Mobile Ministry Magazine

Some months ago, Cynthia Ware and I were asked if a few articles that we'd written could appear in a special edition convention magazine for the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB). After passing a few last minute emails, the post The Church in the 7th Dimension made it into this special edition.

I was quite excited Tuesday to receive in the mail the issue where the article appears (p.34). Personally speaking, its an exciting moment for MMM as it validates what web've been speaking about from the beginning - that the Body has to understand the use and impact of mobile technology, not only for the benefit of evangelism, but because our lifestyles are more and more crossing that intersection.

Here's hoping to more opportunites for writing in other publications, as well as, getting some teaching opportunities in now that my calendar has freed up considerably.

Labels: commnuity, community, Digital Sanctuary, mobile, tech

Ricky Cadden of SMSTextNews and Symbian Guru has reported that "Abilene Christian University has officially become the first university in the U.S. to provide an iPhone or iPod Touch to all incoming freshmen."

According to the Abilene Christian University mobile learning website, this is a part of their Connected initative. Programs and the campus has been designed to facilitate mobile learning and mobile lifestyle engagement.

I wonder how the religious/spiritual organizations on Abilene's campus address this shift in mobile tech? We talked before about how a program of churches partnering with communties towards tech education would be something that current technology makes possible. I wonder if there are any initatives on college campuses that are similar, or even further reaching than what Abilene is doing?

If anyone reading has info towards this end of the tech engagement, please comment here towards how the adoption happens there.

Labels: commnuity, community, education, iPhone, mission, tech

I commented on a recent post at the Mobile Opportunity blog that the idea of hybrid apps is something that should be better explored, especically by Bible software manufacturers. As more and more users are expecting to interact with their content online, yet be able to use it profitably offline as well, to do an hybrid (or RIA in developer speak) application is not just a possiblity, but the way applications are gonig.

So what are some possible routes that these hybrid applicaitons can go? As one developer noted (referenced in the MO blog), there are 3 million platforms with 100 users each. In other words, with over 3.3 billion users of mobile phones, there are very few dominant platforms. There really isn't any that are. Unless one wants to say that the browser is. And then things get interesting. One, because there are several players, but two because most of them are trying to bring the best web solution after the aftermath of the iPhone.

Some examples of developer tools for making hybrid applications include Java, Adobe AIR, Silverlight, Flash, and just plain ole' CSS/XHMTL-driven AJAX. For the most part, mobile browsers can do the latter, but its when you add that additional layer via something like Adobe AIR, things can really get interesting. Besides creating something that is accessible online, the paradigm of use is extended to blend the online-offline realms and then richer content and productivity can be taken into account.

The positives in this approach are that content publishers can keep their licenses and continue to sell their content. Softawre developers though would be resigned to creating facnier and more intuitive packaging, drawing people in with service add-ons such as online storage or integration with other web services. And finally end-users will have competiting and mostly useful solutions for staying informed, but also connected towards their preference. The downside of this is that there will be more subscription-based services, but as you move from a client-application to a service-application model this is something that is bound to happen (as services meet critical mass this cost is a lot easier to swallow all around).

An example of a near-hybrid Bible reader application is Laridian's iPocketBible. Its a browser service/application that allows the transfer of content from the iPhone/iPod Touch owner's device to any other device that has a suitable browser. And with added features such as the new bookmarks and desktop syncing, its only a matter of time before others come, and take what we know of as just a browser and make it more than just a place to consume information.

Another example of this is Google Gears. Google Gears allows for some AJAX driven websites to be used offline, and then when the user gets a connection again, sync back to the online item. When I was at Bible study last night, I began by using eBible and wished for this functionality to be something there for my notes. Wouldn't you know that a port of Google Gears for the Internet Tablet had even been released. Now it would be up to websites to support such a feature (here's one way to do so) and then users to take it and run.

There's more than a place for hybrid apps to take up where many of us have been disappointed in the condition of mobile Bible readers. The question now is if developers and companies see the writing on the wall, and take things a considerable step towards a future of ubiquious connectivity.

Labels: browser, commnuity, community, software

As more people are using mobile devices of all types as parts of their world, we are engaging one another in ways that are not dissimilar to being a new kid on a large campus. There are plenty of things to do and places to explore, but like all things, life without measuring these connections to the truths of the Gospel can cause undo suffering. How then do we balance this connectivity to the fact that the world has changed around us? And what is our responsiblity towards those who've not yet entered this "connected campus?"

Connected Campus

One of the myths of computing is that it is like other media. If you will, that like TV and radio before it, it is a self contained silo of information where connections are passively created by those with more capital or power. What has quickly become the truth though is that because of the "web" nature of the Internet and its associated technologies, the power is actually in the information, rather than in those who dissemate it. Because the reader, or connected participant, can decide to accept and continue to read, or move onto something else, the power of information is now in the hands of those who are willing to go out and get it, rather than those who are more apt to go out and serve it.

The Gospel Balance

This sounds a lot like that switch that Jesus aspoused the disciples to when he told them to "go out to all the world and make disciples." In effect, he was saying that in no way is this information good enough for just you to have and no one else. If you will, secret knowledge has no place. They were encouraged, and afterwards empowered to go to as many places as physically possible and spread the Good News. So in effect, by spreading the Gospel, people were to make connections that made for community, and overall a better quality of life for all.

Today's Connectivty

We have multiple means of connecting to the world around us. We can go TV, radio, Internet on a desktop, tablet, phone. We can set up concerts and other events as points of engagement. And then we can mash all of these things together to create something a bit more "community-ish." This is great, but like in all things, if we lose the point of making community, then we become more driven by statistcs and numbers, rather than that commission we are all encouraged to meet (go out and make disciples, teaching them to observe all that the Father as commanded).

Balancing Connectivity with Commission

Therein lies the fun part: balancing connectivity and its ever-changing ways with the commission and its ever-present consistancy. Some have taken the road to meter thier use of modern connectivity options because they have seen that it has taken them away from interacting with the people they were called to disciple. Some have increased their ability to connect with people because while the commission has not changed, the amount of sheep in the pasture has - considerably. In all cases, one has to take a survey of the commission (that doesn't change) and how they are following through with completing the vision as it was given. When there is more of an emphasis on the tool than the mission, then reevaluations should lead to repentance and reordering of connectivity.

And What About Those Not Connected

Instead of casting a net towards all of those possiblites of those who are not connected, I'd like to just concetrate on those whom are closer to our immediate spheres.

Those who might benefit from the digital aspects of connectivity should be not only trained on how to handle the Word and technology, but also learn by lesson and example what it means to do "responsible use." This means teaching things like how to evaluate what technology is best, how to choose the right option for email, and how to discern truth on the Internet. To teach these people how to understand technology we are taking that motto of teaching them how to fish literally; we are giving them the ability to discern and grow with the technology so that they can teach others.

Then there are those who have technology but are abusing it. To these people we also want to teach them how to evaluate technology. But, we want to teach them the dangers of pride and disallusion that comes from absuing connectivity. For example, as pastor once wrote here that he was happy that his computer was sent off for repair because he had not realized (even with others in his ear) that it had become and idol and instead of sheparding God's people, he was sheparding a computer. As I've learned so much in the past, just because you can do it does not mean that its good for you to do.

Graduating From Campus

Well, not exactly. This isn't college where you get a degree and then there's the real world. For many of us, some type of interaction with computers and the Internet is the real world. And like in college, you have to learn how to navigate the surroundings so that you can get through, but also so that others might be able to grab a hold of God's enabling (grace) so that they too can see that life is more than just trying to keep up with the Jonses.

Labels: accessiblity, Bible, commnuity, community, mission, mobile, tech

Following on yesterday's post on writing notes while reading/studying, how are your mobile devices and services enabling you to keep towards your resolutions of reading the Word more consistently?

To those of you having trouble keeping pace with those resolutions, what do you need from the community of believers around you (online and offline) to help you continue your reading goals?

Labels: Bible, commnuity, devotion

From The Ongoing Adventures of ASBO Jesus, comic number 371:

I wonder what this would look like when mobile and Web 2.0/3.0 is added into the equasion?

Labels: commnuity, community, mobile, tech

Cynthia Ware has taken a look look at how Christian missionaries are using new media as parts of their efforts to connect and share news of their connections when away from their "roots." Here's a snippet:

...Today's missionaries are using blogs, facebook, shutterfly and other social media to extend their connectedness, reward their supporters and create archived memories of their unique adventures. Whether missionaries are serving on short term teams or serving in long term posts, they need no longer be disconnected from their points of origin, hometowns, partners, sending churches, extended families, etc. In fact, if they have internet access, there's virtually (no pun intended) no reason they can't be very connected...

Read the rest at Digital.Leadnet and also check out Cynthia's site Digital Sanctuary for more views on ministry, media, and their convergance.

Labels: accessiblity, Bible, church, commnuity, community, email, gospel, mission, mobile, mobile accessories, mobiles, networking, phone, podcast, software, tech, usablity, worship

Something that I have learned in the time that I have been around the idea of mobile ministry is that what is mobile and works for me, may not be mobile and works for you. Mobile, just like automobiles and pens, is a highly personal yet community reaching technology. Its very easy to get into the mindset that what works for me, might work for someone else. Are there lessons that can be gleaned from one person to another? Yes, and in fact that should be the case in this type of media technology. What we do need to do is something that the Body should be doing from the get go, understanding and appreciating our varying gifts, and then pressing towards a life that looks like that of one taught to by Christ.

I had a conversation with someone recently that was of the ilk that the Body has a hard time reaching various age groups and demographics. And while I agree, I see the need to understand why those difference exist, and then push those to the background so that we can get to the business of being a model of Christ to the world around us.

Of course then, we have to ask that question of how does mobile do that; because if it is usable, then it has to be able to point or enable us to point others to Him?

So that question I shall put out there for you to think about for a bit, how does whatever you use put you or others in the position of looking like that Church that Christ is coming back for?

Labels: commnuity, community, tech

Just read a really good article where CBS Mobile chief Cyriac Roeding said something really important that not only speaks to the area he was speaking, mobile advertisiting and how to maximize it, but to the Body and how our endavors need to be shaped around the fact that the medium is different. This is a snippet of that piece:

The CBS executive had led off the discussion by saying that advertisers have to understand why they need to be on mobile phones. "If you can't answer that question in 10 seconds, you're out of the game," he said. The answer should be, he went on, that mobile is the only medium that people carry with them 18 hours a day.

Mobile is also starting to provide reach to advertisers as sites gain larger audiences. Roeding noted that during the last quarter, CBS Mobile's sports section drew 75 million mobile page views and 5 million unique visitors during the fourth quarter.

But he warned against trying to promote mobile as a smaller version of the computer or TV screen. "If you are trying to make this the next online page, you will fail...because this is a new medium in its own right. "

I've touched on this in a previous article in saying that mobile is something more than just the sum of previous media endavors; to use it well requires that we not just be innovative, but relevant.

As part of a growing number of believers who understand what roles being mobile plays, its key that we understand what mobile is not. It's not a computer, though accessiblity and usability are there. Its not radio and TV, though video and audio are parts of the experience that should not be overlooked. Its not print either, though the effects are just as long lasting, inside and outside of the box o'bits and bytes. Being mobile is a case of a totally different paradigm, and something that the church is well past the potin were we need to embrace it.

I'd be one to make the argument that being effective in the Body with mobile tech is a matter of getting to the roots of what it means to be effective in the Body - "be distinct and bring fame to God not [ourselves]". I am pretty sure that we are able to do that if we pool our knowledge and gifts together and then step out and do something a bit different. The key is just not trying to be what we used to be in tech, and take things at that intersection of faith and tech, and make a noticable sign to the heart of God for all people.

Labels: church, commnuity, community, gifts, gospel, mission, mobile, tech

So I finally have been able to get a Bible onto my N800 Internet Tablet. And this is a good thing, except that I should have done this Monday when I made the decision that I wanted to blog a bible study. In thinking about how to expand the ability to spread the wealth (so to speak) when it comes to a Bible study; I wanted to blog the study and then go back and link the verses and highlight the notes in order to have something that is not just good for me, but for any who decide that they are studying on a particular piece of the Bible and wanted to have some modern commentary along with their study.

