Designed to introduce a group of ordinands to the potentials and the pitfalls of social media in ministry - huge topic - 1.5 hours ... let's get that debate going!
For Manchester Diocese ordinands
Experiencing God in a Digital Age (Children/Young People)Bex Lewis
A 20 minute thought-provoking session on encouraging children/young people to experience God online, and how it might impact their wider lives so they are encouraged to be wholehearted for God.
For https://theconversationuk.org/ 24/02/17
Experiencing God in a Digital Age (Children/Young People)Bex Lewis
A 20 minute thought-provoking session on encouraging children/young people to experience God online, and how it might impact their wider lives so they are encouraged to be wholehearted for God.
For https://theconversationuk.org/ 24/02/17
A session with the diocesan youth workers to consider the digital and the questions that that raises for them in their work - giving young people the best choices, aiding their work, and protecting themselves and their charges.
IPM placing the christian church in a digital ageBex Lewis
See abstract for this conference paper, to be given 8th September 2017: http://drbexl.co.uk/2017/08/18/edit-conference-abstract-inclusive-placemaking-placing-christian-church-digital-age/
#MediaLit14 - DigiRev - Media for Ministry Bex Lewis
#Medialit14 is the fifth year that @codecuk have offered an intensive week's training in media and ministry (widely defined, although originally built around those undergoing ordination training). This session will be Tuesday morning, following 'The Digital Revolution'.
#MediaLit15 (https://www.dur.ac.uk/codec/about/events/medialit/), a session designed to give those in/about to go into ministry some thinking points and practical tips on the digital in ministry.
Fundraising in an Age of Social Media for WycliffeBex Lewis
Session 2, designed to include more discussion/activity, and draw out the fundraising expertise of the people in the room, and put it within digital culture...
An edSocialMedia preso to the Western Boarding Schools Associations (May 2009). It began with a wide view of the benefits of social media and then focused on stories of how boarding schools are using social media to improve communications with constituents.
Safe church & digital ministry strategy worksheet w resource guide 11.5.13RevEverett
worksheet to go along with the social media for ministry training:
http://www.slideshare.net/RevEverett/intro-to-social-media-for-christian-ministry-workshop-reveverett
Social Media, Peer Surveillance and Spiritual FormationBex Lewis
A session prepared for AHRC workshop on Religion and Surveillance. Taken a lot of prep, and still feel it needs more. Got me thinking about a lot of things in further layers than in the past ... let's see how it goes! I typically use more slides than minutes so...
A session with the diocesan youth workers to consider the digital and the questions that that raises for them in their work - giving young people the best choices, aiding their work, and protecting themselves and their charges.
IPM placing the christian church in a digital ageBex Lewis
See abstract for this conference paper, to be given 8th September 2017: http://drbexl.co.uk/2017/08/18/edit-conference-abstract-inclusive-placemaking-placing-christian-church-digital-age/
#MediaLit14 - DigiRev - Media for Ministry Bex Lewis
#Medialit14 is the fifth year that @codecuk have offered an intensive week's training in media and ministry (widely defined, although originally built around those undergoing ordination training). This session will be Tuesday morning, following 'The Digital Revolution'.
#MediaLit15 (https://www.dur.ac.uk/codec/about/events/medialit/), a session designed to give those in/about to go into ministry some thinking points and practical tips on the digital in ministry.
Fundraising in an Age of Social Media for WycliffeBex Lewis
Session 2, designed to include more discussion/activity, and draw out the fundraising expertise of the people in the room, and put it within digital culture...
An edSocialMedia preso to the Western Boarding Schools Associations (May 2009). It began with a wide view of the benefits of social media and then focused on stories of how boarding schools are using social media to improve communications with constituents.
Safe church & digital ministry strategy worksheet w resource guide 11.5.13RevEverett
worksheet to go along with the social media for ministry training:
http://www.slideshare.net/RevEverett/intro-to-social-media-for-christian-ministry-workshop-reveverett
Social Media, Peer Surveillance and Spiritual FormationBex Lewis
A session prepared for AHRC workshop on Religion and Surveillance. Taken a lot of prep, and still feel it needs more. Got me thinking about a lot of things in further layers than in the past ... let's see how it goes! I typically use more slides than minutes so...
