Received SMS: “Can I Ask You About How to Become a Christian?”

We shouldn’t wonder about the reach of technology, nor just what can come across its lines, but as an editorial in a recent edition of Christian Computing Magazine explains, being exposed to new behaviors because of mobile and other technology doesn’t take away the need people have to connect with this faith. Here’s a snippet of the editorial:

…I do my best to keep up, even in areas that I am not comfortable using, such as texting (I still think a phone call is a much better way to go). However, last month I received a simple text to my phone that said, “Is this Steve Hewitt?” I replied, “Yes”. The mystery person then texted, “Can I ask you about how to become a Christian?” I spent the next two hours, slowly sending text messages back and forth with this person, answering their questions, and eventually texting them a prayer they could say to accept Christ as their savior. After it was over, they revealed who they were…

Aside: there’s also a neat article in that issue about stepping into digital evangelism (PDF) which might light a fire under some of your efforts to get others involved in this space.

This editorial took place by simply sharing one’s mobile number and being open to the contact. That’s not something which can be stated too much – its not just having the tech, but using it in the space of being available. The 1st characteristic for mobile is that its personal. Don’t lose out on this point. You don’t just broadcast and wait, you engage (consistently, openly, honestly).

For wider and more administrative means for using SMS/MMS in ministry, check out our listing of services/service providers. Just, be open for the contact that you didn’t script.

Cape Town 2010/Charlotte Global Sites Update

Got some timely (really) updates for you concerning the after-sessions happening in Charlotte related to the 2010 Lausanne Congress. Here are the details:

The Park Church
The Park Church (6029 Beatties Ford Road) will be having sessions November 4th and 18th, and again on December 2nd; starting at 6:30pm (all three days). They will show selected video footage from the conference, then allow those present to break into smaller groups for dialogue on selected questions. Bishop Alexander, who personally attended the conference, will set the framework for each video, and the format we will use for discussion.

Antioch Baptist Church
Antioch Baptist Church (232 Skyland Avenue) will be having a session Thursday, November 11 from 11:30am to 12:30pm, with Dr. Celestin Musekura speaking on reconciliation.

Carmel Baptist Church
Carmel Baptist Church (1145 Pineville-Matthews Rd.) will be having its session the afternoon of November 21st from 4-7pm. The afternoon is divided into segments where the Globalink service and testimonies from attendees will offer a sampling of the Cape Town Congress experience.

As new events in and around Charlotte are added, we’ll be sure to let you know (primarily via Twitter). If you are part of the MMM audience outside of the Charlotte area, and are in knowledge of or conducting a Global Link session, send us a Google Calendar invite (mobileministrymagazine at gmail) so that we can note that on our public calendar and assist with any publication of this event meant to keep the Body connected to one another for the glory of our Lord.

For more information about the 3rd Lausanne Congress, connect via their website, Twitter, and Facebook.

Lausanne Evangelical Congress 2010 and Charlotte Global Sites Update

Hopefully, you are aware and have been paying attention to the sessions and active conversations surrounding the 3rd Lausanne Congress on World Evangelism which is going on right now in Cape Town, South Africa. There has been a lot going on, and in just paying attention to #capetown2010 on Twitter, you can get a sense of some of the impact being felt.

Probably the most amazing thing about that small window into Cape Town is that most of the people there aren’t on a social network, and most aren’t speaking English. There’s a ton of information coming out about Lausanne that is a treasure chest if you are proficient in several world languages.

Global Link and Global Sites
Not everyone is able to make a trip to South Africa (beyond political reasons). In the past, this was a major issue. Today, we can use the abilities of text, audio, and video to connect with our brothers and sisters who are there participating, and before they come with personal accounts, we can receive some of the content they too are looking at via Global Link.

We talked about before on how you can connect over Twitter/Facebook, but the Global Link site is an even more effective connection point. You can even take a look at all of the Global Sites around the world which are essentially sponsoring “3rd Congress Snippets” on site. These snippets include audio and/or video, with some breakout sessions. We defintiely encourage you to not just take a look at the site, but connect with your other brothers/sisters in the faith in these sessions.

Charlotte Global Sites
For those who are in the Charlotte area, here’s information regarding the Global Site sessions happening in this area:

Westminster Presbyterian Church
(101 Colville Road, Charlotte, 28207)
4-6:30pm
The afternoon is divided into three segments, each lasting about 75 minutes where we will experience, via Globalink, a sampling of the Cape Town Congress.

Carmel Baptist Church
(1145 Pineville-Matthews Rd. Matthews, NC 28105)
4-7pm
The afternoon is divided into segments where we will experience, via Globalink, a sampling of the Cape Town Congress.

For more information about the 3rd Lausanne Congress, connect via their website, Twitter, and Facebook.

The Bible in Tweets

There are few discussions that illicit more views of amazement, preplexment, and laughter than talking to some pastors and adults about Twitter. For all of the buzz that it seems to be, there’s still a sizable amount of people who just don’t understand it – or rather why one needs it compared to (for example) Facebook or MySpace.

In conversations about Twitter, there’s usually the comparison to Facebook asked: “what’s the difference?” In the most simplest terms, Twitter is just the status wall aspect of Facebook. It’s not (necessarly) groups, conversations, or discovery – even though changes to Twitter and applications can bring those kinds of features towards it.

Twitter is a one-way conversation broadcast channel. It is unweildy for conversations, though it happens. It works well to following opinion and thought leaders, but you will have to cull through other types of content. In a sense, Twitter is a self-publishing platform, in all of 140 (or so) characters. It many many times fall under the pressure of several users – and at the same time, its speed in information delivery has ripped a paradigm shift towards traditional news reporting and consuming shorter snippets of information.

That all being said, this aspect of looking at Twitter as a self-publishing platform is an interesting one. And specifically for how it could end up changing how we think about reading, sharing, and applying the text of the Bible.

Two articles recently posted at the BBC looked at the subject of Twitter and the Bible. The first looked at Chris Juby and his attempt to condense the Bible into just under 1200 tweets (Twitter: @biblesummary). The second article expanded that look on Twitter and the Bible towards the various other persons who are tweeting the Bible, and taking different approaches to interpret and disseminate the classic text.

What are your thoughts on these endeavors towards re-translation and evangelism? Could we get to a point where the entire Bible is in Twitter (a Digital Twitter Version perhaps) and this decentralizes (again) the lines between publisher and reader? What about textual analysis – could someone understand the Scripture (for doctrine, correction, or instruction) in this format?

Let’s hear your thoughts.

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Mobile Ministry Magazine

Asking questions, presenting approaches, and experiments at the intersection of faith and mobile

Tag Archives: digital evangelism