Of common topic these days in digital ministry circles is how to better use digital tools such as mobile, social networks, etc. to better do the work of discipliship and continual engagement with the Body. A book that has been recently published – titled Netcasters – has been profiled over at the InternetEvangelism Day Blog with both a book summary and interview with its author. Here’s a quote from the interview.

…Netcasters was written to describe what internet evangelism is and who is doing it well – both large ministries and individual cybermissionaries. I also provide a list of resources and contacts so that someone who feels called to evangelize on the Web will be able to get quickly up-to-speed on how to get the ball rolling…

For more information, read the review/interview then purchase the book at Amazon and other online retailers.

Following up some from the last post, I’d like to open the can of beans towards how we can use mobile and social web technologies to create collaborative spaces.

Traditionally, we are used to the typical learning environment to be a person speaking, projector behind them, occasionally a hand-out, and the audience usually head-down writing notes, or heads-up affirming the points made.

While this is good, its been stated by many educators that people tend to work better when they are a part of the story – an active participant in crafting the lesson. So, what can we do with the technology in our hands towards making people a bit more active in learning sessions, creating more chances for accountable and mature discussions and after-lesson applications. The example of an “instant” community as proposed by Nokia’s research project called Instant Community points to some ways in which this can happen.

Instant Community proposes to create a social network based on Wi-Fi and served from a mobile device. Those users who connect can then share text, links, and multimedia items between one another. In some cases, this would be a file transfer, but I can see streamed content being a part of this.

In our biblical communities, instead of starting and ending with a room of dozens of people spoken to by one person, a core group of leaders already equipped with the leadership and tech training would pull aside a group of 6-8 people, and in their “communities” create one of these networks.

They’d have prepared information saved to a community area (think like Google Docs or the ministrys intranet site), but then a usable set of documents – or even a local version of the collaboration site based around the document (think like SharePoint’s Document Workspaces) that all “members” of that small group could add to, comment on, and even save to send to people who were not in the group when its “finished.”

An engagement like this could happen anywhere – removing the dependency on the meeting room for the teaching, but leaving that space as a communial space purposed for corporate prayer and worship. It would also make sense in that meeting space to bring together the workspaces from the smaller groups and then talk/act as a community what that means to the group and the local community.

Just an idea; and one that I’ve tried with Nokia’s Mobile Web Server a few times (weird feedback). But, in terms of making learning more reliant on people interacting with content, and less about the person or place delivering it, it creates conversations that just don’t happen during lesson prep.

Would this be an engagement that would work in your community? Why or why not? What would be some of the issues with an approach like this, and would it encourage a change in those issues to opportunities? What could that look like for you?

A common question posed to myself here at MMM has been the idea of local engagement. That is, what can churches/ministries do on a local level to engage their communities by taking advantage of the mobile technologies that are becoming more commonly used around their communities. An experience that I had yesterday points to a few ways towards making this possible.

I was invited to Remedy Church by some friends for service this past weekend. The friend and I communicated the entire matter via SMS. He did the noble thing and sent me the address of the church, I promptly looked up the address within the mapping application on my mobile, and got two sets of directions to get there.

I wanted to get a small feel for the church before getting there, so Sunday morning before departing I took a look at their website using my mobile. I browsed through every page of their site, and thankfully, my mobile had the ability to view all aspects of their site. I did have trouble finding the address information – as it was embedded into a picture rather than as HTML text – but other than that found everything that I’d wanted to know before hand.

Using Ovi Maps, I was directed to Remedy and then just made my way into speaking with several people. They are really a nice and youthful community. I even spotted a person using an iPad during service. One of the things that I really liked is that they are doing Scriptural memorization as an entire community. They passed out a card and both sides were presented with passages in 1 John 2 that they were setting to remember. The pastor made the mention that it wasn’t a requirement, but it was something they were doing to help facilitate maturity in speaking the Scriptures within and outside of their community.

The message was on point. The person preaching was not the usual pastor, but a member of the community who has stepped into the calling to be a church planter. His message was not just very direct (re: convicting) but also packed with several references outside of his main passage in Luke 9:57-62. This too was very good to hear as the person stayed very close to the text in interpretation, and kept the application relevant to the listening community.

As the service ended, there was another card to fill out (since I was a visitor). This was the normal connection card asking for name, email, address, and having a few check boxes for a few other items and comments. All in all, the same and nothing too different – except the entry and managing points of all of that information.

