Mobile Ministry Magazine

Was over at the Visual Story Network (VSN) website checking in on things and reconnecting and came across some new videos that have been published. And while some of these aren't (yet) mobile, they do bridge that part of the conversation that says that no matter what the digital tool that we use, that it has to point to engaging people with the reality of the hope of the Gospel. Here's one that I enjoyed:

Charlie from 36 Parables on Vimeo. And here are links to a few others:

• I Dream Manenberg Trailer
• Together - The Parable of The Wheat and The Weeds
• Wise/Foolish - The Parable of The Wise and Foolish Builders
• Beyond Print to Portray
• VEDHA (Trailer)

Check out these and other videos at the VSN website

Labels: Video, visual media, VSN

Another very cool connection via the Visual Story Network Summit in September was with the folks at Boost.TV.

Boost.TV is one part an evangeltical outreach, but another part a demonstration of a polished and visual approach to opening conversations with I'm anxious to see how they integrate mobile into the mix, because that's going to be where the turbos kick in (ok, bad pun). Check out the promo and then the Boost.TV website for more information and some excellent programming:

Labels: media, Spanish, TV, visual media, VSN

Think Smaller (via @compassion thru @ClydeTaber and #VSN)

Labels: children, evangelism, mission, VSN

Since the Visual Story Network Summit last month, I've had a number of happenings around things related to MMM and outside ministry interests. So much so, that I've had to restart some prayers towards increasing my time and attention towards MMM and these other pieces.

Until a decision is made though, there are a few notes about the Visual Story Network that I'd like to share in the hopes that you, or those whom you live/minister with who are involved in the visual arts would have an additional outlet towards life and ministry.

The first item of note is that there are several initiatives that have come out of the September summit. These have galvanized into virtual groups that have met a few times already in many cases. These groups are all designed around the idea that media platforms are moving from just preaching and printing platforms, to a platform that also portrays Christ. Check out the Groups section of VSN and read some about what is going on.

Another item - more along the mobile angle - is that of the investigation of what a mobile media ministry/platform looks like. I sat in on half of a call with a few other folks who are interested in this, and there's a group started and notes from that call. Check it out and get involved if you are interested in this. One thing that I can say from just sitting in on the call is that its very important that MMM does a better job of presenting examples of what has been and will be working in this area. Its a huge world of mobile to cover.

Lastly, I want to remind you to stay tuned to VSN as next year's summit seems as if it will be much deeper and bigger than this year's. I've just got a feeling that the next one isn't one to be missed and will further encourage, equip, and empower a lot of missions and missionaries, local and global, for Christ. And who knows, maybe more folks will be presenting towards the effect of mobile ;)

Labels: community, VSN

You ever have one of those moments when you have a presentation, but moments before you go up, you realize that one of the analogies that you wanted to use to frame your presentation was way off?

That happened to me while in LA for the VSN Summit. And it was probably the best thing that could have happened - as I've been able to reflect on things. You see, even though I had this nice slide deck ready to go. I really was a stranger in the mist of this group of media vetrans and innovators. That is, until I started introducing myself to them.

When it came time for me to speak (#3 of the first day), I had the exact metaphor that worked not only for the presentation topic, but for exactly the impression that I think people should be getting from a mobile-enabled lifestyle: a handshake.

One of the things about a handshake is that it is almost like getting a second chance for a first impression. Someone might look a particular way, but once you've been introduced and the handshake happens, your perceptions adapt and change. That's a good thing, physical and personal interactions should cause us to change our perceptions of people and the world around us. Its my hope that one of the uses of mobiles within the Body would follow along a similar action-set. That the introduction of mobile enabled services and applications would extend another chance for someone to get to know us just as much as we want to introduce them to our faith.

And to be honest, I think its something that could work - just given the response from those at the summit. You see, I don't think that its just about the development environment, bling, applications, or even the ability of us to be connected that makes the point that mobile is useful in ministry. Its that avenue with mobile that we take that invites others to want to change their perceptions of us.

This is something that can happen with mobile devices, apps, or whatever. But we go to others in full confidence that God will take our faith in that moment and produce something that will someday turn into a part of life that glorifies Him. We go into those communicative events hands open so to speak. Our hands - while holding a mobile device - are open with the possibilities that someone wants to connect with us and see just how our lives are intersecting with theirs at that point.

Its just an idea, and it could be fleshed out in so many ways - hence the title being called an idea. But, its something that I think many times, if we just grasp the fact that our mobiles are a part of just presenting an open handshake to Christ, that we could have that second chance to use that fourth screen for a first impression that just might take us all to an eternal joy. Your thoughts?

Labels: communication, community, mobility, tech, VSN

If I had to rank my experiences of the Visual Story Network Summit, it would have to be one of the questions that I was asked after presenting:

(Paraphrased) Can I ask you a question? And you can be honest with me, I hope that you are. Do you send text messages while you drive? I looked at him blankly, impressed, and convicted - simply saying that "yes, I do SMS while driving.

At that moment, everything that I spoke in that presentation meant nothing, as I showed by that answer my clear selfishness towards tech over people.

For all of the adrenaline that I had going through me, feeling a lot like I did a horrible job - that question not only slapped me back to reality, but in so many respects, leveled the kind of accountability to mobile that I many times do not display at all.

