Comments on: an online movement?

By: Marilyn Adamson

Marilyn Adamson — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:34:58 +0000

Hi Kelly,

I value being authentic. God is the one who makes us authentic. As we realize his grace. Understand his word. Ask for his leading. I think he will use us. I also want to be effective…leading & accomplishing as much as we can in sharing the gospel & building believers.

Would love to grab some time with you at CSU, if possible. I’m on a learning curve in best ways to use Social Media. I’m hoping that you and others can lead the way!!!

I’m currently on the Chicago Summer Project. I’m catching that students want to share the gospel, but in a way that INVITES other’s initiative. That draws in students. I think that’s possible via the Internet.

I’ve been sending out a newsletter every week or two with some ideas of how to make use of the Internet in Campus ministry. If you’d like to receive that by email, let me know and I’ll add you. Emails that go out are then put here: http://www.EveryStudent.Wordpress.com.

By: admin

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:41:57 +0000

I don’t want to get too technical of where is the line of being “too authentic.” I really think it depends. I will say though that as Christians we can live authentically and blog purposefully as we face trails and share openly about how we’re trusting in Christ and not in circumstances.
Take the economy, recession, job losses, etc – many people can relate with this, I think we have an awesome opportunity before us to life openly and share how we’re struggling in this area and how we’re dealing with it.

By: Lawrence Chua

Lawrence Chua — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:03:05 +0000

Hi Kelly,

Good questions and well placed in these times. If you think about it, many people are open about their lives on facebook/twitter/linkedin for the very fact that it is an excellent mechanism for them to network or share their lives. We could state our loves, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses, allegiances and detachments from people/events/our lives. It’s similar to an online diary which we share to the rest or the world or our friends.

There’s a movement to consolidate all accounts(emails, social networking etc) into one entity to ensure that authenticity of the person blogging/twittering etc, under Identity 2.0. Think of it as a virtual driving license.

It is scary to think of what people can use with this “public” information, as you never know what/when your data has been mined for insidious purposes. Bosses monitoring subordinates, teachers students, lovers each other, online stalkers even. I do agree with QW that some thoughts are better left private than shared. So now, the question is to what extent are we going to be authentic? Where’s the line?

By: Kyra Goffeney

Kyra Goffeney — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:32:37 +0000

Hi Kelly! I am really enjoying the blogference this year I have just entered into the blogging world myself a few months ago. I’ve found it to be somewhat therapeutic, for lack of a better term. When I am able to write authentically and not mask myself, the Lord allows me to experience such freedom in that. I think if we as Christians did this more it would be exactly as Daniel mentioned…like wildfire. There is something attractive and contagious about living authentically. I’ve also found myself highly encouraged by my friends as I read their blogs and gain some insight into their walks with the Lord. It challenges me to take steps of faith like they have, to pray like they have and to write freely like they do. I would love to see believers use these social media tools to be real in their lives even more. Thanks for challenging me to do that, too. Hmm..maybe I should write an updated blog

By: Daniel Curran

Daniel Curran — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:57:58 +0000

If authentic, growing, struggling followers of Jesus opened up their hearts and contributed their content online “in the world” the Kingdom will grow in the virtual world. The Kingdom of God is without borders or bounds. The King wants to be glorified and identified in all cultures and subculters, …especially via social media. Back in Jesus’ day it was the whispering of the women at wells and laundry tubs where news spread, …today it’s online in a hundred different varieties. Let’s whisper at our wells to our friends and others will overhear. If it’s truly good news on our lips, …it will spread like gossip wildfire.

By: Kheng Boon

Kheng Boon — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:58:31 +0000

I found wisdom in what my fiancee said about new strategy for ministry… “a mediocre idea embraces by many is still better than a good idea embraces by few”.

SCCC started the Campus Internet Ministry in late 2007 and the main strategy is using EveryStudent.com, and recruiting staff and students to reply emails of contacts from EveryStudent.com.

Then we moved on to OIC (Online Intentional Conversation) where we encouraged students to have intentionally have spiritual conversations with their friends on msn chat or facebook (http://epal.sccc.org.sg/oic). However, the idea of OIC strategy sadly died prematurely although we did some vision casting.

My personal assessment is that the vision of OIC is not fully embraced by staff yet, and the potential of OIC is not translated down to the student level. I still think that OIC is still a very feasible online effort to reach out to students. But strategy still needs time to formulate and vision must be continually casts until it’s captured by the staff and students. If not, I have to “bypass” the ministry leaders and get to their students to try out new ideas.

By: admin

admin — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:33:05 +0000

Victor: I think this question is like gold,
“Are there some practical ways we can effectively have a positive impact (through online tools), preferably one that is measurable and coordinated?”
I’d love to toss it out to the community for feedback and thoughts.

By: admin

admin — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:30:41 +0000

Christian: I love the thought – reach today’s leaders today. Those who are influencers both online and in the classroom. Those are some good thoughts!

By: admin

admin — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:28:40 +0000

Kheng: Interesting thoughts on how we use blogs just to peer into peoples lives, to be “nosy” and to not really connect with the heart. I have to be careful of that myself, even within my own community. I want to be sure I’m blogging from the heart but also maintaining relationships with those that I know read my blog.
Most of the time, though, what I experience through blogging is interesting. It is an ability to multiply my thoughts to multiple people in many areas of my life. So that, a lot of people know “what’s going on” with me without going to coffee with me once a week. Do you experience that as well? I’m interested to know what the blogging culture is like in Singapore and Romania?

By: Kheng Boon

Kheng Boon — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:37:16 +0000

reminded of this account penned by Don Tapscott in his book Wikinomics, that when Jonathan Schwartz took over the CEO of the troubled Sun Microsystems, he decided that every employee could have a blog. Of course his legal and PR departments are horrified — suddenly anyone in the company could issue a press release. But in three years of Sun bloggers they never have a problem, despite the guidelines are very simple: “Don’t do anything stupid.” “Write about something you know about.” “Make it interesting.”

Our campus director did think of mandating every campus staff to have a blog and facebook account. It could create a paradigm shift of how campus staff minister online and offline, and perhaps have an indirect impact on those students whom staff cannot meet face-to-face. I mean staff could have a bigger impact through their blogs (whether blogging a QT lessons, teaching, personal life stories or day-to-day happenings).