So instead of a study that was done with Rapier and posted via Wordply; I just rolled along with a simple study using BibleGateway and the browser, along with the built in Notes application. Simple on both accounts and mostly effective. The following are the lightly edited notes of the study as I intended to post them:

Title: Blogging A Bible Study Via A Tablet

Tool: Maemo WordPly beta

Purpose: To investigate the ability to blog a Bible study, and the hypertext social constructs of meeting in a place where mobility is now an assumed cultural norm.

Some goals: To outline, write personal and community notes (annotated properly), and to later insert links to relevant verses that pertain to the discussion; to then share the entire study as a blog posting on Mobile Ministry Magazine

Ironically, I am starting this offline because I am having issues getting connected via the network here in the coffeehouse (It's A Grind). Not that I am complaining, because I have a really good drink. But this doesn't bode well as a start.

Study of Leviticus
Chapter 8 to (hopefully) the end

Where did it take place: Sinai
How Long; About 14 months
Types of offerings (he used candy analogies to describe these): chocolate and bitter
- what was also required on a guilt offering: pay the person back 120%
- Some sins have different consequences, but all are sin in the same weight

Chapter 8-10: The Priesthood
Chpt. 8: do this, o
Chapter 9:1-7, 22-24
- one of the signs to be completed consumes means that it was accepted
- There was a specific order, and now instead of there just being Moses as the priest, now Aaron and the sons take over those responsibilities
- the theme of Leviticus being holiness
Chapter 10: incorrect offering by the sons of Aaron
- how we do things is more important than what weee do

Clean and Unclean (Chapters 11-19)
- usually those things temp clean or unclean had to do with humans
- this was done for distinction from other cultures
- an aspect of hygiene that was not observed (personal note)
- What did God have in mind about this that it was not so much the rules, but the consequences behind what we do that effect other people
- year of jubilee
- these principles are in place for a specific order; are we distinctly set apart as Christians because of these

Chapter 19
v9-19: the justice of God; this hierarchy is for order

Chapter 20
penalties for social and family disobedience

Feasts
- there were seven feasts
- God was a hands on God who engaged the senses of the faithful
- passover; feast of unleavened bread; feast of first-fruits; Pentecost (50 days after the 7th sabbath); feast of the trumpets; day of atonement; feast of booths/tabernacles

Chapter 24, Year of jubilee

Chapter 26:
v3-5: if you do these things then you will prosper; the reason to bless them was to display God's holiness, for them to be distinct and bring fame to God not themselves
- cannot have the mindset that the blessings is for you, but meant to make you distinct for God
[end]

I should mention here that the study we are doing is a light OT survey. For such a study, its good to have the ability to annotate/tag items for reference, but also relate them to other resources so that one is adept in discussions later. My setup with the IT did not maximize on these points, but the building blocks are there for such integration.

A big thanks too DWatts and all the rest who have been very encouraging in helping me to get Rapier installed on the IT; now let's see what can be done to change things up a bit.

Labels: Bible, commnuity, community, internet tablet, mobile accessories, mobiles, N800, software, Sword Project

Want to keep up with MMM and several other sites via one page (or RSS feed)? Check out the MMM Jaiku channel. Several sites and discussions going on there currently. Here are a few notables.

- Would anyone be interested in a MMM meetup in Charlotte in February?

- I'm sure this is a well known bible study site but I thought I'd share it just in case

- Palmsolo's coverage of BibleTech 2008.

- Pirating of Logos, Wordpress, and other resources.

Some of the websites that have RSS feeds on the MMM channel include:
- Church Tech Matters
- Christian Computing Magazine
- The Digital Sanctuary
- Bible Software Review Weblog
- ESV Bible Blog
- and more

Jump on over or subscribe to the RSS/Atom feed for the MMM Jaiku channel and engage folks with a bit of social networking.

Labels: Bible, BibleTech, commnuity, Jaiku, meetup, mission, mobile, tech

In giving tech, I've always tried to maintain a standard where I would only give to a person that has need, and to a situation where the person can take advantage of the item with as little negative disruption as possible. For that reason, I find it fun to give away devices that I no longer use. For one, it keeps my gadget closet pretty empty, but also provides a means for someone else to gain accessiblity that I've enjoyed. For example, my recent move to the N75 left my Treo 680 without a user. I ended up giving it to an entreprenur in Charlotte who had been struggling with having a working calendar and phone solution for her endavors.

Two people in the blogsphere also seem to carry this mantra of gifting are Sammy McLoughlin and Tim Samoff. Sammy McLoughlin runs the website Palm Addict is is quite frequent in giving away devices that he no longer uses in frequent give-aways. From smartphones to laptops to memory cards to mobile accessories. He's got a ton of things that come across his desk, and does an excellent job in making sure that others are empowered towards not just using their devices, but talking about how they use it so that a community of users can benefit. The current giveaway is of a 15in Apple Powerbook. Considering all the folks I know who like Apple, I'm sure that he will get a lot of solid feedback towards mobililty for this one.

Tim Samoff is another who's recently jumped into the giving game. Tim recently received a Nokia N810 Internet Tablet from the good folks at Maemo (the Internet Tablet developement folks). The thing is, he already has an N810 and so has decided to donate it to a deserving software developer. Tim's asking for comments at his blog and the Internet Tablet Talk website towards whom might be the deserving receipient.

Its really neat to be associated with people who understand that technology means more when you can give it to someone who'll do something really cool with it. That's one of the reasons for doing MMM on my end, and its good to know that those gifts become gifts all around.

Labels: Apple, commnuity, gifts, internet tablet, N800

Aside from my own disappointments in not getting there, the 2008 BibleTech Conference is underway. Updates are coming from the Logos blog as well as PalmSolo.

Do make sure that if you have any questions towards what's happening at the conference that you speak up in one of those discussions.

Labels: BibleTech, commnuity, Logos

As many of you know, there has been a very serious outbreak of violence in Kenya over the past many weeks. The brother whom we blessed with a Treo 650 a few summers ago is one of many who is effected by the violence that is happening there. Here is the text of one of the emails that he has been able to send:

It good to get another opportunity to write you. It is long since I communicated to you. We are here trying to survive by God's grace. The situation in Kenya is on and off so is still unpredictable about when we will have stability in this nation. My city was brought down and it is going to take several years and great financial investment to bring Kisumu city where it is supposed to be.

A week or two ago I got $130 from brother Paul $70 for me and my family and 60 for the children's Home. I was able to just give in some down payment for the last months rent since the landlord wanted money and bought some food for my family and the part for the children I gave it out to brother Peter that buy some school stationary for the children in preparation for school and to feed them. School situation though is still a problem because of chaos everywhere in Kenya.

Now brother we remained with nothing again. since I our business was brought down by looters, we have been actually starving. Since Thursday till Sunday lunch time we have been feeding on unripened mangoes and water. It is was fortunate that we have a mango tree in our property so we our able to have something to eat. In all these God agave us peace regardless of a much that is going on here and there.

On Sunday afternoon, I thought about to borrow 2kilograms of corn floor to make some food and we realized that we did not have vegetable to eat our Ugali with. Then around 3.30pm my son Brian remember his tortoise and he and his cousin Samuel butchered and we eat tortoise meat with Ugali (staff made out maize or corn floor). Friend, right as I write you this email, it is miracle 20 Kenya shillings from a friend that has enabled me to write. I have not had anything since morning and it is now 1.55pm and my family is in the house getting a mango again with water.

Please pray dear friends that God provides for us and that we get money to start this business again. Please pray we are starving and suffering. We do not have anything. I have walked to town and I am walking back again it is hard friend.

Thank you so much for hearing from me and for your prayers. You may not send us [money] bacause you are not able but send your prayers and words of encouragement will help us. Please pray.

As you can see from this, the situation is pretty dire there. For the Body in Kenya, there's just not a lot that people can do except rely on God and the generosity of others to get by.

So all I ask is that you pray for Kenya. And if you have the ability to, find a means to support ministries in Kenya. Of all the places where the Body is needed, its in that ability to be a place of peace, a well if you will, for those who are parched because of the sitation there. Thanks.

Labels: commnuity, Kenya, mission, Treo 650

Was at Mobile Read a bit ago and they have an interesting (lively) discussion going on speaking on a quote from Steve Jobs (via the NYT) where he says:

It doesn't matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don't read anymore," he said. "Forty percent of the people in the U.S. read one book or less last year. The whole conception is flawed at the top because people don't read anymore.

Jobs was speaking on the Amazon Kindle eBook reader and its goal of being the "iPod of books." But the comment does bring to light something that many of us in tech have to assess often?

Does using electronic reading devices (eBook, laptop, PDA, smartphone, etc.) help or hinder your Bible reading?

Labels: Apple, Bible, commnuity, reading

Having gotten back into using the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet, I have wanted to move into one of the main reasons that I have for getting it - to invogorate how I read, study, and journal the Bible. That being said, there has not been a lot done in this area on the Internet Tablet, and part of it is probably because no-one really knows what to do.

Let's start with a few simple situations, and then go from there:

- You are at a cafe on a nice day, and would like to read the Bible. There is wifi and so using it would be preferred. Services such as iPocketBible, eBible, and YouVersion are available, and so you read and do. While they are different in what they offer, the key thing here is that you have the ability to read while online, and do a few things on top of that.

- You are in the car as a passenger, and would like to continue your reading that you started at the cafe. Being that you are not near a hotspot, the only options for connecting online would be through your mobile phone. However, that could get expensive quickly. So you decide to fire up a bible reader and go from there. And yes, that works too, but the notes are a seperate application, and you just lost your place that you had in the online version you were reading.

- You are at home, away from the fuss of a day and want to dig in a bit deeper to the passages you were reading before. So you fireup the browser, the bible reader, and the notes application. And then have at your side a few additional references that you use when studying. This only lasts for a few minutes though before you decide to move completely to paper and pen because of the constant switching that has to happen.

In looking at the situations described above, one can see the benefits and the disadvantages of reading a Bible on an electronic device. When the Bible is so seperated from the tasks of reading, studying, and sharing, what should be a convience becomes a chore.

So my proposal/question is to make a better Bible reader for mobile devices that takes these situations into account. One part of this is the Bibles, another part of this notes, and yet another part is the user interface of it all.

I see a good platform on my Internet Tablet in terms of the Notes application. But I am not yet sure if it is something that can be extended by the way of plugins to other programs. Because being able to plug in the Notes app to the browser would make for an easy way to bookmark and annotate passages.

Then I also see the good stuff in terms of web applications for reading the Bible, but there has to be a way to save content on the device (even if for a short time) so that one could read when there is no Internet connection.

When I think about reading effectively on mobile devices, motivation to read is one part. But having a tool that works effecitvely is another that is usually the stumbling block.

Labels: Bible, commnuity, internet tablet, N800, Nokia, reading, tech, usablity

A brother and I were chatting at Holy Culture Radio about Google's Grand Central and asked me if I'd be interested in an invite. In declining, I realized that what I was saying to him was something that many probably do not think about when thinking of web services. What follows is what I wrote to him.

Sounds like a good reason. What in general do you not like in Google's privacy policy and is it something I should be concerned about?

My side job is that of a mobile device analyist; my main one is that of a web developer. I tend to take a more critical eye towards services because of those frames of reference. Add to that my very relevant work background towards several areas of information dissemation, I just have become one to follow his instincts when its come to internet and what information that I am willing to give out.

GigaOm recently did an article speaking about some of the issues of privacy that users need to be concerned with in doing things online. I'd recommend reading it (here), and then balancing what is said there (editorial opinion with some facts) to your personal convictions, to the privacy agreements of Google and others.

I tend not to try and skew the opinion of others with my own; but I will say that Googles activites do cause concern. Mainly because we have moved firmly into an information economy. The time is pretty much upon us where it is again like the pre-reformation era where those who control the information will subdue those who are not "in" towards keeping it exclusive. Entities such as Google, Facebook, etc. are in the business of making sure that you become identified by the information you search and attach yourself to. This information tracking and serving can/will lead to issues where persons can be denied access because they have a "mark" against them.

When I look at personal information such as phone numbers and addresses, I have made the call that such information I will not give out to online services unless absoutely necessary. Grand Central while great for what it does, puts me in a position that an aspect of my personal freedoms I am putting in the hands of a private company to whom I am not sure of in terms of their standing towards Our Father's ideals.

Taking all of this into consideration, I watch Grand Central and just about everything else that has gone mainstream, and I make moves carefully.

