Gods Geeks

Lifechurch.tv has launched a beta version of its new site, YouVersion.com. YouVersion looks to be a web 2.0 version of the bible. With support for tagging, linking, Embeding video and pictures, YouVersion strives to tap the user generated content field to create an online community. It also has a Private journal section to store reflections and observations. There is place holders for lots of features not yet implemented yet, including Contacts, History, and Groups. While actual content is very thin at this point, this service looks like it could be very handy.  Keep your eyes on the dev blog over at blog.youversion.com., or right here for more information as it becomes available.

Last week I mentioned that I attended a session by Kent Shaffer of Bombay Creative and ChurchRelevance.com at Gospelcom.net’s (now/soon to be Goospel.com) Internet Ministry Conference in Grand Rapids, Mi. I Actually attended 2 sessions by Kent. The first was titled “Communicating Without Words”. We often concentrate so much on the words that we are sharing, that we forget to think about what we are saying without words.
The second was called “Design is Credibility.” It was a great discussion about Design and art. We so often underestimate the importance of good design. Just like when meeting someone on the street, be it good or bad, people make assumptions based on appearance very quickly online and in print. Design is especially in in ministry. With attractive design, people give the credence to the content. It also helps engage emotional attachment. Peoples perceptions of your ministry are effected by the quality of your delivery.

Both of these sessions had so much good content that it was almost impossible to keep up with notes. I am so glad that Kent posted his rough notes over on his blog. Check them out.

Communicating Without Words - Rough Notes

Design is Credibility - Rough notes

Well the Internet Ministry Conference is over for this year. Final verdict, awesome.  Now that I am back home, I need to take some time to stew over things, review my notes, and fill in some more information here on GodsGeeks.org. I Cant wait for the recordings to be posted online.

The final Session I attended at the new Gospel.com’s Internet Ministry Conference 2007 was a session by David Bruce of HollywoodJesus.com. The title of his session was Tearing Down Walls Building Bridges. His message was to put aside our partisan politics, not tear each other down over our differences, but build each other up in the love of Christ. He reminded us that Christ loves each one of us, he embraces our differences. We need to love each other and find value in each other just as Christ does.

That really struck a chord with me. Anyone who knows me is likely to have heard my Un-Rant lately. Each one of us are Christ’s Creations. Made with a specific propose, and equipped with a specific tool set. That tool includes not only spiritual gifts, but also talents and abilities. It also includes interests. God has given us interests and passion for specific purposes that glorify Him. The connect us with specific people. Those are the people that we can connect with naturally. Not that God does not call us to step out of our confort zones, because he does, alot. But those are the base set of everyday interactions that equip us for Gods calling.

David’s message of loving each other, because God made of us, and loves each of us how we are, is often hard to do. Jesus loves the republican, the democrate, the rich, the poor, the black, white, red, blue, whatever color, the activists, the pacifists, the jocks, the nerds, the freaks, the geeks, the pimps, the preachers, the pushers, the users, the haters, the abusers, the friends, the foes, the butcher, the baker, and the candle stick maker. Sinners, one and all. And Jesus loves them each and every one. If I pray Daily and ask for Jesus to teach me his love, and If I remember that God built each aspect of each person for a reason loving others gets a little easier every day.

Relationship Blogging – Rich Tatum
This afternoon, I attended an interesting session about Relationship Blogging by Rich Tatum of http://tatumweb.com/blog/. He had some good summary’s. He talked about Dave Winer, Scoble and a few other well know bloggers. (Glad to see the inside looking out and recognizing ideas that work. Lets face it, Thats often not the case in Ministry). Here is a few bullet points.

Blogs need to be about :

• transparency
• authenticy
• conversation
• connections
• personal
• intimate

Why are Blogs different different :

• Personally Written, rarely vetted
• often raw, emotional, and assertive
• More Like letters than articles
• Occasional and timely
• Controversy friendly

He followed the relationship of a number of bloggers to show how relationships are built and dialogue occurs.

This morning I attended a session by David Bruce of HollywoodJesus.com. David is Passionate about People. He shared some of his philosophy about ministry that really made an impact on me. He shared a philosophy of ministry that makes so much sense.

1. Respect the Natives

2. Respect the Culture

3. Respect their Stories

4. Look for redemptive analogies

He said that these ideas came from a Book Titled Eternity in Their Hearts by Don Richardson. Then he made a statement that slapped me across the face with its truth. “We do not use missionary principles in our own culture”. Wow what a summary. I have been starting to get a bit of perspective on the importance of community. They are where we are and where we have been put. Thats where we are missionaries. We may not change the world, but we can change someones world.

Thank you David, for letting Christ use you to change mine.

After doing a little session shuffle, I wound up this morning in a session by Kent Shaffer from ChurchRelevance.com. The session was titled “Communication Without Words”. Kent convered many aspects of design and the power of the environment. He presented many examples of how the outside world uses design, and made connections to useage in the church and minstry arena.

It is a fantastic presentation. So often people forget that design and art are important. The medium is so powerful. Is say alot.

I need to stew on this one. Lots of Great information. Fantastic session.

Notes from the other sessions that I have attended are coming soon. I would like to organze them and reflect on them a bit more before I post them. Right now I am sitting in a session by Rod Martin. Hope it will Make Gods Geeks a better place.

This week I am attending the Internet Ministry Conference in Grand Rapids, MI. The first session I am attending this morning is about Second Life. Second Life is a 3d simulation environment. Many would argue that it is simply a Game, but the truth is that it is much more. All of the characters in second life are real people, spread all over the planet. From a ministry perspective, that makes it a very interesting place.

One of the new features of secondlife is voice chat. I think that makes a huge difference to tangibility of the second life environment.

Now, Second life is an open simulation environment, so there is a lot of freedom. So, just like real life, there good and bad. Sin is there and common. The anonymity, just like many places on the internet, tends to boil it down and focus Things. The protection of the internet allows the social barriers to be broken down. That is true for sinful motivations, as well as spiritual. Those lowered barriers can facilitate spiritual growth and change in a very different way. SL is a place that requires wisdom, I would not send a child into SL unattended. That said it is a huge mission field.

HOWEVER, Second Life is not THE answer for internet ministry. I feel very strongly that it is very important not to bank on one platform for evangelism. If we do that, when that technology changes, all of our efforts become irrelevant. It is more important to have a philosophy, rather than a technology. If we can embrace the idea of communities that can exist on a time and space shifted plane, we can begin to change the approach to not just ministry, but people.

But Second Life IS cool.