Maximizing Conversations:Creating a Simple Social Media Campaign for Your Chu...John Deisher
Special days in the church, such as Easter and Christmas, mean reaching your community in new and unique ways. Having a social media plan can enhance the effectiveness of these outreach programs, helping you remaining faithful to "preach the Gospel". This interactive session will present an outline for preparing and implementing a social media campaign, regardless of past technology experience. Strengths and weakness of social sites will be discussed, along with tools and resources to implement the campaign.
Presented at the All Church Ministries Conference (Southwestern Assemblies of God University), March 1, 2014
@GregSwan's presentation to the Social Phonics Summer Camp on 7/16/2012.
Join Social Media Shepherds on Twitter (@smshepherds), Facebook and our monthly meetups in Minneapolis.
Email: info@socialmediashepherds.org
Social Media for Ministry, Chester Diocese, July 2016Bex Lewis
Material prepared for day-long workshop with Chester Diocese by Dr Bex Lewis of Digital Fingerprint, see http://www.chester.anglican.org/event.asp?Page=1287
Presentation on social media for church created for the Clergy Leadership Institute social media workshop on May 4th, 2013 in Austin, TX.
Translated title: L'Église et les réseaux sociaux. Kirche und soziale Medien.
Do you know how God has organized His church? You may be surprised to learn that God never authorized a one pastor system. Both audio and slides can be found together at www.cmcoc.org Sermon by: Brian Birdow
These are the slides I used at the Church Planters Academy (JoPa Productions) May, 2012.
These are meant to give some rational and encouragement for church planters to begin thinking about organizational structures for their communities.
Organizational structure and Church Governance slidesZebach SDA Church
Organizional Structure and Church Governance forms two phases where the church of Christ has formed and operated for the delivery of the Gospel to humanity and the receiving of humanity into the fold of Christ in preparation for his second coming. It is God’s divine plan to function separate and apart from worldly structure and governance that it be a bacon of administration for humanity
A 90 minute (interfaith) session on social media "please leave them fired up to use it" prepared for Coexist, to be held at St George's Centre, Windsor Castle.
Restoring Confidence in the Gospel: Restoring confidence in the truths we bel...Bex Lewis
For http://www.creonline.co.uk/visitors/news/cre-international-womens-conference-restoring-your-confidence/ event held by Woman Alive at the Christian Resources Exhibition
Premier Digital: Online Church as Real Community Bex Lewis
Slides prepared for Premier Digital Webinar on 7th October 2020: https://drbexl.co.uk/event/webinar-digital-church-webinar-online-church-as-real-community/
Mini Pecha Kucha: Public Engagement Activity Bex Lewis
A mini-pecha kucha (10 slides that auto-move forward after 20 seconds) prepared for #ERA1819, second of three workshops, summarising what we've been up to since the last workshop.
'Left to their own devices' for #PremDac17Bex Lewis
40 minutes on "What is the impact of children having their own devices, and how do we manage this?" at #PremDac17
See more: https://www.premierdigital.info/conference
Raising Children in a Digital Age - Cavendish SchoolBex Lewis
Evening event to be held 16th May, at Cavendish School, West Didsbury. http://drbexl.co.uk/event/manchester-raising-children-digital-age-cavendish-school/
How can digital and social media be used by youth leaders?Bex Lewis
Prepared for a Skype presentation, considering how digital and social media can be used by youth leaders (within churches).
Join the online session: https://lukewhyte.mykajabi.com/p/summit
45 minute session at Premier Digital Conference at The Brewery in London, Saturday November 12th: "Can you see me? Who or what do people see through what you create online? How open and vulnerable should we be when creating in the digital space?" http://www.premierdigital.org.uk/Premier-Digital-Conference
Raising Children in a Digital Age for Emmanuel Community ChurchBex Lewis
An evening event, in which I share the knowledge from my book, and take questions, on 13th October - http://drbexl.co.uk/event/stockport-raising-children-digital-age-eccmanchester/
Raising Children in a Digital Age for West Auckland Vineyard ChurchBex Lewis
On 1st October, I'll be coming to West Auckland Vineyard Church for the afternoon, along with some local organisations keen to engage, and speaking about Raising Children in a Digital Age.
Children - and a Digital Age, for Reimagine Faith FormationBex Lewis
A presentation prepared for Reimagine Faith Formation (http://reimaginefaith2016.com/), to be presented online on Friday 26th August 2016 (7am UK time!).
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology:
Ethnobotany in herbal drug evaluation,
Impact of Ethnobotany in traditional medicine,
New development in herbals,
Bio-prospecting tools for drug discovery,
Role of Ethnopharmacology in drug evaluation,
Reverse Pharmacology.
