TechPastor.net

If you are not using twitter yet you may want to consider jumping in. If you dont know what twitter is here is how wikipedia defines it:

Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to send updates” (or “tweets”; text-based posts, up to 140 characters long) to the Twitter web site, via the Twitter web site, short message service (SMS), instant messaging, or a third-party application such as Twitterrific or Facebook.

Twitter is becoming a major social force on the web and when the earthquake that recently occured in China people found out first through twitter. News, photos, updates on damage and deaths all first came out of China through twitter.

Mark Pesce, who is a futurist, believes that the way we use the internet is beginning to change. On the web where usually content is king, now connection is king. Our churches need to figure out how new social tools work in a ministry context and utilize them to enhance relationships, communication and community. Far too often, the church picks up on technology 10 years too late and as a result misses out on reaching a huge part of the generation connected to that technology.

But what about Twitter in the church? There are a few people out there who have been talking about the idea and even some churches that have attempted to use the technology to enhance a worship service experience. John Voelz recently blogged about his experience with it at church:

In my church, I have seen life-altering small groups formed and forged through Twitter. I have seen teams of people mobilized to do volunteer service like nothing else in the past through Twitter. I have seen needs met financially through Twitter. I have made friends through Twitter. I have witnessed theological discussions, seen prayer answered, seen surprise rendezvous’, connected with leaders better, I’ve seen friends come to the aid of others health . . .

So we started wondering, what would it be like to bring the Twitter kind of participation into Fusion in the same way we would think through any other worship interactive—something that gets people involved in what is happening—so Fusion isn’t happening “to” them but rather “with and because of and through” them. Sunday morning there was electricity in the air. iPhones and laptops were carried in one hand—coffee in the other. The live stream was going.

Over 70 people were following “westwindsseries” on Twitter.The big screen as well as two other screens were live with the Twitter feed as people came in. Through communion, songs, message, etc. Twitter was live for our inaugural Twitter Fusion. Live and VERY present.The conversation began light.

“Nice shirt JVo,”
“I love this song,”
“So glad they are doing Lenny Kravitz,”
“Somebody turn Jimmy’s guitar up,”
“Westwinds rocks,”
“Thank God for coffee at church”

One girl Twittered from home she was late and on her way. Ha.And, while the light conversation was present through all of Fusion—both Fusions—there was also some great interaction with the message, restating what was said, personal struggles shared, opinions, agreement, etc.

“to be selfless, humble”
“The more I press in to Him, the more He presses me out to be useful”
“sometimes healing is painful”
“I have a hard time recognizing God in the middle of everything.”
“It is easy to give Him credit after the fact but it is my prayer to see Him now.”
“God is challenging us to live for Him in a culture that rejects Him—His own peers did that”
“He has given me so much”

Both kinds of interaction were important. The “deeper” thoughts allowed people to process out loud, be affirmed by others’ responses, and have a bit of public confession.

What do you think? Do applications like Twitter have their place in the church? Is there other technology the church should be taking advantage of?

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