The other side of yesterday’s post came to a head today in the mist of meeting with someone who is quite the vetran within the IT ministry area. Specifically in regards to one of the goals of MMM to tell the stories about what is happening in mobile ministry, and then to relate that to the training and consulting needs that many ministries need in this day and age.
The Stories Are Yours to Tell
Even though MMM is one of a few sites that focuses on mobiles in minstry, the stories about whats happening and what will happen as mobile evolves globally come from your experiences. That’s not to say that there isn’t sufficient experience here – there isn’t enough experience anywhere to tell the story of mobile – but there is a structure here towards giving people who need a voice, the place to share those stories (case studies, posts, reviews, etc.) that are all very important aspects to the intersection of mobile and faith.
Beyond the Intersection
After we’ve talked about it, and before we talk again about it, being at any intersection induces a response. If you want to take the analogy of a stoplight: you come to the intersection, and given the color on the indicator, you make an action. In regards to MMM, we started with things in a red/yellow area. There was not much to talk about because there were many questions and few applications. Hence the first five years of posts.
Today, the color is most definitely green (with some yellow points too). Green means that we aren’t just asking what happens at the intersection, but giving people the links to the people and resources that assist them in best applying those lessons.
This can look like training, consulting, and purchase assistance, speaking engagements, case studies, and even as far as face-to-face meetings. Whatever it would take to translate the usefulness of the mobile arena to your ministry, MMM seeks to get as close to being useful as possible.
Identifying the Gaps
And that’s where the fun lies. There are gaps. Information is (once again) difficult to find here. There’s a solatary voice who is also part of a small group of hands keeping things moving forward. And there are the general spiritual and psychological challenges of doing this for a living. It’s not hard, and the challenges are a daily reminder to the intensity of such a story.
And that’s why this story has to enable your story. Maybe you are a missionary who has insight towards technology use – and are looking for a means of getting that information out. Or, you see that there’s information out there, but not as focused as you’d like it to be. Before you create something new, till the ground here and see if there are common grounds we can till together. As a book that I”m reading so nicely put it – getting inline with God’s purpose will put you in the lanes of others who also have been purposed by God for a similar work (such is part of the validation of a call to ministry work).
Is MMM niche, low on budget, and high on administration tasks? Sure is. But, that’s the story that’s part of how content and life is hewn together at this intersection. Its designed to engage and enable the story of this faith through a mobile lens. And with 4 billion+ people with a mobile lens, that makes for a lot of interesting takes on what works, and what’s next.
Won’t you pray for and join with us? I’d hope so. Because this is a magazine, and your voice, as well as ears and eyes, are welcome.