Labels: commnuity, tech

I was just reading a website that called itself a social networking website for cellular devices and all it did was allow you to SMS a person that you prayed for them and download ringtones. Really, that was all. I wish that I could build one, because I have an idea of something just a bit more effective.

I think of an application where a community of people can gather around the Word (online and offline), and then place time-stamps and bookmarks towards where they are studying. Not just individuals, but groups of people can enmasse study parts of the Word and engage in community-building efforts. Something like what is happening here with the Amazon Kindle.

If you will, taking that idea of sitting in a Bible study, and not just leveraging the fact that some/all can have a laptop/tablet/smartphone to read from, but they would have an ability to share their notes, highlighted items, and anything else as a layer above the "community Bible."

I kind of think of it like the OLPC's mesh networking feature, but built around meeting around the Word. Considering how much we like to get people to meet at various events and places, it would be even better if we could do it in such a way that brings them around the Word, but gives them an incentive to read it, and grow from reading our own experences while we live it.

Labels: commnuity, Kindle, mobile, networking

I've been having a good discussion with LJ of Trailblazin Ministries over the past many weeks about making a common format for electronic Bible readers. There are several reasons for doing this, but the best ones are highlighted by LJ in the latest post on his blog. Here is a snippet of that posting:

...But that led me to think even more, and it's something my friend Antoine and I have discussed a bit of late. It'd be great if I could use my WORDsearch library in Logos and vice versa. For me, considering all the works I have in WS, there is no logical reason why I should have to go and purchase those same works in Logos just so that I can use it in their software. For example, I love John MacArthur's New Testament Commentary series, and I have pretty much the entire set in WS, but none in Logos; I would love to use it in Logos, but why buy it for that application when I already have it in digital format elsewhere. The key point here is that I already have it in digital format; it's not like I'm trying to go from print to electronic, but from electronic to electronic on the same computer, just in different applications. It would be great if I could get the book from one company and then use it in the other's software. It's for that reason alone that WORDsearch will remain my primary application for daily use. Again, content is king...

Read the rest of LJ's post and make your voice heard if you too would like to see a better emphasis on creating Biblical content that moves easily from one type of device/program to another.

Labels: Bible, commnuity, tech

We wrote a bit earlier this week that we'd touch a bit more on the upcoming response to technology that the Body needs to pay attention towards. As we understand things now, tehre are 3.4+ billion people who utilize a mobile phone, and several hundred million who use some from of desktop/laptop computing. Essentially, there is a lot of tech ground to cover if we want to reach "the ends of the earth." So how do we look at this in the context of mobile?

Cynthia Ware (of The Digital Sanctuary and Digital.Leadnet) approached me about writing a piece that speaks towards the church's response to ministry in the 7th area of mass communication - mobile. Here is the output of that line of thinking:

...The new challenge to the church isn't just mastering technology, specifically computing. While there is something very profitable about websites, graphic design, A/V production, and the like, we have always excelled when the technology got us into interpersonal relationships with people. In the latest media dimension - mobile (called the 7th mass media) - the Body has a chance to get back to its roots of getting into the lives of people, while also taking some of the best parts of other media types to the engagement and discipleship process...

Read the rest of the Church in the 7th Dimension at The Digital Sanctuary.

What will you/your church or organization's response to those things mobile be in 2008?

Labels: commnuity, mobile, tech

One can argue that this has probably been the first time since the late '90s that mobile devices have captured so much attention. In many ways, its flat out been the "year of the mobile" for a lot of areas:

- According to a recent report, over 1/8 of USAmerican households are totally mobile
What that means is that more often than not, people are choosing accessibility that is not based on a fixed location. Sure, wireless networks in the US are comparatively horrible, but considering the speed of innovation, that won't be the case for long. Are ministries equipped to roll with this trend?

- The iPhone has spurred several innovative approaches to mobile applications and mobile device usage beyond the techie-influencer cross-section of users
After years of life being stagnant for mobile users, the iPhone has come in to bring a measure of fresh air to several aspects of mobile technology. The really neat part is how the Body has responded to this. The next questions to be answered though are more far reaching, yet if reached have the potential to change a lot more than what's in our pockets.

There's always a ton more that can be said, but the point is pretty clear that there is more attention that's being paid to being mobile, and then making sure that being mobile is no more of an invasion of personal space than any other technology. In an upcoming article, I'll speak towards this attention to mobile, and what it means for the Body in more detail.

Labels: accessiblity, commnuity, iPhone, Laridian, mobiles

One of the hardest things to do these days it seems is to keep up with the amount and breadth of what's going on in technology now. It gets a bit easier when you can focus on one or two specific areas, but even then it can be a bit much to keep up with what is going on.

A few news items I've read recently gave me two different, yet appropriate viewpoints on technology and our response to it. The first item was found at a site that I visit pretty regularly, GigaOm. The question being would less frequent posting and more thought-provoking posting lead to "more chances for interesting ideas and useful analysis to emerge."

Considering the stance that I've taken here at MMM towards posting less frequently, this would seem to be correct. I've found that posting less has enabled me to think more on the ramifications of various aspects of technology. And at the same time, address specific issues that would require some measure of analysis, not just consumption.

That being said, would you prefer to hear news and thought faster here, or is the pace of things just right for you?

The second item comes from another news/blog site, Techcrunch. It was at this site that I learned that News Corp/Fox (Twentieth Century Fox, MySpace, The Wall Street Journal, Fox Network, Zondervan, HarperOne, Harper Collins, Fox Faith, and the National Geographic Channel among many of their assests) has acquired the faith-based site Beliefnet.

In reading the comments of those responding in their community towards the news, I have mixed reactions. On one end, I totally agree with some of them that association with such a volitile company such as News Corp can call a few things into question. At the same time, it could be part of Beliefnet's mission to getting into major media and allowing for those resources and influence to push them into a better position of leadership and focus.

As the acquisition is new there is going to be a interesting time of change. But for many, this acquisition was just a sign of the times. The speed and amount of change that happens is something kinda fierce. And at the same time, we were not called to touch a world that would remain the same. At the intersection of faith and technology there might also be a new speed limit sign, as well as the stop and yield signs. Whatsoever that speed though, we should carefully consider where we are going next.

Labels: commnuity, mission, reading, tech

Last night, I had the opportunity to attend weekly Bible study with a new piece of technology. A Palm LifeDrive that has been donated was getting a workout to ensure that it worked fine and I used Bible study as the event to test it out. The goals were to see how well it would work with a keyboard for writing notes, how would I be able to deal with using it for a Bible, and how it worked alongside my Treo (the Treo playing the Bible and the LifeDrive playing the notes device).

When I got to the coffeehouse - we hold our Bible study in a coffeehouse - I pulled out the LifeDrive (LD) and set it up with my Palm Universal Wireless keyboard. Connecting to the infrared keyboard was easy (I synced the driver to the LD before I went to the study). Throughout the study, the keyboard and LD stayed responsive to one another.

After that, it was just a matter of answering a few questions about the "new device that I [am] carrying now" and all was underway.

Some Positives
Having a larger screen that what was on my Treo was a big benefit. Also, with the device not being a phone, I did not have to worry about SMS/calls interrupting my reading or writing of notes.

The screen was bright and easy to read in the coffeehouse setting, and the size of the buttons made it easy to switch from the browser to the memo pad easily.

And Some Negatives
While the keyboard did work well, the LD does not come with the ability to turn the device on its side and see a landscape view. This made typing a little less natural.

The browser on the LD was not up to snuff for viewing eBible or YouVersion. It was able to view ZBible.mobi just fine, but ZBible is just a simple site for reading; it does not offer an ability to bookmark, write/save notes, and share them. This is one of the reasons why I'm so adamant about better Bible readers.

I fired up the browser to get the LD online with the coffeehouse Wi-Fi which was pretty simple. However, because of the screen and power settings, this was something that I would have to repeat a few times during the study. Unfortunately, the LD does not have a setting where you can stay connected to a wireless access point even after the screen has turned off (this might need a software update, which has yet to be installed).

Overall
I did this experiment on one end to see how a two device solution would work for Bible studies. Obviously, this is not something that all people can do (cost), but there are benefits that can be had when a small handheld or mini-notebook device can be used in the mist of a Bible study. The ability to write and share notes is a big thing; but more than that, one can use online resources to look up information that would further enhance the conversation (we were studying the book of Exodus, so there's a lot that we could pull).

The other reason I did this was to see how a change in computing would effect me. I'm used to a one device solution, however I am looking at getting an N810 Internet Tablet and would be more apt to use it (and its larger screen/more capabilities) to be a catalyst in learning and sharing the Word. I see a lot of possiblities here, and many of which that can be shared by a lot of non-smartphone-carrying users.

Now how about you. Do you use a mobile device of some kind when you attend Bible studies? What are some of the benefits that you have seen? What are some areas that can be improved? Let's here how devices aide your study :)

Labels: Bible, commnuity, internet tablet, mobile, N800, tech

This is from a post on my personal site, however the content and subject relevant enough to be shared here as well. Here's a snippet:

... As I spend time here in Charlotte, I can see that there is a need for this kind of techie engagement to happen a bit more often. I've come across those who have smartphones, but all they use the the voice and occasionally the calendar features. I've come across those looking for work, but have very little working knowledge of MS Word and other programs. The way I see it, they have the tech, but not much of a knowledge on how to do anything with it. I have these skills and want/need to share them. Somehow, I need to help people to understand that if they are not more technologically savvy, that this world (the Americanized, computer-driven side of it) will run them over...

Read the rest of this post.

And what are your thoughts? Clearly, there has to be more attention paid towards enabling others to understand and use relevant technologies, but there is not always a simple solution available (labs, classes, initatives such as the Give one Get One program, etc.). How does the Body address this need to empower technolgically with the Spirit of God and the Gospel, but do so in a way that doesn't Bible thump people into not wanting to receive anything we'd have to offer?

Labels: commnuity, mission, OLPC, tech

I was forwarded a link to this post at the Lampmode Records blog and just wanted to share it here. While the context of this is towards those doing holy-hip-hop (HHH), the principals spoken here are vital and sound for nearly anyone in any field where they are calling themselves doing a ministry. Reading it has me doing several inward looks and will cause some more changes on my end. I hope it too is edifying for you as well. Here's a snippet:

...This is by far the most important distinction in the phrase Aspiring Christian Artist. If you need to focus on one of the three, let it be this one. Many aspiring artists end up in hell. Does your Christianity scream as loudly if not louder than your aspirations and your artistry? Can Christians who know nothing about your hip-hop music easily identify you as belonging to the household of faith? Before anything else, we are Christians. That is, we have been born again into a new relationship with God through faith in the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Titus 3:4-6, 1 Peter 1:3). As a result of this new relationship, we have turned from our old life of sin and embraced a new life characterized by increasing holiness and love for the people of God, or the church (Romans 6:17-18, 1 John 3:10). This may seem obvious to some, but it must be said...

Read the rest of this posting.

Labels: commnuity, devotion, Devotions, mission, reading, worship

Via Church Relevance:

OneMillionWitnesses.com "is a website looking for one million witnesses (Christians) to share their testimony while helping fund non-profits like Living Water International.

For a minimum donation of $10, you can create a block featuring your testimony. The first 100,000 blocks go to helping Living Water International build about 100 wells."

This is a great project, and a notable way to not just give a gift, but display an aspect of the legacy that we are to leave as followers of Christ. Visit OneMillionWitnesses.com and leave your testimony and gift for certainely a worthy casue.

Labels: commnuity, mission, tech

When people are out and about in a place that they have never been, its pretty much normal to consult a map. Occasionally, people will look at a map before they even take a trip, getting an idea of the lay of the land and important places.

But what about those of us who just do things on more of a whim. Where we use our GPS and mobile devices to find not just what is around us, but where we are in relation to those places/people? Take a look at the updated Google Maps Mobile application today had me asking the question "where are you in relation to me" rather than just "where are you."

The latest version of Google Maps Mobile acts a lot like a GPS, except it is not extra hardware, and it uses your mobile phone. The MyLocation feature is the new aspect and basically its a "blue dot" that shows roughly where you are. It basically uses cell tower information to approximate where you are. Cool right? I like it, and for the cost of free it is a great way to get out of a jam.

