Mobile Ministry Magazine

Apologies for the post out of sync with the usual posting schedule, but after reading the Washington Posts' views on the Pope's message, I figured that a response from MMM would be most appropriate.

To those who have been following Mobile Ministry Magazine, you know that we've always advocated the use of technology (mobile and web computing) when it intersects with the daily interactions that we have with life around us. Whether that daily interaction is person-to-person, person(s)-to-community, or personal devotions, there's a response to the intersection of faith and technology that's demanded as part of the context of the times that we live in. There doesn't need to be an official statement from anyone on it - this is the DNA of walking in this Christian faith.

That being said, the challenge is to walk not in the ways of others when it comes to the use of this technology. We are defined by our intense love for God and one another - therefore we model our use of this technology after that, not in light of what others are doing.

Personally, I think that its great that others in the Body are coming around to understanding mobile and web technology. However, to just understand it now, and then dive in without understanding of its implications is foolhardy. There's nothing worse than when the Body of Christ puts on something and it looks like a bad copy of what someone else has already done. And then cannot account for the consequences of that display or presentation. We've got to model not just contextual use, but continual maturity.

I'd like to believe that pastors/layleaders have the shared spiritual and technical understanding to use this tech - but history present and past dictates that not being the case. Those are who enabled in the Body to teach spiritual truths need to come up beside those who are technically able to use the tools of this age and together build on our faith. Sorry, we can't wait for a generation of pastors to come forth who have this shared knowledge - it will be too late.

The voice of Christ will remain constant and truthful in every generation that earnestly seeks Him and His Kingdom. On this site, we've espoused this in our asking of you to take a look at your lives at the intersections of faith and mobile technology. We've already responded to the call and demonstrated the ability He's endowed us with. The next steps are to enable others to preach, teach, and live this Gospel. Anything short of that is just a bad attempt at secular marketing.

Note:
This post is based on the message recently shared by Pope Benedict XVI at the 44th World Communications Day event and the resulting article at the Washington Post (via Smart Mobs).

Labels: devotion, discipliship, faith, innovation, mobility, tech, Web

Here's a press release about a new product called Twext from the folks at Church Community Builder (CCB). Seems like a solid product for those organizations who'd like to add the additional broadcast layers of Twitter and texting to their church/organizational communications.

Colorado Springs, CO, JANUARY 4, 2010—Church Community Builder (CCB) (http://www.churchcommunitybuilder.com), the pioneer of socially-based church management (ChMS), has released an innovative new communications tool that combines Text Messaging and Twitter - called CCB Twext - that will provide church and small group leaders with leading edge communications capabilities.

"Effective communication tools are critical for all churches. Because CCB highly values the interactive social nature of church communities, adding Text Messaging as a communication option was a no-brainer for us," states Steve Caton, VP of Sales and Marketing. "However, we really wanted to take the next step by providing a way to seamlessly integrate texting with Twitter, thereby adding yet another communications vehicle to the mix where appropriate."

CCB Twext™ Offers the Following Benefits:

Group Texting: In addition to email and mail merge, every Group Leader has the option to communicate with their Group participants via Text Messaging.

Twitter Integration: If a group within the church has its own Twitter account, the Group Leader can add that account to their CCB Group. When utilized, a Text Message sent to the group will also immediately post as a Tweet on the group Twitter™ feed. This further extends the reach of the Text Message to those who may not receive text messages but are a member of the Twitter group.

Member Controlled: Group members have full control over their ability to receive text messages. They must proactively edit their CCB profile before receiving them. This ensures people don’t end up paying for text messages they do not wish to receive.

CCB Twext represents another major milestone and differentiator for CCB’s innovative church management solution. In addition to providing benefits to the entire congregation, CCB also offers the most robust communication tools to your leadership so they can remain connected to those they serve in the most relevant manner possible. For more information or to speak with someone at Church Community Builder about this and other valuable functionality, email sales@churchcommunitybuilder.com or call 1-866-242-1199.