So here are a few points where mobile, SMS, and mobile web can be points in this story:

• Instead of sending a person the address for a venue, send them the address from your web or mobile mapping application – which will come to a person as a SMS with a URL link, or MMS with a picture of the map location
• Making sure that either your church has a mobile-friendly website or is at least accessible to mobile devices for key content such as address, phone numbers, and primary contact persons
• If your community is a bit techie, make an announcement of this characteristic just in case visitors have an aversion to using modern devices in service
• Encourage actions such as events, Scriptural memorization, etc. to be shared by as many media realms as possible. Go as far as taking a photo of flyers and sharing that via MMS with others
• Use interactive biblical tools such as YouVersion to not just share the Scriptures, but also the outlines and the commentary that your community shares over messages and subjects.
• Encourage folks to share reflections of the message on your community blog (use moderation as needed, and communicate those policies)
• Don’t just rely on handwritten forms for visitor engagement, use online forms, Twitter, and other social media tools to also acquire that information and then to reconnect with others

This is not a critique of Remedy or other churches who use these methods. It is a look at where technologies such as mobile and web intersects and it doesn’t cause any more administrative concerns than what currently exists.

Do tread slowly. Don’t try to go so far and so fast with these tools. But, do take a look at what you have in your communities and hands, and think creatively. Then engage locally.

One of the (longer) readings that has come from the mobile blogsphere has been a piece called Everything You Wanted to Ask About Mobile But Were Afraid To Ask by Tomi Ahonen (Communities Dominate Brands, Mobile as 7th of the Mass Media, etc.). This piece is an excellent primer towards mobile from a high (and probably nearly mid-)level perspective, and yet is about the right kind of perspective that’s needed for such a field. Here’s a snippet of that piece:

…And do remember, that is global numbers. Two thirds of the planet means we now cover people who are refugees from wars, living in poverty etc. On the planet there are 800 million people of reading age who are illiterate, 1.6 billion people live beyond the reach of electricity, and 900 million are children under the age of 7. There are more people with mobile phones than have access to running water. More mobile phone subscribers on the planet than use a toothbrush (its true!). Yet even across all these hardships, the mobile has spread so rapidly that there was a mobile phone for two thirds of the planet at the start of this year, and will be 75% of planet Earth’s population by the end of this year…

It is no longer an issue of whether mobile is here, now it’s time to address our perceptions and possibilities because it is.

Update: Read more about MMM’s coverage of SMS in mobile.

On a call with several members of the Visual Story Network (VSN) Mobile Ministry group, there was a constant question about the access to resources, tools, strategies, and people who are involved within the area of mobile(-based) ministry. I kind of hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this field is so new, that a lot of this information just isn’t all pulled together yet.

And still the need is there for this information. There’s a need for white papers, metrics, and strategies which will help those in local and global contexts to better understand and apply what can (in most cases) work for them.

That’s the point of the “magazine” aspect of MMM. This site – at least the part that you are reading – serves to poke your brain(s) with the type of content that should provoke you to ask questions about the use of mobile/web and then give you a means of connecting to those stories, those people, and essentially, the Gospel in practice.

Access also has another perspective – one where its not needed to be here at MMM – this is access that’s defined by just being mobile. Whether that access is to educational materials, or communications, or social services, mobile devices/services grant the ability for people to be empowered where they were not before. You and your ministry endeavors owe it to your audiences to let them know that a mobile window exists.

That doesn’t mean that you are giving them a finished solution, it means that you are eliminating excuses because you are giving options. And yes, mobile isn’t the only way to do this, its one of the latest ways, and we literally owe it to the Body of Christ to present access to life in as many ways as possible.

From here, MMM wants to hear from you. Use the contact form or just respond to this post if you have content that can express to others these options – these accessible options – that mobile opens up. And if you are looking for ways of identifying access via mobile, search the archives to those things that have been tried and done.

There is a lot that is possible, and there’s a lot that should be done. The access window and key to this is in your hand/on your hip. Why not share a bit?

It’s a good time to give a small update towards a recently purchased iPad, and also what I feel is something that I think we miss in respect to the many devices and user interfaces that we have to deal with.

First, iPad Thoughts
Let me just say off the top that I like the iPad not because of applications or screen size, but because the battery life is absolutely amazing. My impressions really begin and end with the fact that the device can last all day (in a coffeehouse setting). And for my uses, I’m just using the web browser. Tons of windows open at a time mind you – and an occasional blog posting such as this one – but really, its Wi-Fi all the time. Amazing really.

