This is a guest post by DJ Chuang, a good friend and leader in church innovations. He explains his role at the Leadership Network below, but DJ is someone who is always looking forward and a consistent source for me on what is coming next.
As the Director of Digital Initiatives at Leadership Network, I constantly scan the landscape for innovative ways to use digital technology to multiply Kingdom impact, both for the churches we serve and for Leadership Network. This includes launching and managing 4 Leadership Network blogs (Digital, Learnings, Books, and Multi-Site), and actively participating in the conversations in the blogosphere and twittersphere. I love to shine the spotlight on great examples of how technology is ministering to people, like at LifeChurch.tv’s Church Online.
There’s unlimited potential for churches that leverage ministry online. For the next generation, the online world and in-person offline world are practically seamless. In other words, there is no difference in building a relationship online vs. offline. In one survey, 70% of people say their relationships have been improved by internet. By and large, churches are just beginning to move from a broadcast model to an interactive model of doing ministry online. A broadcast model assumes that the church organization alone has the main message to distribute to others, where as an interactive model assumes everyone has something to say and to contribute. I’m of the persuasion that everyone of us that is a follower of Christ has His message to share with others. Churches that empowers its members to speak through leveraging ministry online will help the Gospel spread that much farther.
One of the most exciting web tools that’s developing and maturing is multi-user video chat. One of my favorites is Tokbox, a very easy to use web app that allows multiple users to video chat with each other in real time. I’ve seen it work effectively for up to 15 people at a time. (Any more than that, it starts crashing people’s web browsers.) I think that will get better as bandwidth availability continues to increase. Inter-personal communication increases dramatically with technologies like video chat. When only words are used, you might remember only 10% of what you hear. When you’re able to see and hear another person, that increases to 60%! But it’s not the technology, per se. As more web apps become easier to use by non-techies, that’s when these tools can be used for effective ministry online.
3 practical ways that you can use web tools to do ministry online:
- Connect with people where they are. When I’m asked whether to use Twitter or Facebook, I say use the one where the people you know are. Some people use Twitter, and that’s a near real-time way to stay in touch with them. More people use Facebook, and that’s a great way to stay in touch with them. There are great online tutorials available for you to learn how to use these tools effectively. Start with those you already know in person. And, as you become more proficient, use these connecting tools to build new relationships with new friends online.
- Actively communicate. While Twitter and Facebook are great for connecting, I find making a video on YouTube and/or blogging to be more effective at telling your story: your thoughts, your feelings, and your life. You can only say so much in a Twitter tweet or Facebook status update. Share episodes from your life, especially when God has made a difference, or when God has opened a new door of opportunity, or a prayer request. Share your life with others, and invite others to share theirs with you. I love what Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 2:8 , “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well …”
- Share your experiences. As you learn what works and doesn’t quite work in your ministry online efforts, share them with the online community here on this blog in the comment section. When you have a burning thought, signal Tony or Brandon to let you write a blog post too. We’re all in this together!
( DJ’s offer here is legitmate, as you have a “burning thought” we would love to hear from you and let you do a guest post on the Church Online blog. If interested you can email me by Clicking Here.)
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I am all for that in my personal capacity and as a volunteer at Church. We have a few examples where people have come to find out about our church because of what we do online,
At the moment Ron and myself drive the online aspect of our church, apart from the official website – which will soon be updated to be more compliant to social media principles.
At the moment I am finding the growth of fans very slow. Ok the original motivation for out FB and blog pages was to act as a kind of online newsletter and updater. However I see it more than that and I get frustrated by the lack of visits and comments. The problem is that the adoption rate of people at out church to partake in social media is terribly slow – I think it is a fear factor and an issue of practicality. Fear for the unknown and 'uncontrollable' as well as the unpractical manner in which internet access is made available in our country – expensive and slow.
However I am planning to deal with the fear factor b.m.o. a Social Media workshop.
woot – praying and hoping.
Phill
I believe that this is a new and still developing culture in the world today. One where you can project who you would like to be without others seeing the real you deep down inside. How do you bridge the gap between the projected and the real? How do you read between the typed lines of conversations to get to the heart of a person? I realize that even in interpersonal relationships we all 'hide' what we don't want the other person to know…especially when just meeting…we put our "best foot forward', our "best 'face' on". But this facade can only last so long. In this online community it can hold out for much longer…perhaps indefinitely. How do you know who you're really talking to?
There are a lot of questions here. I understand the potential and the need to meet/reach the culture where they're at. I just believe that there has to be some way to keep the message of Jesus Christ personal so that those that are reached do not develope a realtionship with a facade instead of the real, personal Christ.
Honestly, I don't think any of the issues you raised are any better in face to face interaction. What you are identifying is a part of human nature where ever it exists. And in fact because of the anonymity of online relationships more people are more "themselves" or "real" than they are in face to face interactions. The assumption that virtual is fake is contrary to all of my experiences online.
I also think the assumption that the gospel communicated online is a relationship with a facade of Jesus is false. That is no more likely online than it is offline. We do need to make sure we communicate the message of Jesus clearly and fully – but that is a necessity for any ministry.
I'm not trying to diminish the value/validity of online relationships…I apologize if my comment came across that way. I'm not saying that virtual is fake…but only a part of what knowing someone is all about. In virtual relationships you miss so much of what makes people unique such as, facial expressions, manerisms, body language, etc. All of these things add to to total package of the encounter and contribute, for better or worse, to 'knowing' the other person. They are very different relationships that can complement eachother but ought not replace the other.