Labels: ChMS, Church IT, communication, community, SMS, twitter, Web

One of the hardest points that I hear and am asked in conversastions (whether personal or MMM-related) is this idea of what's relevant technology. Now, this question is usually coming from those who are either from an older generation, or from a time/area where there is a such thing as a primary news/information source. This endears the ubquious nature of mobile and web communications to be slightly misunderstood. And that's ok. There are two sides to that perception, and part of that is why MMM exists - the intersection of faith and mobile (and web) technology looks differently to everyone.

But what does that intersection look like and how can we respond? One report talks about the issues relating to digital dependency, and where those aspects of dependency take place:

Seventy percent of respondents across 11 markets say they either could not live without the internet or would miss it a great deal if it wasn't there, while 69% said the same for TV.

Whose digital love affair is the greatest? Ninety-two percent of Brits, 91% of Spaniards, 90% of Australians and 89% of both Dutch and American respondents rate the internet as completely necessary to their lives.

Is dependency an issue? Yes and no. You have to realize that information's relevancy is different depending on what and whom you are talking to. Age, economies, accessiblity, etc. all matters differently. You have to acknowledge the doors that matter to your target group, and then allow them to respond back in kind.

Just because what you have is relevant though doesn't matter that people will want it in the manner you prefer. TechCrunch highlighted this in their recent piece about real-time communitation and how that's changing news reporting, whether TV, radio, and newspapers like it or not. Yes, we want the news from verifiable sources, but we also want the news when its news, not as leftovers after the fact.

Bringing this back to the Body, what we can do to maximize our use of mobile and web technology? Simple, don't get stuck in the mindset that one-way always works (aka, there is no silver bullet). Be willing to experiment with alternate communication methods, and don't be afraid to speak to people, getting from them feedback towards what would work best for them. Nothing is worse than a church passing out paper announcements every Sunday to realize that people aren't reading them - but would have no problem reading them if they came to their email or mobile. Simple things like this need to not just be considered, but utilized.

A last note about relevancy and mobile/web: I'm very well acquainted about the fears people have about being too connected (this story illustrates probably the scariest reality for many); but the truth is that this will continue. People will connect and share - not even realizing personal, communial, or national issues involved. People want to continue the intimacy of humanity with one another. And despite those fears, this tech is moving on. Relevancy at the intersection means that we don't jump in the way, but we provide the signs towards wisdom and understanding so that others follow right-standing, not just shiny-tweeting.

Labels: community, mobility, tech, Web

One of the pitfalls that I run into when thinking/doing mobile happens to be one of the more notable items illustrated here: there are approx 4 billion registered mobile devices (3.5-3.75 billion mobile users) but only 1-1.2 billion of them access the web on their mobile (how big is mobile). See what I see? 25-33% of mobile users are online, how does one develop a ministry with mobile when its more than just the web that's needed?

Now, its been noted (by Google's Eric Schmitt) that mobile can be a magic wand - of sorts. If you will, its not necessarly the fact that the mobile is connected, but because of its various sensors and the analytics kept with them, a mobile device could unlock interactions where there was none before. This is what I wish to get to get you - the mobile thinking minister or org - to ponder, plan, and do.

Imagine a church with this stance. The doorpost into the church was a digital bulletin board where people posted dates of their salvation, healings, disciples, etc. Bibles in the pew were just as often read as they were photographed and then messaged to those who couldn't be at the sanctuary (mobile camera with OCR, send as SMS, MMS, or email). Sermons and studies were recorded, transcribed on the spot (speech to text on the mobile), and then posted (online) and messaged (SMS, email, IM) for other communities to interact. And instead of tracks/pamphlets/leaflets, people received cards with pictures or barcodes on them to which they could not just read The Gospel, but are encouraged to share the card with someone else so that they could interact with the Gospel - read, SMS for prayer, map to local church(es), etc. - and be called to the action of sharing that card with someone else.

Its these kinds of interactions that mobile allows us as a Body to work with. The key is to not get stuck on the web. Yes, there's a signifiant portion of mobile that means "web." But, we can't get stuck there if we are going to be applicable to those persons who's concept of web is the spider they greet every morning.