There's a discussion at GigaOm that's talking on this, and why it is great for consumers and the mobile industry as a whole. But what if you are a ministry that is looking to attract people who are looking for a place to fellowship, or a place to call a solid, Christian church-home? Is your contact information updated and easy to find on your website so that search engines such as Google can pick this information up and make you findable on such a mobile map? Have you invested in any directory services that will assist you in putting your information on search engines for churches and other non-profit organizations?

Because, as it stands now, if you are not easily findable on the map, a person might not make your "blue dot" a home for them.

Note: The MyLocation feature of Google Maps Mobile is available in version 2.0 of the Google Maps Mobile application. At this time, not all mobile devices are supported. To download the latest version for your mobile device, visit http://www.google.com/gmm.

Labels: commnuity, mobile accessories, mobiles, networking, software, tech

Trailblazin Ministries presents its 2007 Holiday Giveaway (sponsored by WORDsearch Corp. & Sphere of Hip-Hop)!

To enter, fill out the contact form with the subject "Giveaway" and your name, age, and email address. On Dec a random drawing will be held to pick the 5 grand prize winners and 3 runner-ups.

Five grand prizes featuring:
WORDsearch 7 Thompson Chain Reference Bible Library
13 Letters CD
and a bonus CD of our choice

Three runners-up will receive a package of 2-3 holy hip-hop CDs.

To enter, submit your entry via the Trailblazin Ministries' contact form.

Get your entries in by Dec. 20th. Announcement of winners will happen on Jan 1, 2008.

Labels: commnuity, contests

On a comment to a recent post, it was mentioned that some similar discussion about Bible makers getting together to make a single standard had been dicussed elsewhere.

What I found was a usual treasure trove of goodies in the latest issue of Christian Computing Magazine.

During the early years, CCMag’s main purpose seemed to be to just convince people that the computer was a vital tool for ministry. Over time, that mission has changed as churches began to accept the use of computers and technology. The new mission of CCMag was to help its readers, "Apply Tomorrow's Technology to Today's Ministry." CCMag seeks to provide information to help churches accomplish their mission (purpose) by using new services, software and tools as they become available..

So while you are sitting around the table this Thanksgiving getting in football and food, grab an issue of CCM and help some of those family members who ask you about those things tech and faith to gain some additional insight.

As for the discussion about Bibles using the same formats and then making the readers the point of emphasis, well that's been discussed for some time now. Time for myself and others to do the research and support for those making this software so that we all can benefit from a shared effort. And maybe from our example in tech, the rest of the Body can follow.

Labels: CCM, commnuity, tech

When I was rolling with MMM in the summer of 2006, there was a person that I had been going back and forth with on some tech emails at the time. He found me via MMM, and asked for my assistance in setting up a PDA for one of his members (he was a pastor) who was bed-ridden and elderly. I can remember the energy that he had as he spoke about how delighted she was that he would visit with her, and even more than she had something to do when in the bed that was more than the normal crossword puzzle.

This Monday, I was reading about the new N810 at InternetTabletTalk when I clicked on a link to a poster's personal blog. At the time of writing this, I had not gotten past this post, but what I read there was pretty encouraging, and yet showed me in another light an area where mobile tech could be effective in keeping one encouraged when not-so-mobile.

Here is a piece of the post:

...I know I talk about my Nokia N800 Internet Tablet a lot, but I must tell you: It is a life-saver. (In fact, I'm blogging from it right now!) While in bed, I have internet, email, IM, games, FM radio, music, video, etc., all in the palm of my hand. If I had nothing else, my N800 would probably be quite sufficient...

The rest of Tim's blog is pretty neat (both in design and content). Check it out when you get a chance, and see if you can take opportunities towards making mobile devices a spot of encouragement for someone.

Labels: commnuity, internet tablet, N800, Nokia, tech, usablity

I am sitting on a few issues right now, but really had the thought in my head of asking us to conduct a multifaceted discussion on "the intersetion of faith and mobile technology."

The first part comes from a question that is placed at the MMM channel at Jaiku:

How can mobile technology be improved for your faith endavors?

The second item comes from the OLPC side of things, and something that I posted in response to a post addressing its possible inroads at Gear Diary:

I really like the idea of using technology as a means to open the door of education to developing and developed nations alike. I've personally been pushing for churches and missions organizations to get behind the idea of the Give One Get One project because it takes the idea of missions from being an aspect of "just sharing faith" to "sharing faith in word, but also giving an action to associate with it."

The key thing is that one must realize that there is no "one stop" solution to mitigating the issues that plague developing and developed nations. As long as there is ego, there will always be a case of the lower class having to fight for the same opportunities that upper class peoples and nations get. The question lies though of us that have: do we really beleive that we are better without making someone else's life better, or is humanity at its best when we give a part of ourselves to help those that have no voice of their own.

Where is our response as a Body of believers, and how much more should we be doing to address both of these?

Labels: commnuity, Jaiku, mission, OLPC, tech

I was reading today about a program that would help the an section of mobile Linux (Mameo) developers understand a bit more the range of their devices and realized (again) that in terms of covering all things mobile, that MMM many times falls short. It is not for lack of attention to everything that is mobile. In fact, it is because 'mobile' is such a far reaching term, the context of what is relevant can sometimes be very hard to cover. MMM is by no means like Palm Addict or Engadget in that there is a huge team of people able to cover several areas (though that would be nice). That being said, there is something that should be done about getting a handle on those things mobile, and making it a bit easier for you (the reader) to get a bit more of what you desire from MMM.

That all being said, I am asking of you (this lovely audience) for a few things:

(1) If you have content or read content that you feel would be relevant for MMM to cover: please send us a note about it via the contact form. We don't promise to post everything, but we will make an attempt to read and dissemenate it in a manner that speaks both towards God's heart on/in tech, as well as the need to instruct and inform.

And if you are looking to stay caught up yourself, add the MMM at Jaiku channel to your RSS reader. There are several sites that are aggregated into that channel and a slew of news and notes that comes through daily. Adding new sites is not a problem there either, but you do have to let us know what's out there ;)

(2) If you would like to be a regular contributor to MMM: send us the reasons why via that same contact form (versatile isn't it) and what level of service that you see yourself as being able to do (daily, weekly, monthly; reviews, editorials, etc.). I will only hold you to what you say, but I will hold you to it so be wise in your dealings/vows (cause back in the day those consequences in breaking vows were terrible).

I also will be bluntly honest in saying that I have no means to compensate you. There is no sponsorship here (another issue that probably needs to be addressed) and therefore everything that this site has done has come from the incredible generosity of others and the funds of my own pocket. For the forseeable future, this will probably be the case, and in that wise, I'd compensate you from my own resources to the best of my ability.

I know that is not the most pretty of things to say, but its honest.

and (3), I am looking for people who'd be willing to help me gain more acumen in understanding theological, technological, and social arenas so that not only does the content here stay usable, but also that MMM is able to be a place of teaching others how to live in this digital age. None of us has it right. And by no means did I start this site thinking that I had all the answers. For that reason, I'd love the knowledge, wisdom, and accountablity to walk out on living this out with all of you. Whether that means just emailing back and forth personal notes of encouragement/rebuke, or kicking me to get to a conference or two to learn something more and network, ministry is not effective unless its fruits can be planted in the lives of others.

I've begun to think of MMM as my gift to the Body. Not just the place I serve, but the place where I launch out into the deep with those things I've been taught. This is totally new, and most days I have no clue where to go. I do know that tech is my area. And I am fittin' to do well in this till its time to hand it back to God for Him to do with it what He wills.

Thanks for visiting (I so didn't want this to be this long), and do keep contributing and coming back. Hopefully, something here will "spark a movement of the Cross in your own town."

Labels: commnuity, mission, mobile

A friend of mine sent me this in an email recently, and since I'm more concerned with the direction this goes towards rather then the non-moible aspect of the content, its being shared here in hope to spark you to some type of social engagement of various cultures with the Gospel.

It's time to spread the word about Bells for Wells! We're selling jingle bell earrings thru Christmas, to raise money for new fresh water wells in Africa.

Each pair of earrings costs just $10. For every pair sold, $8 is set aside to sponsor a well through Blood:Water Mission’s "1000 Wells" project. Blood:Water Mission is the organization formed by the Grammy Award winning band, Jars of Clay, to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa. The average cost of one well is $3,000, and with your help, we plan to sponsor at least one well in its entirety this Christmas.

The earrings are handmade, high quality, unique, and adorable, and come displayed on a Bells for Wells earring card, complete with rubber backs. An explanation card is included with each pair, and red organza gift bags are also available.

Please visit http://www.bellsforwells.com to learn more, and start your Christmas shopping now!

This Christmas, give the gift of jewelry…and the gift of life.

Labels: commnuity

Think of this post as a rash of thoughts, mobile friendly but mashed.
---
This being Mobile Ministry Magazine, the content and focus of this magazine tends to be those things that can help you get from one place to another, connect with one another, or even get away and have personal time with God. The hardest aspect of covering this though is giving a concise enough recipie of mobile this and that so that you (the reader) can not just be informed, but encouraged to step out and try something different, whether or not it sticks or not. Whether we all like to admit it or not, mobile technology is probably the most pervasive mass media that is here now, and unlike others, has both a communal and a personal form to it that right now folks just don't understand. In some ways, this is a new frontier, we are doing and trying, finding limits and pushing them, all in the hopes of enhancing some aspect of our lives that previously we didn't have, or had in a much less organized space. Though there are a lot of new services and opportunities all the time online, those that can help us keep things personal and communal, like a mobile device or working with one, seem that they would have a better chance of succeeding for more people.

I am looking at the new mobile search announced today called Taptu (via R/WW). It brings to the table a new aspect of searching called social assisted search. In simple terms, humans and machines work together to make what you are looking for better. And to kick it off, its mobile friendly. The thing that gets me about this is that its a nice platform that can be used for making a suitable "church and those things spiritual" directory that would actually work. I haven't had time to play given my weekend, but this is another something that's getting bookmarked on my Treo's homepage.

The Mobile 2.0 Conference is underway and there is plenty of news to go around. What I expect to hear out of this one is a concerted effort to take mobile past us who are early adopters, and to those who (for lack of better words) haven't a better window into making it in this world.

I've got one more announcement coming, but I need to get settled from my weekend before I do. It will involve you readers, and will hopefully extend some of our relationships to being more than just a read/search/browsing one. Stay tuned.

Labels: commnuity, mission, mobile

In a move that pretty much surprised me personally, but might make for some interesting waves, Jaiku announced at about 12noon EST that they had been purchased by Google.

Now, why post something like that here? The reason it has some significance is that MMM's blog is built using the Blogger platform, which is also Google owned. But the more far reaching reason is that if you already are using various other Google products, then chances are that you might find a solid use for a web service like Jaiku.

Jaiku is one part online community, another part RSS feed aggreator, and another part online presense service. If you will, adding any one of these elements to your church/org/small group's online presense might help to enhance your ability to gather, search, and maintain content.

Of course, there's also the chance for doing a virtual meetup via Jaiku, so that too tickles my fancy.

Labels: commnuity, Jaiku, mobile

Just a few things at this point in the day.

- Darla Mack has posted that the October Edition of Our Daily Bread is now available. Mobile friendly, and good to eat on.

- DB (The Foolish Galatian) sent in a note that another conference is going on called GodBlogCon. Occuring November 8-9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, this is a conference designed to equip with a working knowledge of new media technologies and its impact on society and empower your ministries to employ new media technologies quickly and easily.

- Digital.Leadnet has a great post and discussion on cyberspace as a mission field; I've got thoughts on this that I'm wrapping into a later post here, but the discussion is great so far.

I hope that you all appreciate the effort at a more consistent aspect of posting. I've pretty much limited myself to doing no more than one post a day (4-5 per week) and keeping at least one or two posts a week towards the editorial/reflective style. In this way I hope that things stay fresh not only for you as a reader, but for myself as a writer. I am learning a bit of balance with this. And hopefully consistency and discipline here can help in other areas of my life as well.

Labels: commnuity, devotion, mission, tech

We posted in August about the Church IT Roundtable. The date has slipped my mind and come to find out that it has just gotten underway at . Church Tech Matters has begun some early coverage, as well as other sites.

If you were not able to make it this year, or are looking to do similar in your neck of the woods, look towards the Church IT Roundtable as a template as they've been doing some solid things.

