use you. A device like the N95 certainly expands the scope of what is possible.

Updated from original post by adding pics, spell-checking, and addition of links

Labels: mobile, N95, Nokia, tech

One of the things that keeps me going with MMM is exploring with others how technology can be used to connect with one another. Yesterday, I saw a simple example of tech used to connect, and the fruits are both visible and not-yet-in-full-bloom.

Yesterday, I accompanied a friend of mine who has moved recently to Charlotte on a trip. The goal of the trip was to do pop-up visits to people who had visited our church once or twice, but we had not seen them in a while. We would take some homemade cookies, and just look to be relational with them. We did this not so much to get them to come back to our fledgling church, but to live with people so that they can meet "the Christ outside the four walls."

So he and I got together when I got off work in the evening and just took the list and our phones into his car and started on our way. He used the LG enV with Verizon Wireless's VZ Navigator service, and I used the Nokia N95 (via AT&T) and its built-in GPS as backup to go from place to place.

From a technical standpoint, things went very well. Both devices were clear and quick to show us where we needed to go. In my case, I had to key in the locations as we went along. He had mapped the points earlier and was able to access the points and then be voice-navigated to them. With the exception of a little long to get an inital signal lock with the N95, and some cases of late directions with VZ Nav, things worked really well.

To those that were home when we visited though the connection was much more apparent and clear. One person recognized me from when he visited, and spoke favorably of his visit and wanted to come back. The other woman spoke of how she found the church more for her daughter, yet ended up liking it herself. Both cases saw the ability to connect the body, with tech playing as a tool in between.

I write this account to say that (1) this is the first time I had done this with my church here and so I'll be signing up again for it. And (2) that this is a simple way that one can use mobile tech to live out the Gospel with one another.

Notes:
The LG enV and VZ Navigator service are exclusive to Verizon Wireless. The VZ Navigator service is an additional plan component that is paid monthly. The GPS used is called Assisted GPS (A-GPS) because it uses triangulation with cell towers in order to get a fix on your location and then give you directions/maps.

The Nokia N95 can be had through several carriers in Europe and Asia, and can be purchased independent of a contract worldwide. The GPS is a literal hardware GPS antenna that communicates with GPS satellites. The N95 also uses A-GPS to get a quicker signal lock and to assist the GPS in low signal areas. The GPS is free, however a data plan is needed and additional paid features via Nokia's Smart2Go maps service can be purchased.

Similar Previous Article
- Get Your Church on the Map With Earthcomber
- UPDATE: Proporta announced a keychain-sized GPS device today that would be another alternative to GPS in a device or a service such as VZ nav

Labels: GPS, mission, N95, Nokia, tech, Verizon

I hope that you have had had a good week. Mine is going well, and this week I've probably had a lot of mental fun just going between my Treo and the N95 on loan from Nokia Blogger Relations trying to see which device works best for me, and where are some areas of applying and doing mobile tech/ministry can be. I'll admit, its kind rough as most of this I am just experimenting with, and from there making accounts and recommendations of what can or could work.

When I think about where we are in terms of the Body though, mobile tech seems to be the perfect intersection towards where we are. Between using social networks, mobile phones, and even IT summits; the ability to be a support or communication aspect to ministry is exciting.

I even get excited when I read about where mobiles are going. Just knowing that a "phone" device can serve as a computer, or creating a system were people can use their mobiles for communication and finacial services, its exciting.

Being in a new area of the US though, I am looking for ways where living by mobile can assist in the mobile outreach side of things. Whether that is something as simple as a bible study, or as needed as a mentor/mentee relationship, I'm looking for those ways were I can live in ministry, and what I do on a mobile device can really foster that healthly.

I think that items such as the Internet Ministry Conference and Church IT RoundTable are great because they really give some boundaries to where things are and where things can go. I'd really like to know more of what is happening around the world in this respect so that more "Body encoruagement" can happen in this world of tech.

So as you can tell, I'm one part loving the move, another part just watching and learning this new place. There's bound to be many areas where we move to or move from where some aspect of mobile tech has helped us to stay in touch with life around us. But when that mobile tech intersects with our faith, how we respond to the call will determine if we are really being challenged to live as vessils. I'm choosing that my mobile tech use should make me into a vessil of His glory. How that will effect the world around me, I can only hope it will be something that leads others to growing in their relationship with Our Lord.

Labels: ChurchIT RoundTable, devotion, Internet Ministry Conference, mobile, N95, Nokia, Treo 680

According to a few posts at Symbian Guru today, the Nokia N95 multimedia computer (really, they don't call it a mobile phone), will be offically coming to the US in September in a version tailor made for US radio frequences and usage. This includes 3G (wireless broadband) and an increased battery capacity (because its not all that great now).