My point was that there is a missing element in virtual relationships that can only be found in face to face contact. You miss the glint in the eye or the furrowing of the brows or the fidgeting of the fingers…all of which add to our interpretation of the other person.
gotcha
erkmak, thanks for your comments here! I agree there are noticeable difference between relating online and relating offline, and there is much to be gained from non-verbal body language and tone of voice.
This is why I'm anticipating the value of a maturing technology like multi-user video chat. With that, we can see each other's body language and hear tone of voice in real time.
Another example is my 12-year old son. When we got him a cell phone at the beginning of this school year, we saw a whole different side of him. There was a witty side of him that came through text messaging, and a certain play on words he'd use. This was a whole different side of him that we had never experienced! As this happened, it showed me that technology can show a fuller dimension of a person that I couldn't have experienced by being next to a person in real time.
I love the idea of "story-telling" via video. I hadn't really considered that much until recently, and I think I'll be using it more. Lots of thoughts swirling around in my head lately….
Mmmm. Great post, DJ. I have a tough time with the collaborative teaching/content part. That may not have been what you meant, but it's how I'm getting it.
For me, the Internet isn't a tool to create authoritative teachers out of every Christian. In most cases in life, as well as the Church, not all opinions are equal. Giving Scriptural authority to the majority doesn't seem safe or Biblical to me. Of course, that's my opinion, but I'd love to hear more on that.
Other than that, I'm totally digging the article!!!
Good comment…I too have concerns about where the authority is if so many are sharing opinions. Conversation is great and sharing ideas is great…"as iron sharpens iron"…we can arrive at a common ground of understanding. Perhaps the correct line of thought is that each and every comment ought to be measured against and corroborated by the Word…kind of like 'taking every thought captive'.
But as in life, everyone has their own slant on things and no one has a corner on the truth except for Truth Himself…that is where we should look.
Scott, thanks for your thoughts about collaboration and authority. As for collaborative teaching, there are churches where the team of pastors and/or church leaders work on the sermon together and collaboratively, so the possibility of collaboration is quite possible and do-able, while being authoritative.
As for authoritative "teaching" and what constitutes authority in the online world, that seems to be something that's developing as we go into this new frontier. For example, wikipedia has become a popular source for information as an online encyclopedia, and we are often warned to read the content at a wikipedia entry with a grain of thought and that it is not authoritative — since anyone can go in there and revise it, thus potentially posting erroneous content. How does authority work in something like wikipedia? It's the collective body of editors that voluntarily maintain the integrity of what's posted at wikipedia.
Perhaps in the church, the analogy would be that the Body of Christ, and its members of Christ followers, will be the ones who uphold the integrity of the truth lived out in their lives as guided by the Scriptures. Note: just offering an idea here, I don't really know for certain how it's going to work itself out as our use of the online world matures.
I think one exciting thing online tools allow is the gifted/anointed speaker to be used by the big "C" Church. There are many pastors who might not have the gift of communication, yet they have the strong gift of shepherding. Online tools are now opening the possibilities of everyone really thriving in the gifts God has given. The free resources that many churches are offering to other churches is really changing the game.
I think for the masses the online tools allow more interaction in the discussion. People have a voice and are expected to have one online. Everyone is a producer as well as a consumer. I believe it is not as much about preaching the authority of scripture for the majority of people as it is the ability to share your story. This medium is perfect for that. It is part of online culture…to share your life story. Like the blind man that was healed by Jesus. He was not the preacher or teacher, but he could share what Jesus had done in his life, “…one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” This is what I get excited about. Now instead of a one way communication from the gifted preacher/teacher. We can now hear from those that God is changing. Just sharing our story through this tool has unlimited potential.
@brandon thanks for clarifying. Now that makes sense to me.
word.
DJ,
Thanks for the great post. It is fun to see where the church is just beginning to head in leveraging technology!
As far as the comments on authority in the online teaching world, I think the main thing is to give it some time. What I mean is, if I see someone teaching online, I am going to hear what they say a few times and make sure it all aligns with the Bible before I go out and share it with others. I believe it's very similar to offline teaching, either way I have to always make sure I am listening and processing it through the filter of the Bible to see if it lines up. One plus that I see to the online world is that we have a real easy and great way to promote the good teachers online. If I spend tons of time promoting something online (like LifeChurch.tv) it well help keep the "shady" stuff quiet. Hope that makes some sense. I think the possibilities are great though!
Thanks for the clarification…I do believe there is a great deal we can learn from each other. I have been in the preaching/teaching arena and found it a very lonely place and a place where I was always under the microscope or in the fish bowl…never really able to be who I was created to be, only what I was expected to be. I admit, I am new to this whole online community thing but as I read and follow what you all are doing, I must admit that I feel something I haven't felt in quite a while. Perhaps I'm sensing a genuineness and acceptance that ought to be present in the local church but has gotten lost or crowded out by expectations/traditions.
Will keep following…one step at a time, as far as my lamp shines.
-erk
Here, you can watch free tv online, both Hollywood and Bollywood, and watch live tv online. It includes numerous tv channels of different countries around the world. No registration require to access all this.