How to Create Map Views in the Odoo 17 ERPCeline George
The map views are useful for providing a geographical representation of data. They allow users to visualize and analyze the data in a more intuitive manner.
This is a presentation by Dada Robert in a Your Skill Boost masterclass organised by the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan (EFSS) on Saturday, the 25th and Sunday, the 26th of May 2024.
He discussed the concept of quality improvement, emphasizing its applicability to various aspects of life, including personal, project, and program improvements. He defined quality as doing the right thing at the right time in the right way to achieve the best possible results and discussed the concept of the "gap" between what we know and what we do, and how this gap represents the areas we need to improve. He explained the scientific approach to quality improvement, which involves systematic performance analysis, testing and learning, and implementing change ideas. He also highlighted the importance of client focus and a team approach to quality improvement.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
We all have good and bad thoughts from time to time and situation to situation. We are bombarded daily with spiraling thoughts(both negative and positive) creating all-consuming feel , making us difficult to manage with associated suffering. Good thoughts are like our Mob Signal (Positive thought) amidst noise(negative thought) in the atmosphere. Negative thoughts like noise outweigh positive thoughts. These thoughts often create unwanted confusion, trouble, stress and frustration in our mind as well as chaos in our physical world. Negative thoughts are also known as “distorted thinking”.
1. Social Media in Ministry
Dr Bex Lewis
Senior Lecturer in Digital Marketing,
Manchester Metropolitan University
Director, Digital Fingerprint
Tweet @drbexl 104/03/17
http://bit.ly/soc-med-min-crewe
9. I’m a passionate believer that we
need to be ‘incarnational’ in the
digital spaces, whether those are
specifically ‘Christian’ spaces or not,
but that we need to understand how
to be ‘resident’ in those spaces,
rather than merely ‘visiting’ to do a
‘bit of reaching out’.
http://www.threadsuk.com/redeeming-culture-in-a-digital-age
Bex Lewis, May 2014
04/03/17 Tweet @drbexl 9
18. Humans Tell Stories
“When we met the women, we realised how
this was actually real. This wasn’t reading
research on paper any more, they had real
stories so we wanted to give them the space
they deserved. It was never a box ticking
exercise, we just wanted women who embodied
the spirit of the campaign. And that’s who’s in
it.”
04/03/17 http://www.dandad.org/en/thisgirlcan-
interview
Tweet @drbexl 18
20. Jesus often encountered
people individually. Social
media gives us the same
personal access to people.
This is an every-member
ministry, and it’s exciting
and inspiring.
Rev Pam Smith, author, Online Mission &
Ministry; Priest in Charge, iChurch
Tweet @drbexl 20
https://theconversation.com/
how-social-media-is-changing-
the-church-57405
04/03/17
22. • I can't separate my faith from my
actions, including those in public life.
If people of faith are in public life faith
is there too. @JennRiddlestone
• How can you separate faith from your
public life? Is private faith true faith?
@loulou_uberkirk
• If being a Christian is loving God and
loving others, even if I don't announce
why I'm doing something, my faith is
unavoidably in *public.* @Hstanley_
Tweet @drbexl 2204/03/17
23. Carl Medearis
Relax, enjoy your friends. Enjoy their
company along with the company of
Jesus. Point him out, freely, without
fear or intimidation. You’re not
responsible to sell him to them.
You’re simply saying what you’ve seen.
You're not the judge. You’re the
witness.
07/06/16 Tweet @drbexl 23
26. [If we are…] means by which God
communicates and reveals himself
through his Spirit, then our blog
posts, status updates, tweets,
artistic images, and online
comments should be products of a
life transformed by Christ and
indwelled by his Spirit. As restored
image bearers, our online presence
and activity should image the Triune
God.
Byers, A.
Theomedia
(2013, 196)
04/03/17 Tweet @drbexl 26
27. A good [wo]man brings good things out of
the good stored up in his/her heart, and
an evil [wo]man brings evil things out of
the evil stored up in his/her heart. For the
mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
Luke 6:45 (New International Version [edited])
04/03/17 Tweet @drbexl 27
29. 24/7 Values?
What do you stand FOR?
• Authentic – be a consistent ‘you’
• Transparent – be honest, where’s the source?
• Self-aware – note your ‘tone of voice’
• Integrity – own your own content
• Self-control – be aware of consequences
• Patience – hold the trigger finger before send
• Non-manipulative – ‘love Jesus’ = send this! No!