I'm pretty sure that it wil cost about as much as the iPhone, if not a bit more (but would be great at lower). According to the reports, its not known if it will be sold via a carrier or not. But normally, Nokia's devices in the US are best bought from someone like MobilePlanet or by going to the Nokia store and getting it there.

Now, pardon me as I try to figure out what TV would work best with the N95 as I doubt that I will want to be getting a new comptuer of the laptop sort seeing that "computing life" is possible via just the N95. All of my Bibles work with it so that's great (and I can even take advantage of some of the iPhone Bibles out there too).

The neat part of this is also that I could host parties at my apt (or elsewhere) and always have the music and video with me to play, or just stream from online. Nothing but a cable needed (and battery pack). Whooo hooo!

Labels: mobile, N95, Nokia

One of the things that I've liked about the N95 is that its let me get back into just browsing the Net, not just reading info. Granted, browsing is fun when there is nothing to do of dire importance and there is just loose time. So what did my rabbit hole bring tonite...

- I started at Jaiku. I wanted to see what some of my contacts were up to. I still think that an Opera widget and a mobile client for every other phone would make this an awesome application for a lot of folks.

- I peeked in on Darla Mack's blog via her Jaiku channel when I saw a post about Nokia's mobile web server. Now this got me thinking that I should move to a Symbian device, and then host MMM on the device. Besides accessible as all get out, it would really kick the mobile notch up a good bit.

- Continued on Jaiku and saw that there is a TUAW channel (for the Apple fans, they should know that site).

- Clicked there and read Robert Scoble talk about giving up the N95 and appreciating the iPhone.

- had another tab open stil to TUAW's Jaiku and got the idea via ijustine and The Remix of Children's Ministry (found via Robert Scoble's site) that its not the tech nor the availabilty that is the issue, just how we want to imagine using it to reach an audience and just going there.

- I managed to come out of the hole though to reinitate the full posts in RSS feeds, and at take a bit more of a thought to moving MMM completly mobile. If the right Nokia device were to come along (the N95's battery and memory issues are the only real hold up for this one), I'd probably do it; which would make that whole planning for MMM to be reinvented in MT4 go to waste a bit...sorry LJ.

- There's not much else that I can say other that since moving to Charlotte God's been heavy. God's been just moving a whole lot, from temporary residency to a job to a possible apartment. God's been extremely gracious and hence my heart being heavy for doing well with MMM. There's a whole lot out there, and God's saw fit to lead me this far - lead YOU this far. It's not like we deserve this, but He's so, so gracious. A few friends can testify to the fact that today I've never been more in awe, thankful, gracious of God's hands in my life. He says, "I know the plans I have for you." I've been walking towards Charlotte and more for 8+ years... there's just a whole lot that just browsing doesn't capture....things that God hands and flow just happen to roll with. I am so not ready for this IMO, but God has saw fit to just dump some grace notes on me. Heavy stuff.

Labels: accessiblity, children, devotion, iPhone, Jaiku, mobiles, N95, usablity

I started to post this on my personal blog, but considering that I am 30-some odd minutes late for going to bed, I wanted to get this idea out of my head before the bed got the best of me :)

So today I decided to contine the slow down of my life from DC Metro speed to NC/SC speed. Suffice to say, it really is a refreshing and jarring change. But I am adjusting and am finding all types of things that I used to worry about doing immediately, that there really doesn't need to be a pressing for.

I decided to use the N95 (thanks Nokia Blogger Relations) instead of the Treo 680 after church today for webbing and what have you and ran into a really good idea: Instead of sitting at my dekstop and just doing the computer thing there, I would use the multimedia computer (the N95) and play with it as a computer and media accessory via the TV-out interface.

So after plugging in the A/V cables and turning on the TV -- boom, the N95's display was right on the screen in front of me. Now, at this point I was doing my requisite wows and oohs, but then I got serious and said that I wanted to get into some level of browsing and see just how long I could take this "multimedia computer" before running back to the Treo or my dekstop.

As I began to surf the web at EDGE speeds (note: the N95, while a 3G phone, does not support US bands of 3G speed, hence EDGE is as fast as I could go), I noticed that there was less of a need than ever to have a computer, or even cable for that matter. I started by going to sites that I had already saved RSS feeds for, and from there started going to various links. It was pretty cool.

Then I got a few out of memory messages. This kinda miffed me. Here I was with possibly the best feature that a phone could do and the browser was giving me an out of memory error with two browser windows and music playing in the background. Oh well.