Lot’s of questions have come from folks asking if it has a USB port. And then I ask them why it needs one. Usually the answer is “to put files on there.” Then I ask them, what kind of files and the conversations get silent. We’ve become used to managing files on portable media, but not really understanding of why we do that (obvious answer: because you need a non-online ability to read or edit something). Thing is, for many of these folks, these are files (documents, multimedia, etc.) which they usually access next to an Internet connection. So why not use something like email, or fancier like GDocs instead? For them, its a different way of thinking and acting, but one to consider with the iPad.

Which Leads to User Interfaces
User interfaces – or UIs – are interesting. On many computers, because we are used to the keyboard and mouse methodology, we are accustomed to controls and behaviors that take advantage of these items. For example, we look for keyboard shortcuts just about everytime we have a keyboard. With the iPad, that line of thinking needs to go out of the window – even mores than some other mobile devices which have touch screens.

The iPad doesn’t make any concessions to ways of interacting with content/media that act as if they first need a mouse and/or keyboard. Everything is designed with the idea of touch and go. And its actually to the point that there are some actions that could use a gesture or better touch-style control, but those don’t exist – such as managing browser windows. The device, and its software, don’t rely on former methods in order to make the point that you can interact with content. It’s designed so that you don’t have to assume much of anything.

Hence this really interesting paradigm of use and behavior that develops with the iPad and similar-sized devices. You have this device that’s the size of a book, that’s simpler than many books, and that allows you to forget that there’s a such thing as a power supply nearby – and you simply just use it. If not careful, the simplicity of the UI and the functionality around it takes what was previously a chore in terms of engaging content, and makes it into “the way it always was.”

When designing for a touch-based UI, this is the kind of thinking that needs to be cultivated into function. The fact that we physically touch digital planes means that we can (and sometimes do) ascribe a deeper sensory connection to it. It’s not just a Bible reader, but I’m touching and manipulating the very lines that make up the Bible so that I better understand it. This is similar to the student who has a pack of highlighters and the resultant multi-color textbooks. The colors and actions of highlighting allows for a kind of interaction with the content that makes it easier to recall and reuse the content. In the same way, touching allows for a newer (or older, depending on your perspective), relationship to content.

When a site is well designed for the size and ability of modern-day touchscreen devices, its not just another site – it becomes another type of experience. If done really well, and then control mechanisms are contextual, you don’t miss the former methods at all, but do wonder why it took so long for things to get this simple.

In relation to the iPad, this is how using it makes me feel. I look forward to digging into the various unique applications that have been designed for this platform – and don’t just want to display content, but want to present ways of engaging it that are deeper, wider, and altogether more engrossing than other types of media. With mobile, mobile w/touch, this is very much the bar to be reached, and the bar to be explored.

Small admission, I’ve dropped the ball in terms of dealings with Digital Disciples (Charlotte). Some months ago, Dale and I talked about me taking a more central role in organizing things, and I willingly took on that role, but also had all of these other changes going on.

Please forgive me, and considering this stepping back into that role with (more time) a clearer focus.

Where’s Digital Disciples Charlotte Now
I guess the best way to start is to say where things had been and where they are now.

We started with some really solid interest from about 10-12 people in the region. The major problem though was that we couldn’t synchronize schedules and so the early gatherings included 3 core people and a few others who heard about Digital Disciples and wanted to check things out.

We talked a good bit about making a monthly schedule for topics, and also about what does it mean to be a Digital Disciple “branch” that extends out to the community. So, through out various relationships, we talked to local businesses and churches with the idea that we’d be eventually at a point to be able to serve them in some kind of digital equipping.

That didn’t work out so well. Hence this post.

Some of the Challenges
Anytime you are trying an organic group, especially one where technology is a connecting member and therefore people have several different approaches to connecting, there’s going to be connection or communication issues. Besides getting a day that works for everyone, syncing the communications across email, Twitter, and Facebook seems to be a challenge – and a good one really. As a connection point for Digital Disciple here in Charlotte, MMM is everywhere except Facebook. This means that networking with those of you who have a presence – and a solid one – there is key towards mitigating that aspect of things.

Another issue is just connecting. Amongst the early email group, we had such a spread of days to be available that it really became difficult to just get everyone together just once. This is going to continue to be an issue, but perhaps with MMM’s ability to be a bit more mobile, things can be addressed here from time to time (different locations, or certain types of meetings, etc.).

Lastly, there’s the challenge of content. While we all agree that the digital tools that we have indeed have some intersection at our faith, what it is we do together when we come together has been a matter of conversations. Some have wanted simple fellowship and knowledge sharing, others have wanted a bible study that teaches the text and introduces the tech as part of the learning, and still others have wanted something of a community workshop that’s grounded in the text, but serves the needs of the local Charlotte community.