• Kindness – encourage others
04/03/17 Tweet @drbexl 29
30. THE DIGITAL AT AN
ORGANISATIONAL LEVEL
Tweet @drbexl 3004/03/17
31. For many churchgoing is no longer the
‘cultural norm’. People don’t actively ignore
the church: they don’t even think about it.
Matthew 5:13-16 calls us to be salt and light
in the world, and for thousands in the
‘digital age’, that world includes social
networks such Twitter, Facebook, YouTube
and Pinterest. With literally billions in the
digital spaces, the online social spaces
presented by churches need to be
appealing, welcoming, and not look like
they are just an afterthought: they are now
effectively the ‘front door’ to your church
for digital users, and you ignore those
spaces at your peril.
Tweet @drbexl 31
http://www.churchgrowthr
d.org.uk/blog/churchgrowt
h/growing_churches_in_th
e_digital_age
Image: Flickr
04/03/17
41. Methodist Church Guidelines
• The principles applied to this are:
• Be credible. Be accurate, fair, thorough and transparent.
• Be consistent. Encourage constructive criticism and deliberation.
• Be cordial, honest and professional at all times. Be responsive.
When you gain insight, share it where appropriate.
• Be integrated. Wherever possible, align online participation with
other communications.
• Be a good representative of the Methodist Church. Remember that
you are an ambassador for Christ, the Church and your part of it.
Disclose your position as a member or officer of the Church,
making it clear when speaking personally. Let Galatians 5:22-26
guide your behaviour.
• Be respectful: respect confidentiality. Respect the views of others
even where you disagree.
04/03/17
http://www.methodist.org.uk/ministers-and-office-
holders/technology-and-church/social-media-guidelines
Tweet @drbexl 41
42. Real Time Response
Don’t overthink. Running through committees,
endless drafts and approval processes to get a
response out there can cause far more damage
than good. As long as you have taken the time to
assess the situation and can take a rational,
respectful tone in your response, even an
awkward response is OK to start with, and buys
you time to continue to respond to the problem.
04/03/17
http://twitterforchurches.com/blog/2009/06/29/crisi
s-communications-for-the-social-media-age/
Tweet @drbexl 42
46. Principles of Good
Engagement
• Be interesting
• Be encouraging
• Be active
• Be helpful
• Be authentic
• Represent your organisation well
07/06/16 Tweet @drbexl 46
48. Saint Teresa of Avila (adapted by
Meredith Gould, 2010)
04/03/17
http://churchsocmed.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/chris
t-has-no-online-presence-but-yours.html
Tweet @drbexl 48
Christ Has No Online Presence but Yours
Christ has no online presence but yours,
No blog, no Facebook page but yours,
Yours are the tweets through which love touches this
world,
Yours are the posts through which the Gospel is shared,
Yours are the updates through which hope is revealed.
Christ has no online presence but yours,
No blog, no Facebook page but yours.
Editor's Notes
90 mins - The aim is to introduce people to the potential for social media to enhance ministry and alert them to possible pitfalls - some of the group are familiar with using Facebook but beyond that experience of social media is very limited. The age range is late 30s to mid 50s, ordinands in training…
Introduce self, been online since 1997, when published first website, and joined first social network in 2005, getting serious in 2009. Worked within history (KCCO), media studies, ed tech, and last post before this one = 3 years looking at faith and social media, which am continuing in new role … so that’s the perspective that I’m looking at this morning... Faith in the digital world – why it matters, and some of the ways it may change the church’s engagement with the world. s
What kind of things do people find in common in 60 seconds? – then take questions…
Social Media – all about RELATIONSHIPS, so we are going to start by getting to know each other as if we are on Twitter … in some ways we are looking at the kind of issues that will arise, including some exercises that you could do with others if you feel inspired at the end of today to encourage others online…
Image source: Stockfresh
Commonality – finding a starting point & getting to know each other – essential building blocks of any evangelism, etc… with a strong focus on LISTENING!
You’re looking to provide information, engage in dialogue, listen to your audience … build a community who will be interested in the other things that you do ..
Concentrate on SOCIAL over MEDIA …
Sometimes what I share can seem like a lot of information, but this is intended to challenge, enable strategy and move us forward.
As disciples we live for God, whenever and wherever we are. In the 21st century, the digital is an intrinsic part of our complex world. We need to take seriously our online experiences.