As a side note, would a shared event calendar in Google Calender work for any of you as a means of finding out what is going on at any particular time. I'd be willing to make an MMM one and share it with various other bloggers, orgs, and churches who have tech-oriented events so that its a bit less likely to miss these events.

Labels: Church IT Roundtable, commnuity

Was reading at the Olive Tree blog this weekend (via RSS) and they made a mention about BibleTech 2008. Its a "two-day conference is designed for publishers, programmers, webmasters, educators, bloggers and anyone interested in using technology to improve Bible study."

Olive Tree posted that they will have two speakers at BibleTech. The titles of their presentations will be Electronic Publishing and Bible Software in a Fast-Moving Mobile Landscape" and "The Challenges and Future of Bible Software in a Mobile World."

Logos has set up a page with all of the pertenant inforation including whom to contact for setting up a hotel room at a reduced rate. All in all, this looks like a great event to get out to.

Labels: BibleTech, commnuity, mission, mobile, Olivetree, tech

Its taken a while to get my thoughts and heart together enough to address this. Considering the fervor that various mobile devices have caused in the past year though, I think that some accountability is an order, or at least a good bit of checking our motives at the door when it comes to these devices and what we want to do with them.

If you will, think of this as a look at stewardship, ownership, and accountability.

Matthew 22:15-22 ESV

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his talk. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said, "Caesar's." Then he said to them, "Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.

This weekend I took some time to read through RSS feeds on my Treo. It had been some time since doing so, and there are several websites that I read there, that I do not anywhere else for various reasons. One of the common themes of the week happened to be the update for the iPhone (Version 1.1.1) that had come out. Several websites reported on this update beforehand of having the possiblity of bricking, or rendering useless, their iPhones. Those that would be effected would be those whose devices were being used on another carrier's network, or had other functionality exposed that was not in the original design of the iPhone.

The day of the release came, and then came the reports of what worked and what did not work. Suffice to say, there were plenty of disappointed people. Especially those who had unlocked the iPhone to be used on other carriers around the world, or those whose use of special applications enabled functionality that was nor present in the off-the-shelf-version.

A statement from Apple days before the release of the update (from Engadget):

...the company has released an official statement warning users that "unauthorized iPhone unlocking programs" could cause "irreparable damage to the iPhone's software." Furthermore, the firm stated that these apps could result in the handset becoming "permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone software update is installed" -- you know, like the one coming "later this week" that includes the iTunes WiFi Music Store. As if that wasn't bad enough, the release also notes that "unauthorized modifications to the iPhone's software" violates the iPhone software license agreement and "voids the warranty."

So basically, if you installed software you were not supposed to, then you are not supposed to expect an official update to continue to allow your device to work.

A post that I read at The SmartPDA posted this (thanks):

Nowadays, when you buy gadgets and software, you enter into an agreement with the manufacturer and your service provider, usually outlined in the manual or in the software itself. Quite frankly, nobody (myself included) takes the time to read the agreement, since we're too busy enjoying our new toys.

Anyone who purchases an iPhone enter[s] into a provider agreement with AT&T, and into an End User License Agreement with Apple over the smartphone's software.

There are two aspects at play here, one of which is very much a part of how Christians define themselves as relating to the world around us:

Romans 13 ESV (selected quotes)

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer...

There are a few ways of looking at this, but we will will just cover a few of the topmost points, and let discussion merit the rest.

Because of end-user license agreements that a person agrees to when they purchase software or hardware, you agree not to do certain things to the item in return for a specific service. When you pay Apple (Steve Jobs and company) for the iPhone, one part of that agreement is that you make the concession NOT to modify the software of the device in any fashion, nor to manipulate the ability of the radio software to work in any fashion not prescribed by At&T or Apple.

In the US, phone makers and carriers are required by law to allow for a phone to be unlocked to be used on compatable carriers where possible. This law is usually circumvented by carriers by modifying aspects of the hardware or software so that it is harder for the device to work on another carrier. Or, by making exclusivity agreements with carriers that stipulate that a device is to be sold/used on one carrier for a specific amount of time. The latter is the case with the iPhone.

So, is it against the law to modify your iPhone to be used on another carrier? Yes.

Is it against the law to demand that Apple modify the agreement that you signed and agreed to stating that you would not use the device in any way that violates the terms of service or end-user agreement? No. It is not against the law to demand it, but not right to expect it per your timing.

As much as we believe that a device is ours and we should be able to do what we want, the truth is we cannot. As believers, and moreso as law-abiding citizens, we have to hold to standards that speak not towards lawlessness, but towards civility. If you are a believer who has purchased an iPhone and are using it in ways that break the end-user-license agreement or terms of service, you cannot expect your unsantioned use to be officially updated. If what you purchased does not fit how you want to use it, then find a device that does, or admit that your lusts cannot be fulfilled by this temporary thing and wait on the device that does work best for what you'd like to do.

Give Apple their just due for providing a device that has made you excited, but don't let your lusts for wanting to use it cost Christ's name.

Labels: accessiblity, commnuity, Devotions, iPhone, mobile, tech

Neat post at Digital Leadnet talking about 7 Helps for Pastors Who Hate Techology. Here's a piece:

Although it's worth acknowledging that there are an overwhelming array of choices and options when it comes to web-based ministry, we must remain faithful to our commission to "go and make disciples" and so bear the responsibility for pursuing all available avenues for doing so. Pastors and church staff take note; resisting communication technologies only minimizes our opportunities to fulfill our assignments and callings. Being overwhelmed or undereducated aren't worthy excuses for rejecting the web. In order to steward the next generation, we are compelled to speak in a way they can understand. And what they understand is increasingly digitally enhanced.

Read the rest.
Via Digital Sanctuary.

Labels: commnuity, gospel, mission, tech

At the very core of who we are, we want to be in relationship with one another. We look for common interests and experiences, and then draw on those plus other variables to be in relationship with one another. I've seen that, the use of mobile tech while being a very personal thing (from the wallpapers, to ringtones, to big screens to read and watch, etc.) is something that could be better used to facilitate those relationships.

Now, you might think, why would I want to use something like a computer to connect with people that I always see? I don't think that the place for connecting with tech is there though. Its in that next layer of relationships. Those where we might know someone, but not spend as much time in their presence. And this tech is not at all a replacement for that time together, but a tie that keeps us from losing touch with one another.

I've been really thinking hard about my use of being onlline, in social networks if you will, and those people that I interact with thru those networks. Never is it a person that I see much of, and most often it is a person that I see very rarely. But then when we do see one another, there is not that aspect of having to start from scratch because we've already been cultivating relationships in that time in between.

Instead of just saying, "use your tech to be social", I want to give you a few things to think about doing that might help keep the social as a piece of your tech networks:
- have a business card with your blog address and email (maybe even IM name) on there and post pictures often
- do not be afraid to ask members of your social network where you can meet offline to equate faces with avatars/names
- use a people-centric social network that allows for the variances of life to not disrupt it (if you will, don't use the social network service as a hub, but as a spoke in the relationship, make the hub something tangeable so that even if the hub isn't doable, the spokes are there to assist temporarly)
- do not be afraid to ask people what motivates them to keep in contact with others (there's much to learn)
- teach (youth) others how to use social networks for public-effecting prorgams and how to build personal network from those (for example, start a Jaiku group on history books recently read and link to local and national historcal resources, then go somewhere or meet somewhere together)

These are just a few items that have come to mind, but just ways were we can keep the solo time from being the only social time. We are desgned to be social, and as believers, sharing our faith means that we have to live out parts of our lives with others. So go out, be a witniss to the hope that you have; and let all your relationshps be windows into how you live unto Him.

"At the intersection of faith and technology"

Labels: commnuity, mission, tech

Carrying on with ministry overseas can sometimes be a big challenge. Aside from language issues, there can be issues with powering devices, or in the case of wireless devices, just using them.

But what happens when the hurdle is a bit more than just something a few home-remedies can fix. When the problem isn't the tech, but the country itself. In a recent story at GigaOm, this situation was described when a writer spoke about the difficulities in working in China.

Now, while this story talked about how this would hinder the use of tech in China or similar countries, I tend to think about it from the perspective of enablement. Yes, we are not required by any moral law to give empowerment to anyone, are we any more required to take it away?

Labels: commnuity, mission, tech

Great post over at Church Tech Matters on building a tech ministry team:

...I have walked into a built in team, a group of people that have been at the church much longer than I have and know many of the ins and outs of how things work. Of course me, being the new guy, I tend to not be as concerned with ‘the way we’ve always done things’ and see things from more of an outside perspective. I have suggested some things and people have outright said ‘we don’t do it like that’ and my response is usually something like ‘I understand, but let’s give it a shot...

Labels: commnuity, mission, tech, usablity

I get a lot of email. Sometimes, I get too much email. Between work email, Brighthand email, personal email, newsletters, sales brochures, and forwards from everywhere -- not to mention spam -- there's a lot of information that come thru my eyes on any given day. In addition, I read 30+ websites a day keeping up with news from tons of subject areas. If you will, there is a ton of information around me and I have had some successes and failures in managing it all.

One of the reasons for using a smartphone was to help stem the tide of all of this info. So that instead of getting it in all at once at the end of a busy day, I am getting it in bits and pieces throughout. While its help me manage it, there's still a large amount of information. I've spent the better part of this summer looking at all of this information, and how to better navigate with it while maintaining some sense of balance in my life. And though I fee successful in some parts, there is never less information, always more, and the old stuff grows along with the new.

Mike Rohde pointed to a webpage which talks about this information overload, termed infomania, and why its such an important and neglected issue. Rather than get into the overall effects of this, I'd like to ask: how do those of you in information-centric fields deal with the deluge of information, and how do you keep it from becoming too overbearing (if you are able to keep it from being overbearing)?

Labels: commnuity, reading, tech, usablity

One of the barriers to using digital 'anything' as a tool within ministry settings is the fact that being any aspect of digital means that you have some level of affluence. Unfortunately, this does not speak towards the majority of those who need Christ, nor to many who are Christ-followers, and so digital 'anything' and 'everything' has to take a respecctive backset until it has its place.

For example, yesterday I was at the community laundry mat, and per my usual, I had something to eat while talking with a few (random) people. Somehow, and this time not my fault, we got on the subject of phones and a guy pulls out a Nokia N800 Internet Tablet. He says that he really likes it, but there was no one even at the store where he bought it that was able to help him.

Of course, Nokia's Blogger Relations helped to make be a bit knowledgable about this device and I was able to help him with his device, and then open a door to conversation that will hopefully lead to him not just deepening his relationship and convictions to Christ, but also making him a light to his community, family and friends.

If you will, we can sometimes be so digitally tuned, that we forget that there were social networks before Facebook, MySpace and Jaiku. Our voice, and the abilities that God has already given us to communicate the truth of His Son to everyone is right there. The digital element is to be used as a part of the speaking piece in the mist of that, not before it.

After that, we'll find that one of the digital hurdles are done. Now, as for the other one of actually digitizing everyone, I am not sure that soemthing like that is needed; but understanding the place for digital even in the lives of those that do not -- and then teaching them the difference -- makes for another part of this life that is a lot less of a hurdle than it was before.

Edit: fixed the spelling and tweaked a few sentences for clarity

Labels: commnuity, mission, N800, tech

This is a really good review of Jaiku at Symbian in Motion. Though the review really focuses on the mobile application for Symbian users, those looking to employ social networks as part of their outreaching activities can also get some good out of this.

Remember, you can also connect with MMM via Jaiku and keep up with us as we roll around the mobile tech world sharing our faithfulness to Jesus.

Labels: commnuity, Jaiku, mobile, Nokia

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, commnuity, devotion, Internet Ministry Conference, mobile, N95, Nokia, Treo 680

The Church IT Roundtable is something that has been done now for a bit more than a year if I remember correctly and is one of those areas where the Body really has mobilized behind the idea of what can be done with tech to make it a more usable tool in the hands of orgs and ministries. The Fall 2007 RoundTable is coming up and more details can be found at The Appian Way's website:

The roundtable format was inspired by Mark Stephenson, re-ignited by Jason Powell in September 2006, and taken to the next level by Tony Dye and Chris McGuffin in April 2007. Ask anyone who has attended any of these events and they'll tell you that they were energized by the infusion of knowledge, community, and encouragement. It's difficult to describe the feeling of having dozens of church nerds together in one room. The best metaphor I know for it is "critical mass" - it's a church IT explosion!

