In this new age where technology permeates every progressive corner of our society blogging may already be considered old hat or stale. Call me a laggard who is desperately trying to catch up, but it is my goal to do just that, catch up and get ahead of the power curve.
That is why I am currently taking a class at Luther Seminary titled, Media & Technology in Parish Education. I hope to further develop my communication skills by effectively using technology and media. I also hope to learn what factors I need to consider to ensure that what gets communicated in this way is theologically sound. This has to be about God and growing His church. Media and technology is but a tool like a scroll of papyrus was an effective tool for the Apostle Paul, who spread the good news of Jesus Christ in the ancient world.
I have an affinity for ministering to children, youth and young adults. Delivering the gospel to this demographic has to be done in a different way as large segments of this population turn their backs on the church because they find it irrelevant and un-relatable. For too long we (the church and its leaders) have demanded that Mohammad should come to the mountain and continue to drone on to young people about coming to church on Sunday. We forget Jesus went to the people. He didn't start building his ministry by going to the Temple. He went out and lead the un-churched (for lack of a better term) to the Temple and ultimately creating a new church with a new idea what church is going to be. It is my hope by starting this blog (and its only the beginning), I will be able to be like Jesus, delivering his message where these young people already congregate.
Tony,
ReplyDeleteI agree we need to go out into the world (digital or local community) and participate. Through our participation people will see Jesus alive in us and it is that which helps people to see Jesus is there with them wherever they might be on their journey.
Like you I want to learn how to best use Social Media to meet the needs of the community I work and live in. I do not want it just to be a calendar of events or a scrapbook of our past accomplishments, but a place where people come for fellowship and learning.
Tony,
ReplyDeleteNow I'm having a bit of a brain fart, but I know I wrote a blog somewhere (or possibly a comment on a blog) that seemed really applicable to what you have said here. Unfortunately the reality of maintaining multiple blogs and reading many more has left me wanting in terms of knowing where it was (hence no link to said posting).
That being said, I appreciate your statement about the use of social media being comparable to the roll of papyrus that Paul wrote on. Amen brother. I see social media as just another tool for communication. Yes it is more than that as well, but we can't discount the opportunity for communicating the Good News of Jesus Christ through this channel.
-Update-sometimes writing has a way of sparking off the memory banks...I just remembered where the posting was that I talked about earlier. Check it out here. I reference a similarity between social media and printing press back in Luther's day.
http://thecollarandorangehat.wordpress.com/2011/06/24/elizabeth-drescher-tweet-post-i-dont-care-just-spread-the-word/