Maybe this is your impression of what happens online – it’s all about sharing meals, etc. (http://www.dumpaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/instagram-funny-pictures.jpg)… but there is more to it than that … it’s not a ‘virtual’ space – it’s part of our everyday lives…
Couple of Bible verses to think about what we project… this one has been a powerful one for me – taking our “everyday, ordinary life” [READ OUT] … day in/day out, in which digital aspects are a core part…
If we see it as irrelevant, then those that use it will think that we find them irrelevant …
Seeking to demystify the digital environment, with an emphasis upon it not as a ‘virtual’ space, but as a ‘real’ space that needed to be understood on its own terms (not wild west, not virtual) – real people, with real relationships interacting … maybe in a different way to before, but still human interactions.
As the then Pope, Benedict, said that “The digital…” – not understanding this space is not really any longer an option, and as social media entrepreneur @unmarketing emphasises – to build a presence online, one needs to be present – one can’t post and run!
It’s important to genuinely want to be in connection with people .. Not just there to ‘evangelise’ – the same as in pretty much any other social space…
SO many people online .... New set of these stats should be out shortly…
We need a sense of what platforms are being used …
(WeChat/Qzone/Weibo all Chinese, VK is Russian).
Facebook/Messenger: Friendship based, typically already known, or, like me, move from Twitter to getting to know someone better before meet f2f
WhatsApp: Rather like text messaging, but with video/group chats, etc. – often used by families – I chat to younger nieces/nephews…
Instagram: Hugely popular with teenagers, etc. Square images, often with vintage ‘filters’… Some ‘Christian’ accounts = standard inspirational, but some v creative and clever attention catching stuff..
Twitter: Interest-based – connect around particular interests, media looks, builds up trust/authenticity
Snapchat: Images that disappeared after 10 seconds, building itself to a very successful app (last year huge growth) – possibly for those who’ve grown up with every move documented, they like things that disappear ..
Pinterest: Image based (huge online), bit like a pin-board, great for churches to use for e.g. children’s work .. Wedding planning is HUGE
No mention on there of:
YouTube: Video – builds up hugely influential platforms – think about what people look for – often ‘how to do x’
LinkedIn: Professional platform, for CVs, connecting with huge corporate companies, etc.
Source: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/26826/cmr_uk_2016.pdf
Within the UK, there are also certain particularly strong sources of data as to digital habits… Ofcom is one of the key ones – they produce regular reports on the uptake of digital within the UK, who’s using what, and for how long, and identifying particular trends of use (or lack of use), partly to inform government policy, but clearly also of use to digital marketers – after all, marketers have to work within contemporary legislation, but also THE BETTER YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR CONSUMERS/STAKEHOLDERS, THE BETTER YOU CAN CONNECT WITH THEM…
Stats can lead to this kind of reaction... Which I think history will show us is not unique, and part of a ‘moral panic’... Where everything seems to be going out of control too fast (every new tech process has done this – inc Socrates re writing)
So often, especially within the church, the focus is on the face-to-face interactions, often drawing upon the idea that Jesus came to earth in human form, and therefore this is the ‘best’ form of interaction, and I love this quote from Prof Sonia Livingstone “Even though…”. In danger of repeating myself, we need to look at digital on its own terms.
We need to avoid what’s known as ‘technological determinism’ – that technology is changing everything, and we have no choice but to give into it, and think more about the ‘social shaping’ of technology – in which technology offers us new opportunities, but we have choices in how we engage with those choices – e.g. Like a brick – chuck it through the window, or build a wall with it.
People know I’m really passionate about this, and get pretty angry when we think people are ‘addicted’ to their phones (most aren’t) … most people are engaging in relationships with others (sometimes people who are more important to them than the people that they happen to be physically with...) and those personal relationships – whether online/offline are key!
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/pope-francis-takes-twitter-by-storm-in-the-first-papal-selfie-8792660.html
These are two of the most powerful men in Christian circles … both actively engaging online. Justin Welby was originally ABCJustin, then wanted to become a ‘person’ rather than a ‘role’, although still needs care with ‘role’ .. Whatever position you are in.
Don’t’ forget the SOCIAL in social media … about engaging rather than broadcasting (FOR MOST) thought argument for e.g. just not possible…
Justin has previously apologised in tweets for not being able to engage personally with everyone … citing that he wouldn’t get the rest of his work complete, but that he appreciates all those who contact him (makes sense – going online doesn’t mean have to throw away ‘time wisdom’).