Truly, I've thought about that question all weekend; and today when driving back and forth to/from the office, I picked up my mobile intending to SMS a few people, only to remember that for all that I have in my hands, the lives of others on the road are so much more important.

Christ asks us simply to give our lives for someone else. When we text while driving, we are being selfish; taking the inventory call that their lives matter less than our own. Totally convicted by that moment, I'm changed. I hope that in Christ's stead, and as accountabilty for yourself and others around you, that you would consider putting down the mobile while driving as well.

Labels: accessiblity, SMS, tech, VSN

Greetings and blessings to all. This past week I attended the Visual Story Network Summit and had a great time connecting and engaging the hearts and minds of a slew of incredible people. Besides my own presentation, there were a number of panels and presentations from others much more versed in the art and ministry of digital story telling that I. And yet, I felt very much in the company of equals.

Many of you are visiting MMM for the first time today (and in the coming days) and so a lot of what you might find here can be deep or overly technical. Don't let that discourage you from searching the site. Concerning mobile and ministry, there's a lot that has been talked about here over the course of the last 4-5 years. That being said, here's a bit of the notes that I scribbled on the last day of the VSN Summit that will end up being content topics here in the posts/days to come:

"Copy the Master", 4Cs Framework, Mentoring with Mobile (The Handshake Idea), Idolizing Technology over Spiritual Development, Accountability after the Presentation, Mobile as A Windows into God's Story, Best Practices in Spiritual and Mobile COmmunication, Generalized COmmunication Issues Exposed by Mobile, Pointing People to VSN and Other Mobile Video Thoughts, Instead of Making Networks - Be a Network, Face the Book, and Creating a Mobile Story Project

All of those are subjects and titles of posts to come. There's certainely some more beyond those as well. I'd like to invite you to join MMM for a ride into those things next. And at the same time, feel open to ask questions and seek answers where your life intersects with mobile technology.

As for me, I've been challenged to live in faith concerning MMM. I have no clue of what to do, or what is right, only that God and the Body are requiring me to lead more than I ever have before. Your prayers are definitely petitioned for.

And by the way, if she's reading, I'll be looking for that Palm Pre video review :)

Whether mobile or something else, God's story is the greatest story that so many people have never heard/smelled/seen/touched. Wanna help a bro change that?

Labels: VSN

I've got a small but probably good-working theory about mobile and many people who are categorized as being "unreached:" I think that mobile presents the opportunity to reach them - personally, effectively, and consistently.

Its been my experience that mobile isn't an answer though, its another tool on the utility belt, that when used in light of its positive and negative implications, can have a profound impact on the teacher and student alike towards maturing in Christ.

Its to that end and this point that I'm speaking in Los Angeles right about as this is going up at the Visual Story Network's 2009 Leadership Summit Conference. I was asked to speak on the subject of mobile, specifically where it fits in a world where visual media (film, movie, YouTube, etc.) has become a driver behind many evangelical influences.

Mobile is only a piece though to the entire puzzle. There's more than just visual media that's effected by mobile, and certainly there are more areas to which these lessons in mobile can be applied.

What is clear though is that every new technological paradigm gives us a second chance to make that first impression. That impression being that Jesus truly is the Way, the Truth, and the Life to which we not just find peace towards living, but a hope towards living with Him next.

To those not able to be at the conference, I hope that you can enjoy the presentation slides, and chime in via Twitter (@mobileminmag). Mobile is only the 4th screen, but the chance to impact someone with Christ's life/love is something that we can't let wait until a second meeting.

Labels: 4th Screen 1st Chance, issues, VSN

This is an abstract from an upcoming speech that I'll be doing in September at the Visual Story Network's Leadership Conference. I'm posting it here to get some initial thoughts and provoke some conversation:

For some, mobile is another opportuninty to push into themselves and outside of the reach of the cares of this world. For others mobile is an opportunity to connect and get answers for questions will make or break that eternal relationship. One thing is clear, mobile - commonly referred to as the 4th screen of visual media - has the opportunity to reinvent how we think about how others make that first connect to Christ.

Here's how to think about this abstract in its context - visual media, preaching, community-engagement, footsteps. Let's chat :)

Labels: mobility, visual media, VSN

Mobile Ministry Magazine began its run by releasing quarterly issues which contained reviews, editorials, and how-to articles which would enable readers to get a hold onto mobile and web technology and further see how these are being used. While the issues are no longer being published, there are several series of articles which are published from time to time in keeping with the original purpose of having "issues" which are able to be recorded and discussed.

Issues

• MMM Issue 1: Premiere Issue (PDF)
• MMM Issue 2 (PDF)
• MMM Issue 3: Mobile Tech in Ministerial Roles (PDF)
• MMM Issue 4: At the Intersection of Faith and Technology
• MMM Issue 5: Keep Moving Forward

Special Reports

• MMM Mobile Experiment Report (PDF)
• MMM Smartphone Guide
• Church in the 7th Dimension
• Parents and Mobile Kids (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)
• The Paperless Pulpit (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)
• 2009 BibleTech Presentation: Speaker Abstract and Audio | Outline (HTML)
• 2009 Visual Story Network Presentation

Labels: BibleTech, Church and the 7th Dimension, Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, issue 5, issues, Paperless Pulpit, Parents and Mobile Kids, VSN