Read more and register and let your IT people know about the ChurchIT RoundTable too.

- thanks to Church Tech Matters for the link

Labels: ChurchIT RoundTable, commnuity, IT, tech

Normally speaking, when a company sets out an email talking about their entire software suite, its usually because there is a sale or something major is happening. Well, in Olive Tree's case, I am not sure that there is a sale, but there is a lot happening with the Bible Reader application across several devices that are worth taking note of.

For Palm and Pocket PC BibleReaders:
- Customizable toolbar
- Table of Contents Navigation
- Personal notes display on the main screen
- Autoscrolling
- Updated verse chooser
- Updated Search range options
- Bookmarks improved on Pocket PC
- 5-way navigation support has been enhanced on Palm
- Cascading Library list on Palm

For Windows Mobile Smartphone and Symbian Cell Phone BibleReaders:
- Updated Verse chooser
- Table of Contents Navigation enabled
- Topical bookmark support on Windows Mobile Smartphone
- Personalized Shortcuts
- More available resources

Olive Tree can also be downloaded on Blackberry smartphones, the Apple iPod (not iPhone), and any normal cell phone that has a Java client (meaning just about all of them). So, visit Olive Tree and get ta readin da Word ma'.

Labels: Bible, commnuity, mobile, mobiles, Olivetree, phone

From Palm Addict:

I recently discovered a program to read the Bible in 90 days. At first I thought it was nuts!

After all, I know a lot of people who try to read the Bible in a year and give up. 90 days seemed impossible!

But the more I looked at the program, the more I realized that it was entirely possible.

The website explains that the amount you have to read per day is about 3.5 pages of The Wall Street Journal or 4 pages of USA Today. For me, I looked at the amount of text and realized it was far less than what I might read via email or RSS. (If you buy their Bible they say it’s merely 12 pages a day, but you can follow the plan using any Bible.)

It just looks like a lot because it’s all in one place. But to me, this was something important enough that I wanted to do it.

I started to think about where I do most of my reading. I realized that I read a lot more than I think about either on my laptop or Treo, or listening to audio books in the car. So I wanted to come up with a way to do all those things either on my laptop, or on my Treo, or in the car.

The good news (no pun intended!) is that you can do this for exactly $0 if you want. I have put together a free list of the Bible in 90 Days (aka “BIND”) readings, linked to an online copy of the NIV Bible. Feel free to bookmark that page or save it to your Treo or computer. You can use that to read your daily readings. (If you just want a plain list of the readings you can also get that in PDB, PDF, or MS Word format).

Read the rest of this post at Palm Addict, and get to reading :)

Labels: Bible, commnuity, devotion, mobile, reading

This is what happens when I should not be peeking in on news from the Apple releases today...

Anyways, more than most things techie, music has been one that is mobile in both how we carry it and how it moves us in various capacities. Simply speaking, if music doesn't move you, then its not worth listening to.

So you can imagine a bit of a surprise when looking at the Apple front page seeing a news post about Gospel great Andre Crouch and Apple's Logic Pro software. It even goes as far as talking about how he is using it to teach:

Crouch is a preacher, and preachers love to teach. In the section of the church that he transformed into a studio/theater, Crouch plans to teach kids about music making and recording. And when they've learned enough, they'll get to perform and record in the space. "Most of these kids have never been to a professional studio," says Crouch. "We're going to teach these kids to run Logic and all this gear. They're going to record their own tracks and learn how the pros work. It's going to be great because we have some brilliant kids who already know computers like the backs of their hands and they want to make music, but they haven't put the two together."

Now, don't think me a musician by any means. I cannot play anything except air instruments. But to take technology that he knows and then put it in a position to extend the exisiting knowledge of youth is pretty encouraging to me.

I've always seen MMM as leading into that for myself at some point down the line. I've seen how others who have been in various web-based ministries have also gotten the chance, or soon will, to extend what they have been doing online and [if you will] make disciples through the teaching of the Spirit-led uses of talents and abilities. To me, that seems a great way to share and live the Gospel; even if it does mean an Apple is taken here or there.

Labels: Apple, commnuity, gospel

Here's something that just came up in my Jaiku feed as something that I've nearly forgotten about in all of my moving and what have you this summer.

The Internet Ministry Conference 2007 is setting out to answer those questions. We believe that the internet has incredible potential as a tool of Christian ministry--but thus far, we've barely scratched the surface. Web 2.0, blogs, RSS, instant messaging, cellphones--these ideas and tools are revolutionizing the way our culture communicates. It's time they revolutionized the way we share the Gospel.

Are any of you looking to attend this year, or have attended in past years. This is something that I'd love to go to, but at the moment cannot see that happening. Nevertheless, its great to know that there are a slew of others who are intent in making sure that aspects of the web are usable for ministry.

Read more about Internet Ministry Conference 2007.

Labels: commnuity, Internet Ministry Conference, tech

Found this neat tip/idea via Chruch Communications Pro (via the MMM Jaiku channel)

Google Maps (Google's local directory) has recently started showing user reviews in it's business directory listings.

First, off if you haven't listed your business in Google Maps - go here now and do so. Even if your business is in the listing take the time to sign up for a free account and enhance your listing. You can add product photos, hours of business, forms of payment, product lines. Great stuff for local searchers.

The above is from a post at Duct Tape Marketing.

Besides making your church findable via a normal web browser, with Google's empahasis on mobile services, you can also text, browser, or voice-call via Google to find several services in your area, or in an area you are moving to/visiting.

Side note: Subscribe to the MMM Jaiku channel in your RSS reader for news from MMM, Church Communications Pro, and other tech ministry sites. If you want to be added to the MMM Jaiku channel, contact MMM with your site address.

Labels: commnuity, Google, mobile

In a comment in a previous posting, this was asked about a content direction for MMM:

What I would like to see is more how technology can replace paper and how to get people to accept the technology as a tool for everyday life.

If I had to sit and first ask that I would ask how does technology have a place in your everyday life. Whether this is a laptop to catch up on mail when you get home, or managing finances, or connecting with friends and family located in various areas, where are some of your everyday uses of tech?

The other side of that is the hard part, the sell if you will:

...how to get people to accept the technology as a tool for everyday life.

The only way to really do this is to idenitfy the tool and the use that is both painless and totally beneficial to the user. So if that is replacing a checkbook with a PDA because the bank messes up, or using a laptop because you need better organization to Bible study notes, the technology has to be a means to an end. If not, we get into that idol-factory of getting it just because it is cool.

Another way that tech has everyday use is found simply in checking out the manual as to what your device can do. For example, did you know that if you have a laptop and a printer, that you don't have to pay for a newspaper subscription. Most of the major articles are posted online (cost of paper, ease of use) and those that are not there are community blogs that discuss much of the rest of the paper. Or, instead of carrying a PDA, carry a USB key with portable versions of Firefox, Open Office, and other applications and just plug in your USB key at a public computer and have your mobile tech right on your keychain (size, privacy, ease of use, cost).

There are a few ways that tech can be used everyday. How do you use yours?

Labels: accessiblity, Bible, commnuity, mobile, 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: commnuity, mobile, N95, Nokia, Treo 680

One of the things that I've noticed in a good deal of the chruches that I've visited is that there is very little in terms of tracking that is done in the child-care areas. Either there is a rotating set of people looking at a paper clipboard, or there is nothing at all except parents bringing kids in and out without anything more than facial recognition to know who goes and does what. Many places would do well to have an electornic sign-in component that is a part of the registration process for child-care. Besides providing accountability to the organization, there is also a chance to use that data to better make use of volunteers and other support workers.

Of course, using a sign-in based component to navigating child-care in ministry settings is not the only way, but can be a very effective one -- especially in larger churches with multiple age groups. Expanding this idea to using the handheld component to also facilitate this growing population group in churches can make a more interactive process out of this, and facilitate the already existing human connections that we make when child-care ministry is used.

What This Could Look Like
The idea would be a set of shared handhelds (for the sake of demonstration I'll just use the Palm Tungsten E2) which are synced to a central server by the child-care admin. A database application would be created for use on the handhelds that mirrors the already existing paper forms. However, the database would be the just the adminstrator's means of checking what child was where, who dropped off/picked up, and when. The administrators would carry these single purpose handhelds with them at all times, making sure to check with child-care workers as to who is where. In larger groups this could be expanded to a person(s) assigned over a particular age group but who also floats room to room during the child-care time.

Other Possiblities
A system like this could also be adapted to taking pictures of the children and saving them into that same database so that there is some sort of recognition accountablity that is able to be kept.

Advancing this further would be specific check-in handhelds where parents would sign their children in on the handheld, and then signature capture, along with photo capture, would be used to idenitfy what children are where and when they were there.

Just An Idea, But Could It Also Be A Need?
This is just an idea to show other areas where mobile tech can be integrated into ministry settings, Church Tech Matters had done a whole series on check-in software -- which is where this thought comes from -- and its really good to know what is available out there that hasn't been thought of or used just yet.

Seeing that budgets to do more elaborate systems are not there, I've proposed something that would take less in terms of setting up, but would be scalable to something more robust -- unless something like this already exists. How would your church or organization respond to a system like this? And is such a system even necessary in such intimate settings?

Labels: children, commnuity, mobile

Confession: I do this thing online where i begin reading on sites that I usually read, and then start clicking on links that look interesting and begin reading more and more. And clicking more and more. I end up with this long history view of my browsing that spans hours and several pages (and I am usually reading multiple pages at once on tabbed browsers) and it becomes this rabbit hole. At some point in my reading, I always come back to MMM and find something that I posted that I want to see what else was posted about. This time it was that recent posting on God's iPhone. I wanted to know what else has been written about the Word on the iPhone and this is what happened...

...a Google search on iPhone and saw in one of the listings that a comany called 3onesix has made a Bible notes program called Elohiem Notes that should work on other Internet Tablet and PDA devices with a nice sized screen. Check out their website (very well done) and the other ministry products they offer.

Of couse, my usual web finds don't come that way. In that rabbit trail, I ran across a podcasting site called Geeks & God that talks about tech in Chrisitan ministries. When I get some time at my new job (praise God) I'll be listening in on the podcasts and getting some extra input from the other parts of the blogsphere of those things that meet at the intersection of faith an tech.

Ooh, I just noticed that the Geeks & God site has a forum about the Drupal content management system (CMS). Neat.

jumping out of the rabbit hole to continue this discussion some

For me, seeing what God is doing online is about me getting out there and just seeing through all of the holes and plains of content what has been planted out there, or what is about to come up. Too often, this web can seem like a place so big and so mainstream. But in every link there is the potential to find a gem that you would have not seen before. I look for those, in the hopes that meeting with others in the ministry that we make the web more than a slew of pictures, videos and links, but a tie that helps create avenues for a bit more than normal community interactions.

Plus, in all the hoopla about the iPhone catching the name of 'Jesus phone,' its good to know that some of the good content will come out on top that will really edify Him and not the tech that tries to be everything like Him.

Labels: commnuity, iPhone, mobile, podcast

A few things today had me thinking of the verse that says:

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Where my thoughts ran though were not so much the going, but of the aspect of making disciples. I read a good deal of news talking about the emergent church, raising the next generations, etc. and yet, I am always wondering of the "how" that people are going about in terms of making disciples to the current and upcoming "connected" Body of believers.

Two conferences coming up will be addressing this. The Internet Ministry Conference and the Catalyst Conference (the latter of which I just found out today by a faith-building post at Church Tech Matters). I see in both of these events that there is some room given to teach new and seasoned disciples of Christ the relevancy of knowing the tools and culture in order to be more effective in ministry. I only wonder what is happening on smaller levels?

When the conferences are over and there is only one or two really passionate people around wanting to reach people in the name of Christ thru various means; where are these people looking to make disciples, or to make an impact in their respective areas using those new fangled tools they have?

Being in a new fellowhsip in a new area of the US (for me), these are some of the questions that really challenge me in terms of making MMM more than just a blog/magazine. I want to build a reputation that says that one can come to me for learning about mobile tech and how it can be used to reach people for Christ. And at the same time, its not the tech that is the hit, but rather that people see the tech and instead of going "he's got that." They can say, "I wonder what God's doing with Him. Let me ask."