The Pope doesn’t even make a pretence, as “he” simply follows himself in 8 different languages… but has become a bit notorious for ‘poking’ at Trump at the moment…
Is evidence that CofE is doing a lot at the top – FB convos, CofE twitter, Periscope experiment, hashtags, etc.
But also think… do you recognise this (it’s recently had a new series) … why have I brought this up… because it’s been a HUGE success showcasing it’s “constituency” – it’s not selling anything except a lifestyle… and
… it’s bottom up!
Based on research, and drawing upon e.g. the success of e.g. Dove campaigns (so a reminder as to the importance of looking around at case studies that work), decided to showcase the stories of ‘ordinary’ women rather than models.
So many times in digital marketing, people focus on the means or the message, but what we need to remember that it’s about people – listen to what they want and find a solution – something that seems manageable!
So, want to take that specifically to thinking about how we encounter God in the online environment…
Last year I wrote a piece for ‘The Conversation’ (academic research presented journalistically, had over 30k views), looking at the way that we have become used to ‘broadcast Christianity’ – where all our lessons come top-down via preaching from trained priests, whilst social media is re-enabling a relational model that allows many ordinary Christians to have one-to-one conversations about their faith with non-believers, whilst developing their own disciplieship with and through others.
In chatting with Pam Smith (the first online minister with iChurch, book author), we noted that this provides a much more realistic picture of the church as a collection of followers of Jesus rather than a large organisation which makes pronouncements is then judged by its organisational failures…. We are back to more ‘individualised’ and ‘participative’ discipleship and ministry .. Exciting times... Altghough of course challenging in our current culture with a necessary emphasis on safeguarding.
The importance of the PERSONAL…
What I find particularly important about this is the notion, summed up here by Elizabeth Drescher, that “we are not selling something”… but BE SOMETHING...
We need to be ourselves, living our lives, sharing our lives ‘authentically’ (however overused that word is) ... the fun bits, the difficult bits, fighting for the (e.g. social justice) causes that we believe in...
Back at Spring Harvest in 2014, I was asked to speak about ‘Faith in the Public Square’, and posted something along the lines of this tweet “now we’re living…”, and got a huge range of responses, so I’m going to share a selection here, as we think about what it means to live with faith in the world, especially in the particularly public world which much of social media is (although there’s a growing number of people using more private forms of online sharing!)....
Some people think that digital media means that you can create multiple versions of yourself, and in some games, etc. you can, but if you’re on social networks, it’s hard to maintain lines of separation, which means that you need to be ‘true to you’ … and if a faith is a part of that – then it’s likely to find it’s way into your online profiles – these 3 sayings sum that up well...
Social media is also helping to open up and humanise the church. The distance and anonymity created between people when they communicate online can help shed inhibitions in a way that is often blamed for abusive behaviour. But it can also encourage people to become comfortable enough to ask questions about faith, especially via private messaging. The humorous nature of many social media posts can also act as a starting point for more serious discussions about religion.
It’s been shown that vulnerable or humourous posts engage users the most (with likes, shares, comments, etc.), and it is important that these come from a place of ‘your story’ – e.g. Sharing Bible verses without context feels like ‘street preaching’, whilst explaining how this is important, that you don’t understand it all, etc. Comes more from a place of ‘authentically’ living the life... Or, as a friend said, growing a ‘digital skin’...
Can I just say ... typically this does not include those posts that say if you type Amen this person may recover … those are effectively chain letters, and inappropriate!
Often these pics are of random children, illegal to use, and used by scammers to collect details ... And clearly Jesus is not waiting until 1 million likes before he will heal or otherwise ... Same as if you have more faith, etc.
Let’s engage with wisdom online.. But also...
One of my colleagues hopes that this is true in some ways – we are the face of the God online … we need to think about what that means for a whole church, but also how we provide an atmosphere in which our young people feel confident to do this in their everyday interactions – online/offline … how do they know they have solid teaching, how do they know that they are encouraged to be ‘in the world’ (if not of it), how do we help them think about what this means for their everyday lives!
SEEING THE ORGANISATION HELPING INDIVIDUALS TO BE PERSONAL MISSIONERS IN THEIR SPACE – TALK ABOUT SOCIAL as something ‘normal’, the everyday issues, the everyday possibilities – listen to the concerns that people have…
For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
We have to think about what we stand for … what will come from the overflow of what we believe … think also about the SOURCES of information – do we know what young people are using (YouTube, Snapchat, etc.) and do we acknowledge that this is important to them – ask them to demonstrate it to us, give them the courage to share what you are working with – relevance, etc. Do we provide content that they might want to engage with … if Barna a few years ago said core thinking about Christians = homophobic, judgemental and obsessed with £ - how do we show a different way of living!