Take a good look at this video of a CSI spot where they talked about using a QR Code to crack a case. Note how many interactions, both web-based and not, that were facilitated - with the mobile as simply a wand. Then, try something similar in your ministry/org and let us know how it fares :)

Labels: innovation, Internet, mobility, Web

A few days ago, I came across a really neat link from Nokia's recent Nokia World Conference. It was of a possibility for some future uses of mobile-like technologies combined with the real world and the Internet. Here's the video:

For the way that I think about how I interact with media and information, especially within a church or bible study setting, I can see some value in some of the interaction approaches taken here.

One of those things that I really like though, and something that I could see in some level - maybe not with the glasses - is that idea of the world as an interface layer. If you will, seeing and interacting with the world around you, with the context of linked data on top of it.

So much like the woman viewing her news posts within the "browser," I could see a host of users within a church or bible study setting instead of being shown the text of Scripture, seeing just verses on a screen. And then as they hold up their mobile's cameras, or special glasses, they would unlock the ability to interact with that data. Sort of like Logos' RefTagger, but instead of being done on a browser, its being done with some character recognition, along with connection to data streams (personal, church's, and publisher's - all working together).

Beyond that, I would see a shared space, something like YouVersion Live that would be an aggregate place for those saved/shared discussions. With this total interactive experience being a part of that door that we as the Body offer to the world around us.

Its a dream, and one that I have often - everytime that I open my mobile in church I want to do just this scene of linking my data to the pastor's and others in the community. But, its one that I think would be possible, if we were to take a chance by mixing up things a bit, and allowing the tech to actually speak towards how it was created to be used. What do you think?

Labels: Bible, community, visual media, Web

Great article over at GigaOM talking about the differences between two styles of education. The really interesting this is the tie-in to web/mobile-based education and the ways that we have traditionally gone about teaching. This article highlights that there could be a better way if the technology was better utilized, and the focus taken off of memorization and scoring and put into contextualization, comprehension, and application.

I know that to me this is very interesting stuff. I personally tend to try all kinds of learning/teaching methods in order to see what works for me/groups and what doesn't. I've found out a lot about myself in doing so. I've also found that some people just don't like change, no matter how ineffective a current method is.

When we start doing things with web and mobile, there's a chance to reassess how we learn and teach, and then seek to find better solutions to common problems. In light of this, has there been anything that web or mobile technology has exposed to you as an issue in teaching/being taught by others? Or, has web/mobile been a solution for you where other paradigms weren't as useful?

Labels: commentary, communication, community, education, mobility, tech, Web

In trying to better understand where you are going, its best to see what has already happened. If you will, history is a good indicator to the future, though not always accurate to a tee.

This excellent post from the Jewish Publication Society's Dr. Ellen Frankel is a key piece of understanding for those who want to use Web 2.0 tech and principles towards their ministries/organizations. Also, for students doing research towards how mobile tech mirrors prior art, this is an excellent starting piece. Here's a snippet:

The Mishnah was the Rabbis' first attempt to expand beyond the Bible, but it failed because it was a closed system. In effect, it was Web 1.0: top-down, non-participatory, read-only, and designed for repetition, as its own name suggests. The Rabbis’ next effort, the Talmud, was a much more dynamic system. In fact, the Talmud has dominated Jewish practice and study for almost 1500 years. It also represented a leap from Web 1.0 to 2.0.

The Talmud is built upon the content architecture of the Mishnah. Each Talmudic discussion, called a sugya (Aramaic for "a walk" or "path") begins with a short passage from the Mishnah. It then proceeds to walk the reader through a meandering conversation about what the passage means, what it doesn’t mean, and how many permutations various rabbis can dream up to read it in different ways

Read the rest.

By the way, you can listen to this as it was presented at the Bible Tech 2009 Conference (Speaker Abstract, MP3 audio, PowerPoint via Slideshare). I will not lie one bit when I say how excited listening/seeing this presentation at Seattle made me. Some things are just clearer when history is given.

Labels: BibleTech, community, Jewish, Mishnah, Talmud, Web