Some time ago, we were invited to the offices of Renew Outreach to help them shape a few initiatives they are working towards which included some understanding of mobile. We spent 2 days meeting, laughing, and scribbling over a whiteboard to some exciting directions for those projects. After that was done, and before leaving their offices, I asked David Palusky, who is the leader/visionary/main catalyst behind Renew Outreach if he’d be up for a short video/audio interview to talk some about Renew Outreach and what they are about.
About Renew Outreach
From their website:
Renew Outreach creates audio/visual presentation equipment that’s solar/battery-powered and super portable! We harness the newest technology, engineering your tools to spread the message to the most remote people groups on earth.
For more information, and especially in the case of seeing how Renew Outreach can help your misisons efforts get to the literal ends of the earth, check out their website. Here is one example of the stories to be found on their site from these efforts.
About this Video
This video goes about 16min. It was recorded using a Nokia N8 smartphone (I also used my iPad with Evernote to record an audio-only stream with which I later used to compile the video, audio, notes, and still images). And it was uploaded by LaRosa’s really fast connection (thanks bro).
*I intended to record this with Qik as we’ve done previous videos, but forgot to initialze that application and went straight to the normal camera app.
If you liked this interview, let us know in the comments. As we come across others in the Body who have an interesting story to tell towards their efforts at the intersection of faith and technology, we’ll do more of these.
What Mobile is Teaching Me About Evangelism
Saturday, April 8th, 2000I was just at the car wash thinking about my slate for the rest of today and had the reflection that mobile technology has done an interesting job in teaching me about evangelism – from a mobile tech standpoint, but just as much if not more so from a spiritual one.
Mobile Lessons
When sitting in a coffeeshop with an Internet Tablet, Bluetooth keyboard, and mobile phone out, one should expect people to ask questions. What I didn’t expect was that people would ask questions and just have comments about so many things. Some people wanted to know about iPhones and phone plans, others wanted to know how my setup worked and if it could work for them. And still others just took my “open platform” as a means to just have a conversation.
In terms of what mobile is, things are still new and people are still looking for a definition that fits how they are mobile, connected and productive. Being a person who is using tools and services so out in the open, I am getting a chance to see exactly how people respond, and if need be, point them to a solution that would work best for them.
Spiritual Lessons
The greater lessons for me have come on the spiritual side of things. Where some people can separate their tech from their spirit, I happen to have a very tight relationship between the two. It was the idea of having multiple Bibles on my PDA that allowed me to minister to various friends and students on my college campus without carrying the intimidation of a large book bag around. I’ve had to learn what affluence is, gluttony from the tech side of things if you will and how that can and does rub people the wrong way. I’ve had to learn how to be a teacher of those things Godly with this tech, sometimes at the cost of cutting off myself from the things others do. Frankly speaking, I’ve learned that there is a holiness to using technology that we really do miss because we are not usually taught that this exists in this medium.
And From Here?
I’ve been working with Brighthand for years, with Nokia and the S60 Ambassadors/Nokia Blogger Relations, worked as a web designer and developer for more than 9 years, and basically played the roll of techie to a lot of people in my life. There’s more to this than devices and my own wares though. Without educating others on how to use this tech correctly, they miss the point of the benefits. Misuse almost always turns into someone speaking against proper use because of that misunderstanding.
The same thing has happened to Christianity on several levels since Jesus (one can even argue since Adam). There’s a responsibility to wield this faith in a manner that represents the breadth of God’s love. Whether that is speaking against inappropriate use, or just teaching someone how to study the Bible, the responsibility is clear…
…go to the ends of the earth and teach people about Jesus. Not just with a Bible and a few nice words, but with the power of the Holy Spirit.
When you think about it like that, mobile tech could really be on to something, couldn’t it
Tags: accessiblity, Bible, community, devotion, education, gospel, mission, mobility, stewardship, tech
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