What values define you? Core values for me are authenticity/integrity: come to know yourself, what gifts and passions God has given you, and look to live those out authentically & with integrity in whatever spaces you are. You were made to be unique, so be unique – live life with passion.
The Christian life is supposed to be transformational – how do we move on from: The reason why some Christians are so constipated, miserable, judgmental, misogynistic, religious and up tight is that they were like that before they became Christians! Roger Ellis Essence: The Manifesto of Jesus 2012?
What are we filling our lives with – those things that will be at the top of our minds, and therefore the most likely to be the first to come out?
how far are we living ‘the fruit of the Spirit’ is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” and what does that look like online – a space where it’s incredibly easy to share things without checking, in a fast atmosphere, competing to be first, and for likes … how can we be something different – how can we ensure that earth is crammed with a bit of heaven (whether that’s salt and light or...)
how far are we living ‘the fruit of the Spirit’ is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” and what does that look like online – a space where it’s incredibly easy to share things without checking, in a fast atmosphere, competing to be first, and for likes … how can we be something different – how can we ensure that earth is crammed with a bit of heaven (whether that’s salt and light or...)
Not a fan of standing AGAINST where possible? So what can we be for… how does the digital change the shape of WHAT IS POSSIBLE?
In 2010, when I started looking at faith and the digital, it was seen as quite a weird thing to do, with people questioning ‘why do we need to do that?’
By 2013, when I wrote this piece for CofE Church Growth blog, the question changed for many to ‘we understand that we need to do it, but how do we do it’? With a lot of concerns about the extra workload this might bring for the vicar, the need to ‘get it right’, people needed a lot of convincing.. As this article says “For many…”
I would probably play around with the final sentence for this bit ... Social media is RELATIONAL so whereas a website might be the ‘front door’ – the church members are where the REAL POWER of these medium of communication is ... And they are more like side doors/windows, etc.
The accompanying question that always seemed to work within my ‘Social Media for the Scared’ courses (run for various flavours of churches, faith organisations, etc.) is – with billions of people using these tools every day – can we afford not to be online – what are people seeing otherwise?
For the young in particular, this is their everyday experience of life – if we are the door with ‘you can’t come in with that’, it’s offputting… although there’s also the counter-argument that it’s a space to ‘breath’ and disconnect from social (without the other peer pressure) – definitely something to talk about in sermons, youth groups, etc.
Does expose to different ideas ..
Image: https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/131/375646158_b2755ca5bf_b.jpg
Think about recent experiences with Pokemon Go – last summer’s big mobile gaming hit (and still a steady number of dedicated users, with Pokemon adapting elements of the game!)… I wrote about my experience, was picked up by Radio 4 & London School of Economics… (links at top) – for once CofE seemed to be ahead of the game – ready to talk on the day of release … lots of ‘sneering’ from some = also not helpful - always inspired by Martin Saunders piece re not sneering at Trump etc as alienates even more…
Good tips in the blog post referenced at the top – and a real joy in being part of something people enjoying, invitational rather than overtly evangelistic – e.g. child asking questions in graveyard … see it as A BRIDGE within relationships, rather than a tool! SEE THE LINKS
Critical issues of our world – politics/business – making things worth for children/young people – want an approach to faith that is committed and passionate – not on system of belief, but way of life/way of love… a mission to join God in the healing of the world…
‘The Worship Cloud’ – notions of ‘what is creativity’ – we’re all creative – how do we create spaces – online/offline (with options to share online?) – is it about digital art, about art we share online, about baking, about something more widely ‘creative’ (we’re made in the image of God – refers back to previous point) …
What about activities such as geocaching – creative ways to use the tools that the world is using – we already had a quick look at Pokemon? How do we help people encounter God in their everyday – are all kinds of things – e.g. QR, codes, etc, but we need to be LISTENING – what are people searching for/looking out for, etc? How do we value some of these more esoteric things?
How do we share because we are part of God’s world, and if people become interested in us/relationship with us, they may start to see that we are different…
What will happen once we have more embedded devices – e.g. home-interneticus? Is it about participating, sharing, encouraging, just being?