I continued my run and it was really fun. I played System Rush (one of the games that came with the N95), and even read a few emails. I did not like that the screen would always orient itself to which ever way I was holding the device. Sometimes, I wanted to keep the wide screen on the TV, but use the keypad to type a few things for example. But overall, I started to realyl dig this kind of computing and began plotting of how such a computing setup could be usable for me in the near future.

Before I settled down for the night, I grabbed a bowl of leftover Chinese food and began to watch some videos that I took from the Cross Movement concert in Woodbridge, VA. This concert was a part of their HIStory Tour and I was really blessed to get to it before I left the DC Metro area. Besides rocking out to a group of fellas who magnify the Lord and produce great music, it hit me how such a setup would be a fast and easy way to attend to teen ministries when resources are low.

You see, the N95 has the ability to not only take video and pictures (5mpx at that!). But can also edit video clips right on the device. Right there one would have the ability to create programs where clips of teens, things that they like, and music could be used as an outreach/inreach mechanism. From there, I had the thought of recoding sermons or talks (I had about 1.5hrs of recording on a 2GB micro SD card) and replaying them at a later time for fellowships and other gatherings. If you will, the N95 made me think of ways where I could take the recording of when ministry happens, and turn it into an avenue for teaching others how to walk like Christ.

Ok, so I am now on my desktop with the N95 playing modem. I don't have a BT keyboard that would work with all of my devices, and so I needed this much in order to type this. But in looking at the N95 and playing with it as I have today, I not only think that it is possible for me to get by without a full computer for everything, but to use my mobile as a door into getting others to see Christ moving in anyone.

Labels: community, mobile, N95, Nokia, Treo 680

I find it surprising that some ads for various devices (except the iPhone) don't take advantage of really showing you what all a smartphone can do. Its pretty impressive, and as I have experienced, some do get a bit jealous of the mobility and accessiblity from time to time.

But did you ever consider what would happen if laptops started revolting against devices such as the N95 -- which Nokia bills as multimedia computers and not smartphones?

I am guessing that the result would be pretty scary (see pic). And as All About Symbian found out, there just might be some(thing) lying in the weeds.

I only post this as a warning to all of you smartphone users out there. Beware the laptop :D

Labels: humor, mobile, N95, Nokia

While it is that I have really enjoyed the n800, especially as a weekend computing device, I don't think that I have maximized it just yet. Now, if my treo keeps actin' up, that will not be a prob.

Nevertheless, here is a post I did earlier which was written on the n800:

Right now i am in the mist of using three phones at once. I have the SIM from my 680 in the N95 so that it can be updated by the internet connection being served by another. Of course, all of thus is being done via the desktop and so there is at least one more comp in the mix. This does free me to get some good time in with the n800 and bemoan the lack of a really well done touchpad bible.

Yikes, i fell asleep in the mist of typing this. The n800 is a good bedside device indeed.

Really, there are not too many missing items from this. Some better logic from the keyboard would be good as well as some wireless profile settings. And a really good hybrid bible app. That would be icing on the cake. the cake. the cake.

Labels: Bible, internet tablet, N800, N95, Nokia, Treo 680, usablity

I have to in some respect apologize to Nokia's Blogger Relations folks. I've been sitting on a near full review of the N800 for a week now and just haven't had the time to complete it. But for them and you here at MMM, expect a something a bit different than those "normal" reviews ;)

I also have a received an N95 from NBR. I'll be swinging that into my usage at the end of this week and taking a look at how my impending mobile status effects the use of that kind of tech for keeping up this site and attending to those folks near and dear. If you will, how does the N95 facilitate ministry, not just enabling it.

So stay tuned. And if you have any questions that the tons of other reviews haven't covered, do ask away.

Off to find a Bible reader and pack now :D

Labels: Bible, mobile, N800, N95, Nokia, usablity

I was just over at Symbian Guru reading this post about Nokia's Project 95 that is taking place. Essentially, a person is going from one end of China to another to raise funds for the China Youth Development Foundation (read the Chinese site via this link). The Nokia sponsored device will be used to blog and log the trip, both showing a side of China that many do not see, as well as what mobile tech can do.

As soon as I read this, I thought about Marco Polo and Paul. Imagine how them having tech such as an N95 could be used to not just share the Gospel (in Paul's case), but also connect with those whom were already visited to give them a taste of the field to be explored. This is something that I'd personally like to see ministries and organizations sponsor more of. Not so much the mission, but the trip itself. Getting to those places where we have to demonstrate the heart of God and in doing so provide an example to the world of how to live in/thru Him.

Labels: China, mission, mobile, N95, Nokia