In addition, I'd like to be able to influence a generation of developers to think outside the usual paradigms of building applications that just do, but that enable Christ to be more effectively lived and preached. For that, I know that I need training and discipilship, but considering my heart, I wonder how many others do too?

Labels: church, commnuity, mission

Greetings all, this is probably going to be the last post that I do to MMM via a desktop for a good while. I am settling into my new Southern living and will be trying to get hooked into some income while furthering my settling down. Please do keep me in prayer as there are a ton of loose ends yet to be handled.

To that end, I shall be posting mostly via the Treo or N95. I'll be doing what I can to leverage mobile devices as I just don't have the time or patience to deal with this antiquated desktop of mine. Hopefully, I can get a job soon and I shall parlay this desktop into a 8GB (or 16GB if it is low enough) SD card and a Palm Foleo. I'm pretty much done with all out computing via Windows XP, and MacOS while great is not something I want to take the time to learn more of. The interesting thing is that most of what I have done since my laptop died last March has been saved first on a smartphone, and then backed up to my desktop, so I am pretty much ready to roll in that respect. Given that some online storage products might be able to work, I may end up using those for my needs in that move of computing.

I'll also be trying to leverage MMM @ Jaiku a bit more for interactivity and content. I'd also like to know if it is possible to use social networking as a "first introdcuction" kind of technology, not just something we do after we have connected and known each other. If you have not jumped into the MMM on Jaiku channel, roll on over and get signed up. And if you are in driving distance (or don't mind paying for a flight) let's use that as a means to do lunch :)

Labels: commnuity, Jaiku, mobile

Sometimes, its easier just to take a collection of links and let them speak for themselves. Here are a few that I flagged in my RSS reader that I thought were great for content and conversation.

USB key is a Linux computer

Christian education beyond Sunday School

Which Bible Translation? Hebrew, Greek, Web 2.0

~ sent from Treo

Edit:changed appearance of links because of display issues in some browsers.

Labels: commnuity

One of the things that I never wanted the blog side of MMM to be was a one man show. I didn't take the postiion that I knew more than another person who is in ministry or who has wanted to know more about using mobile technology within various ministry settings. Frankly, there are just too many people and circumstances out there for me to have that kind of mindsent.

When I started MMM, it was as a means to help aggreate some of the content into one place so that there would be at least one place online that we could go that is talking about how to best use this technology for God's glory. The only problem has been that gathering news and getting together with others around the world who have this heart for Jesus and tech has just been hard and of little (visible to me) success :-/

So you can imagine the bit of joy that I have in announcing that MMM has a channel on the social networking site/service Jaiku. Basically, I see it as a place where we can connect, contribute, and share what all God is doing with all aspects of tech. Seeing that Jaiku is just as well done in a web browser on your desktop, or a mobile browser, or even a mobile application on some devices, there are various ways in which we can connect and share with one another.

This does not mean that MMM is moving completed to a shared content model. To be blunt, MMM wouldn't last very long as there is a 9.9 to 1 ratio of people who visit sites to those who contribute. The point of Jaiku is to connect, and to be able to comment and add when it is appropriate for you. If there is something big happening there, we'll be sure to post about it here at the main site so that others who aren't in the channel or new to MMM would be able to get in on the action.

You do need to create a Jaiku account to comment, but if all you want to do is grab the RSS feed of the channel, that is available too.

So, in the spirit of sharing ministry and a heart for those things tech, visit the MMM Jaiku channel. I hope that this can be a huge blessing and additional resource for you all.

Labels: commnuity, Jaiku

One of the most fun aspects of doing the Nokia Blogger Relations program is that I have been able to experience some different software that I normally wouldn't be able to. Not just the native Nokia apps, but some of the new and fun ones too.

One of them that I get really excited about (no really, see my personal site's last post), is Jaiku. Basically its a "living" contact list. Much like an address book you can add contacts and have immediate contact information, but you can also set presence (so that people know when and how best to contact you), and post small snippets (similar to Twitter) about what you are doing at a given moment.

In a bit of a merge between my personal life and MMM life, I am posting my Jaiku addy so that you can add me to your contact list (and I add you in return) so that we can start doing some neat communicae. Whereas some of you are incredibly busy and might see this as a bit of meandering, its my intent that by Jaiku (and other applications) that we are able to use this tech to bridge those distance gaps, and in some ways effect one another/encourage one another.

My Jaiku Page

Jakiu can be used on Nokia S60 smartphones (the N95, N75, E61i are some examples), and one can also sign up on any computer with a web browser and play with life from there. I really encourage you all to connect with me thru Jaiku, you never know when I might be in your area and want to chat :)

There is another application via the Nokia Blogger Relations program that I'll be talking about in a bit (just reset one of the devices and am getting back in queue with that). But that one too is another one of those apps that faciliate casual computing so that we can encourage one another.

It's another one of those intersetions of faith and tech; this time, I want to be like a stoplight and be a light to point some aspects of the benefits of a tech like this.

Labels: commnuity, Jaiku, Nokia

Greetings all, I am pretty sure that it has been a long bit since I've posted, but the team has been doing a great job. I'm still trying to settle into a new area and life and all is fun, yet hard. Please do keep me in your prayers.

In addition to those, I'd like to open the floor in speaking about MMM attending the Internet Ministry Conference 2007. After reading about it at Church Relevance, I not only think that we should be there, but also getting in there and answering some questions about what it means to be a mobile minister. Lord knows that being challenged in the area that you claim to work in is a part of the job, and I see both the conference and the Bootcamp would be great.

The only part of my brain that is questing things right now is financing the trip. I am not sure that I'll be able to come out of pocket and so I am thinking of sponsorship. But this (like a few others) are conferences that MMMers should be attending, not just for knowledge building, but also for fellowship.

So talk to us. Would you like to see MMM at the Internet Ministry Conference 2007? And if so, what questions would you like to see us address there (and before)?

Labels: commnuity, mission

I just finished reading a report at the NY Times titled "What Does Africa Need Most: Technology or Aid?" and it struck me as one of those questions that I used to ask (here and elsewhere) but never seem to get an answer.

Should tech be used to enable people to stand on their own, or should it be given to make us feel good about serving others? I've always seen tech as something that should enable people to grow and reach beyond where they are; but is giving the tech the answer, or giving the skills and knowledge, supporting then with training/support/finances where our "aid" should go?

Labels: commnuity

One of the things that I liked about my MD church is that there is free wifi available for those using handheld or laptop devices. And while some of you might be thinking, "what does a church need to be offering wifi for?" One of the reasons that it does so is to enable those who are not staff to utilize the church's resources to get some things done. Some college students are even seen working on their laptops between services on Sundays getting papers done and what have you. If you will, by offering free (and usable) wifi, the church has made it easy for people to leave home for a while and come to another place to work and worship.

I had this thought after reading this article though, that there could be more done to serve those who are out and about, but want to be connected to either what is going on with life or church. I wonder what all could be one to help facilitate some seemless mobile computing usages throughout some (larger moreso than smaller) congregations.

I think of simple things such as having a mobile friendly page on their website that can be used to find out church times and the latest events (since search seems to be a big reason people are using mobile internet). I think of plugging into services such as Earthcomber that will not just give you a heads up on what is around in terms of places, but also what is going on in terms of events.

I wonder if it is even possible that one could log on to their church/community's website and then engage in community building events or discussions. Similar to a distance learning application, but where the browser is all that is needed, and information can be quickly shared.

The key thing is making something accessible, and from that point, we can use the tech to facilitate/encourage community.

Labels: accessiblity, commnuity, Earthcomber, mobile

One of the things that I most enjoy about mobile technology is looking and asking people why they use a particular device, or what they would rather see in a device. I even go as far as putting devices in the hands of various people and asking them their initial impressions (usually without telling them even how to turn it on). I am looking for how they make connections with the device and the world around them. From there, I usually ask questions and get insight as to how they not only would use such a device (if they would) but how they see their world.

In a recent article at the BBC News website (via Textually), a Nokia researcher talks about how he goes about developing mobile phones. It's an engagement of both the psychology of an area and the design considerations of a person/community/culture.

When we talk about missions and being relevant in bringing the Gospel in Word and deed to others, we look at how people view religion, faith, and their lifestyle. We look for connections, perspectives, and objectives. Sometimes, we make a good call and the Gospel is well received and communities are changed. Other times we do not do as well, and it takes a bit of work to undo what we or a previous generation had done. But all in all, in being accessible to people, we look for those ways and places where the Gospel fits, and then we move accordingly.

Remember in the Scriptures how Jesus' response to people was one part governed by what had to be said, but also by whom he was speaking to. In daring to be relevant to our friends and families, both online and offline, we must take that perspective that Mr. Chipchase has:
"...The question is how can we do our job as a large corporation and show people we interact with sufficient respect."

Or more directly, how can we do our job as members of Christ's Body, and show to people the honor and respect that leads to them taking on Christ's calling for their own lives.

Labels: commnuity, mission, mobile, Nokia

There was a recent report at Textually about an effort where Nokia is working with New Oriental Education and Technology Group Inc. to extend the ability to learn to mobile devices.

My first thought of this was "wow, neat." More people will have access to educational materials (considering that there are over 2.5 billion mobile phones worldwide). But then my second thought was sure there, but why not all over.

I know that many who do missions usually take the approach of going to teach in schools and other areas of need so that the community is not just edified with the Word, but they have an ability to sustain themselves economically. Could such an approach with mobile tech be done in other areas of the world besides China? And if so, what effect could that have on making the mission experience/field relevant for more than just the Gospel, but for giving life to communities?

Labels: China, commnuity, mission, mobiles, Nokia

I was talking to a friend tonite after visiting a Bible study and she asked me about a new mobile phone. She had a few items that it had to fulfill, but the key thing is that she wanted to make sure that it fit her life. Given what she was looking for, I was able to help her settle into two devices, and a plan that would not kill her budget. But I was left with the question: this person wants to do more with their mobile, but it it because the mobile is to fit their life, or that the mobile is something more?

In a recent article published at Brighthand, I talked about two types of mobile devices and the users that feather each. In both cases, I'm looking for some kind of connection between the person, the device, and what they want to be/do. There is some connection that can (at a small level) be generalized, but I wonder, in light of that article, if that is something that could also be asked here.

For you, is your mobile device - PDA, smartphone, laptop, etc. - a lifestyle device as described in the article, or something other?

Labels: accessiblity, commnuity, mobile, usablity

Technology is great and all. But amid the buzz of all the news that I come across, I have this (most probably annoying to God) tendency to ignore a boatload of news. As I was looking at the screen on the N800 a few minutes ago, this news item came up.

Before that post of a friend who did a mission trip, I really would have glazed this over. But today I didn't. While there is not much that I know that I can physically do, I do wonder how to pray for people in such circumstances. Ironically, part of the reading that I am doing just now addresses that last part.

Do any of you have contacts in the area reported in the BBC story? I'd like to send an email and encourage those Christians there.

Labels: church, commnuity, N800

I've recently blogged about this at my personal site, but wanted to take a somewhat different route here.

At its core, mobile technology is supposed to able more seemless avenues of communication. For some people that has clearly been the case. Some choose phones based on how they handle SMS, web, and email. Rarely do you hear someone saying that they want a phone that has a killer address book. In many respects its a given for the address book and other items to just be there and work.

But if we really thought about how we connect with each other and how we want to communicate, I'd wager to say that for many, the address book is problably the least developed and least used item on a moble device. Sure, it can store tons of numbers, a picture, and with a click or tap get a line of communication to someone. But does the address book really help foster community, or only give a sense of the community that we wish to have?

I've recently started using an online presence service called Jaiku. As a service, it is not terribly complex. It leverages short text messages and links to various types of RSS feeds to give a picture of who you are, and threads by which you can get into and out of different commnities. This is all well and good, but it has this traditional feature of being passive. We wait to be communicated with, or engaged before we create that thread that ends up being community.

Earlier I said that mobile tech only gives a sense of community, it doesn't really look to foster it. So how could an address book foster community? I think a serivce like Jaiku is part-way there. Jaiku has a downloadable application (only Symbian phones currently) that essentially makes your address book into an online presence application. Where you once just had static information and had to contact someone to see if they were available, with Jaiku you set your state, and those in your contact list (buddy list) could see that and be responsive to that state (think like away settings on an instant messaging program).