These are challenges because they are all spread out, and all on the radar – not because they are impossible.

So Where to Go From Here
MMM has been invited to assist some ministries in an upcoming global engagement that will be hitting the Charlotte area pretty soon. There’s a need for facilitating communication and community activities – even to the point of digital discipling – to the local churches who are involved in this effort. I believe that Digital Disciples was made for this kind of task. Thing is, hands would be needed to in order to make that happen.

I’d like to know who would be interested in meeting to talk about that effort, and to assist in the planning and prep for that activity. Express your interest by commenting to this post, or by giving feedback via Twitter (@mobileminmag). In a week’s time, I’ll put out a meeting date, and that will be the one and only date for gathering the faces for this. From there, Digital Disciples Charlotte will extend to those who have interest, and there will be a plan of action for the local effort, as well as Digital Disciples separate from that effort.

When Gabe and I talked about Digital Disciples being in Charlotte, this is part of what we knew could happen. Communities take work and time to develop. And there needs to be someone (or a few someones) who are not just interested in the intersection of faith and technology, but will take steps at the intersection to build lights and sidewalks for others.

Won’t you consider joining with MMM for Digital Disciples Charlotte. Or, if you like what you hear here and would like to engage with Digital Disciples a bit closer to your home, check out the Digital Disciples website for a group that meets nearer to you.

There’s a lot of digital ground to cover – and a whole lot of folks that want to keep connected to Christ while covering it.

Just a heads that MMM’s founder, Antoine RJ Wright, will be interviewed tonight by In the Light Ministries Philly. Information about how you can tune in will be posted via Twitter (@mobileminmag). The call will be at 7pm EST (GMT-4). Sorry for the short notice as this was just setup a few minutes ago. Would love to hear your feedback.

For more info about the ministry doing the interview, visit the In the Light Ministries Philly website.

If there’s anything that new technology/devices can teach you quickly is that there’s a language to access that some people have, and others don’t. And maybe it has some to do with specific regions – as it definitely has something to do with the logos/brands placed on devices – because some languages are better understood than others.

For example, you can say to someone that you have an iPad, and the language that’s heard sounds like ‘affluence,” “American,” “arrogant,” or whatever comes to your mind when you see that apple logo. Or even terms like access, internet, social networking, and smartphone. These terms have some shape within our minds, and then as we learn more about the terms, the people and actions associated with them, and even their impacts, we begin to form some language towards those items that may or may not be so clear to others.

Those people who are IT-minded tend to know this very well. There’s a language that (depending on where in IT you sit), is either geeky, nerdy, or just flat out weird. When engaging people who don’t have that background, it can be a challenge for some to remove themselves from their “native tongue” to something more accessible to the listening audience. However, this is an endeavor that we should take on – for how does the Body get edified if the sound is harsh or foreign and not easily understood in its context.

That’s the challenge for mobile – as a genre of technology and culture. As a phenomena that has literally wrapped itself around every area of the world that reads and speaks, mobile has itself created this language of use and function that is sometimes easy to understand (applications, ringtones, costs, etc.) and other times is jumbled gibberish (APIs, plaforms, standards, policies, etc.). For those of us who are in mobile, its our challenge to make these areas intelligible to others who are apt to teach so that mobile doesn’t become stigmatized and that it can reach realms beyond just those who can attain it.

Many of the largest mobile companies (manufacturers, carriers, etc.) have been looking at how to drive mobile penetration rates higher. At this point, almost everyone who wants to own a mobile has one. The problem is reaching those who might want one, but have some non-addressed need. For example, they cannot read, therefore how would they operate the device. Or, they have an harder time with screen, input, or other service elements that would require substantial redesigns of devices and service layers. These companies have correctly identified that if mobile were to grow (in profit and influence) for their benefit, that they have to address these concerns.

In the same way, the Body (Christian faith communities) have to ask the question of not just mobile, but all tech – are we speaking a language that is easily understood by all. Or, are we subjecting the message to just the subset of people who have access to it? If we are doing this, how then do we exercise the fulfilling of Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-26?

One of the topics that has been occurring under the radar of what’s happening in mobile has Ben the idea of education and what that looks like. There are views that we’ve expressed here, but before we dive back into that topic stream, hearing from you would be good.

So, here’s the question:
Does mobile encourage or discourage educational innovation?

As a topic that’s near to the heart and actions of some, I’m sure that this can have a wide range of answers. So, answer with your thoughts and experiences and let’s see what’s out there beyond.