One big thing = sharing our lives online, e.g. via Instagram … visually focused, question of CURATION, but can demonstrate a different way of living… are we being ‘salt and light’ in a world that otherwise can feel quite shallow? How can we encourage others before they get ‘sucked in’ to this way of life…
If you’re using it organisationally… the person with the passion for it, the good communicator – the driving instructor, rather than the mechanic – the communicator rather than the computer geek…. But easier if support from others – are sharing story of the whole organisation (which for the church is the people in it)…
Problems – are there any have an idea of where the digital might help? Then feed back in – will we have a flipboard … let’s hold onto some of those, and start to think about what digital tools might help solve them…
How might deal with any trolls?
Take time to create rough personas of those that you are trying to reach – they have a name, an age, characteristics – help you keep them in mind whilst you are preparing communication – not what you say, what they hear…
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/4f569706e4b02ee84fb99ec3/t/566a0cc6841aba411de13b20/1449790663587/Persona
A very jazzy version of similar for a US church … know some uncomfortable with the ‘marketisation’ of the church – need to think what works for you – companies have the £ to know how to do this and find out what works – we have best ‘message/product’ out there – and that is the message we are ‘in competition’ with – how do we learn from that – and as we get good at it – how do we influence the world with our expertise!
https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/bf9a4c23312069.563222134ad63.png
If you are working for an organisation – e.g. a church – ensure that people can feel ‘free’ to go ahead and represent you …agreed your organisational values… (e.g. fruits of the spirit online) – things move too fast online to wait for some things, although on other occasions the church can demonstrate difference by demonstrating some thought – but in particular, should have risk assessments for e.g. crises
Use an app – e.g for interim support, give an encouragement, what else…, and when to have that face-to-face conversation – neither is the be-all-or-end-all!
A Bible verse re-written for the digital age! Importance of encouragement… and remember that most relationships are built on a range of activities, including redundant topics, and random – e.g. at the weekend was part of a Facebook Eurovision party … able to join in the fun when didn’t have capacity to leave the house/have anyone round! Started with around 20 people, by end of evening = over 50 (also kept it off our timelines)
http://bigbible.org.uk/2012/09/wisdom-from-the-bible-on-building-a-digiparadise-by-vahva/
It’s so easy to get bogged down in theological debates … how can we part of the world’s wider conversations, but bringing our Christian worldview to it … how can we help young people to prepare for 1 Peter 3:16 http://biblehub.com/1_peter/3-15.htm “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”
Solid rules, been referencing them for years, as they are about behaviour, not about the technology (as we’ll find most things are)
Bath & Wells…
Don't rush in
Remember tweets are transient yet permanent
Be a good ambassador for the Church
Don't hide behind anonymity
Be aware of public/private life boundaries
Maintain a professional distance
Stay within the law
Respect confidentiality
Be mindful of your own security
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25848873
In a 24/7 world – help people live 24/7, but also throws a responsibility on the church to respond to the world…
If we’re equipping our members, then we need to think about how we are equipping them spiritually … how are we helping them in their discipleship so that – as we said at the beginning – we/they are ‘the only face of God they might ever see’..
The obvious is being able to build up your spiritual health via engagement with your Bible – yes – you may not be carrying a paper copy everywhere, but most of us have phones on us … download an app such as ‘YouVersion: The Bible’ to access the Bible in a range of different languages, do it individually, allow it to hold you accountable, find a group discussing what you’re reading, etc..
Also e.g. this app that lets you put prayer requests in, reminds you, allows you to diairise responses, randomise requests, etc. – I more randomly pray for those who appear in my timeline – and quite often ‘like’ something I’ve prayed for (Cranmer Hall prayer group)
What can I learn about them from my timeline … e.g. those suffering from depression wouldn’t text 50 people, but we can share more widely online… know who to connect with – but how do we help protect people from oversharing … how do we ensure that grace and love are at the heart of what we’re doing?
And note ‘The Worship Cloud’ – importance of recognising creativity of those within the Christian world and not expecting everything for free/not professional quality, etc.
http://www.theworshipcloud.com/view/images/ipad-bible
What does ‘digital worship’ look like – pros/cons, including worship band iPads, preaching from iPads, collective worship, St Pixels, etc. – corporate prayers from bed?
Talk about CODEC session we did – importance of focusing on worship .. Opportunity to bring in a range of voices connected with CODEC, and also seek prayers from around the world…
Corporate – what about individual? E.g. Watch Lansdowne
Individually and corporately…
Overall, this requires wisdom, a willingness to engage with the digital at a deeper level, thinking about how we can use it well, help the world use it well, and how we can seek to be counter-cultural where necessary, etc.