And just as easy as you can tell someone to not chat to you, this application allows you to set an actual geographic location (based on cell towers) so that those people either within Bluetooth range, or cell tower range would know that you are in the area.

Imagine if you will, taking a trip to minister to a small town, and they know that you are in the area as soon as you get within cell tower range. Sure, they might not have met you before, but because you didn't have to call and say, "hey, I'm 5 minutes from you;" there is the chance for a larger community involvement. Or in the case of ministering to senior citizens, their phone with your information in there and presence set so that they can contact you without feeling as if they interrupted your "young and spiry" way of life.

I am well aware that an application like this will bring up questions of privacy and availablity. But, as I learned recently from a book that I read, we have a God given ability to say no and to turn off those avenues in our life where we do not want people to drive down. As one friend of mine states, "I don't turn my phone on unless I want to make a call because I don't want the unnecessary and disruptive ringing." We have to be managers of the space that we are given, and when the opportunity presents itself, be open to share in the lives of others.

Imagine if every phonebook in every mobile device had that option of being static (as they are now) or organic (online presnece and availabilty like instant messaging). Being able to create lines of community that exist beyond just knowing a phone number or email address, and actively being able to reach into opened areas of one another's lives to encourage and edify. If you will, creating the opportunity for community, the space for the Gospel to be lived. Kinda neat isn't it?

Feel free to add me to your Jaiku contacts, and let's make some God-pleasing community out of this :)

Labels: accessiblity, commnuity, Jaiku, mobile, phone

A friend of mine recently went on a mission trip to encourage Christians in Israel/Palestine. The letter below is his follow-up letter that he has allowed me to post. I ask that you consider his words, and his call towards unity in the Body.

I'd like to thank you once again for your time, participation and support for our mission trip to Israel and Palestine. The trip came and went without any life threatening or seriously harmful situations and each of the 10 members of our team has both grown and learned a great deal thanks to our experiences in this area. As I promised, I would like to take this opportunity to follow up with you and share the experiences and insights learned during the trip.

After I got back from Israel, people would obviously pose the question, "How was your trip?" I can't help but think that that question is laughably simple. I say that because of the sheer volume of incredible people and experiences that we were exposed to. It's difficult to figure out where to start. But to answer the original question, the trip was great!

I'll start with a quick summary of our group's mission statement. We did not go to evangelize, or build a school, or to administer medical supplies as some might expect. 1 Corinthians 12:25b-26 says regarding the church, "...there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." As a group, we wanted to go into the Palestinian territories and stand with the Palestinian Christians there, to try to experience the sufferings that they are going through, and to do what we can to encourage them in the face of hardship or persecution.

The first day and a half that we were in the country was spent seeing the tourist spots in Jerusalem. Some of our members, including myself, were upset about this. We came to get down to business! We are not here to see the sights! However, in retrospect, those moments were invaluable in teaching us an overview of the culture and people in the land.

Specifically in these moments while we were traveling from church to church, we saw how the "body of Christ" interacted with one another. Most noticeably, we saw the distrust between denominations. Each denomination insists on having a presence at each of the holy spots. Sometimes a church was partitioned into different areas operated by the different denominations. Each time a ritual was performed by one group, it was repeated by the others. This seems to me to bear the assumption that they believe that God doesn't recognize rituals from other denominations. If He did recognize them, then there wouldn't be any need to repeat them. Once we had opportunities to speak with them, we were repeatedly told by them that people from other denominations were wrong, that they were not Christians or that they were condemned to hell.. If they couldn't share the same building-which was often-they would build another church and claim that this church was the true holy spot.

This wholesale judgment bothered me to the point where I began to think about this more. And upon thinking about it more, I realized that this is not as foreign a concept as had originally struck me. These kinds of statements are all over the Western church, not just limited to the Middle East. They can be heard from the Roman Catholic Church, Protestant churches, the Church Of Christ, and others. It took a trip to the Israel for me to be able to look back and recognize this situation in my own culture. Since much of the New Testament, and because of that our trip, was focused on unity among Christians, theses divisions seemed much more visible. It was humbling for me to come to these realizations since I was so quick to see the shortcomings in others what I was ignoring at home.

After we finished our tour and meetings in Jerusalem, we began to move in and out of the West Bank nearly every day. As the trip was approaching, I was personally concerned about these transitions and the time we would spend in the territories. The impression is that the territories are very violent and personal safety is at a premium! We found this to be completely untrue. At no point during the entire trip did I feel threatened. In spite of the Palestinian people officially being in a state of uprising, at no point did I see any people acting in such a way.

Quite the opposite, we were constantly in the company of very friendly, very hospitable people. During our stay in the Bethlehem Bible College, we were asked to break into groups of two and accompany a student home for dinner with his or her family. We had a few very intimate and personal interactions like this and I found them to be the highlights of the entire trip. Another team member and I went with a student named Nader. I am typically known to be a picky eater but I can say honestly that his mother makes really tasty food! They would not let us tell them no! They repeatedly piled on food to our plates, served us two deserts along with coffee and tea. When it came time to leave they tried to make us promise to come back and have dinner with them again over the next few days, which unfortunately we couldn't since our days and nights were already booked. When Nader returned us to the College, I told him how great his family was and how much we enjoyed ourselves. He was so pleased that we had a good time that his face was beaming with a joy! It was an enthusiasm that I don't really see very often.

Another such instance was also when we were in Bethlehem and we met with Pastor Nehad and Jamal from the Immanuel Church. These two men spoke for several hours with only an occasional pause or interruption by our group. Their stories are truly amazing and awe-inspiring! After they were done talking, they took us to the church's book store where we had a chance to buy some gifts. I approached Pastor Nehad, thanked him for taking time out of his schedule to come and talk to us and gave him my thirty second summary of our trip's purpose and I saw his face fill with happiness and relief. He told me how genuinely thankful he was that we came and listened to him speak. But in his eyes there was fatigue and I felt that he wanted rest.

He told us how he and other Palestinian Christians feel alone. As I have already said, the denominations do not find solace in one another. The Israeli government is openly unconcerned or even hostile. The Palestinian government is ineffective. The response from other non-Christians is uncertain. Relations with some are great while others resent them for being nonviolent.

Then when they turn to the Western church for solace, they often get shunned in the name Zionism. Some people tell the Palestinian Christians that they have no right to live there and that their presence in the Holy Land is delaying the second coming of Christ. We heard stories of Western churches holding fund raisers to buy tanks and helicopters for the Israeli military for use against the Palestinian people!

I don't want to make a politically loaded statement and I'm not picking a side about whether Israel should be there or not. However, our group got to see firsthand the effects that our churches are having on the Palestinians by asserting these views. Palestinian Christians have very few people to turn to for support. Numerous times throughout the trip we were told that they feel alone with no one to turn to. Some, like Pastor Nehad, are weary from the daily struggle and yet still working. Others told us that they have given up hope in a better life. I like to think that the Western church has everything all right. Yet as part of a group of people that are supposed to be known by their love and support of each other, I am absolutely humbled by the fact that these things come so unnaturally to us.

I believe that is why people like Pastor Nehad were so encouraged by our presence. To me, it seemed like we were doing nothing. Many times before and during the trip I was concerned with our effectiveness since we didn't have concrete goals. We weren't there to convert X number of people or heal Y number of diseases. Success could not be measured in traditional ways. We were just going to go, humble ourselves and learn from these people. And it really was an encouragement to them! Just the fact that we cared about them and listened to their stories visibly raised their hopes and spirits before our very eyes. It was an encouragement to them and it was a blessing for us to be able to do this service for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Each of the groups that we talked to expressed hope that God was working in the land and that was gaining traction. People are experiencing miracles. Non-Christians are coming to Christ. Muslims are seeing dreams and visions of Jesus and are coming to Christians to learn more about him. Opportunities are arising that put the bible and Jesus in the spotlight.

I hope I do not sound like I think that everyone needs to drop everything and run to support the Palestinian people. Neither do I think that people need to abandon their support of Israel. Yet just like every other situation in life, there are two sides to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict that many people don't acknowledge. The great majority of the people we met in the West Bank were just regular people. They don't want war. They don't want Islamic extremism to take over the world. They just want justice, peace and to give their children a better life. As one of our hosts told us, "When people think of us, we don't want people to think of terrorism. When people think of Palestinians, we want them to think of Jesus!"

See the photos of this trip.

Labels: Bible, church, commnuity, devotion, family, Israel, mission, Palestine

I was just talking to a brother and he was telling me that he wanted to do a few more things from his smartphone in an effort to create more time for his family and stay off the computer. And while I am well convinced that can be a very positive move, what does concern me is that sometimes we try to use tech to solve an issue that is more than just a issue of tech. Sure, we might be spending more time playing "home admin" or browsing when we could be studying and fellowshipping. But just changing the tech cannot be the resolving item, we really do have to get down to the core of what it is that we are using tech to substitute for, and then (if then) use the tech as a facilitator of growing with God and our families. As much as these tools can really help, sometimes they just have to take a backseat to relationship and study; and only when those are in the right place can we bring them into a place where they are really aids to ministry.

That all being said, how have you used tech to improve your relationship with God or friends/family? And when you saw that improvement, was it the tech, or something deeper that was the item changed?

Labels: commnuity, devotion, family, mobile, worship

Since getting the N800, I have had a rash of thoughts about mobile computing. Mostly thinking of mobility as a way of life and a [impending] movement, rather than just an alternative way of to how to do things that computers have enabled us to do. I've started processing my thoughts, and have placed an initial post of those thoughts at my personal site. Here is a snippet:

...The 'why' should be addressed first. If only because what we consider as computing is changing by leaps and bounds. What was once university and big science computing, is now doable in the palms of our hands. We can take our data on the go and use it to interact with our world in ways that sci-fi only dreamed about 30 years ago. And at the same time, legislation and technology is moving at such a pace that if we do not understand it now, we will be overrun and have the perspective that "the technology is out to take over us...

Read the entire post.

What are your thoughts concerning mobile technology and how it is slowly becoming a part of everyday computing? Whether we think of a smartphone, laptop, online calendar, or MP3 player, all of these lifestyles are swooping in and out of this space we call mobile computing. How do we respond to this as those who represent Christ? Or, should we even respond at all?

Labels: accessiblity, commnuity, mobile, N800, usablity

I was just on an instant messaging (IM) conversation with LJ talking about an aspect of working with information that I would like to be better at doing, but so far have not taken enough of an initiative to do so. Essentially, I'd like to get to the point where information is working for me (and others) instead of me working for information.

This thought started a few weeks ago when I called for a meeting at my church of the guys on my a/v team. In sharing with them that the meeting was mandatory, I also sent to them a vCal attachment that had the meeting details. I explained that this vCal could be downloaded and saved into Outlook, Google Calendar, or if they need it on their phone, forwarded to their phone to appear in its calendar. One of the attendees responded back that it was great to have that information and it made it a lot easier for him to respond favorably to the meeting because that (small) part of putting the information into his calendar was already done.

That got me thinking, how can I harness an action like sending a vCal item for meetings into a better experience of having information that serves me instead of me serving it?

So far, I am only as far into this thought process that I can say that what I'd like is to get into the pattern of attaching my vCard (business card) and vCal (meeting/calendar) items to emails when I want people to have an action response to something. But, I wonder if this can go further. Not so much in using a web service or a specific tool, but how can I change the way that I do things so that I am now serving people, instead of serving information and pulling people along?

What are your thoughts on this? How can we make information work for us, instead of being pushed and pulled by it?

Labels: accessiblity, commnuity, microformats, mobile, usablity

Just a few notes as we are entering the top of the hump (EST time anyways).

The ESV Blog reported about the podBible, a ESV downloadable reading Bible for your iPod. Very neat.

In using the N800 and Treo 680, I am having similar thoughts to others of whether the laptop needs a revolution. But if you look at another story, it just might be that the revolution has happened already (it's just not priced right everywhere yet).

One thing is for sure, if we do see that revolution continue towards mobile tech, the change to how we approach community and worship cannot be far behind.

Which, if you think about it, would be neat. especially if we can have praise and worship parties regardless of location.

That's all for now, but isn't it neat to have a though of how God can and will influence tech at this point of the week?

Labels: Bible, church, commnuity, ESV, mobile, mobiles, music, Nokia, praise, Treo 680, worship