Recently I visited a church web site using my iPhone to watch a video, and then a few days later on my iPad, to refer an email address to some friends – and both times couldn't access the content because the site used Flash, a format that doesn't work on the Apple mobile platforms. Nothing but a big blank page.
OK, so while that sounds all geeky, consider: because the hosted media (online sermons) were displayed in a format that wasn't readable by the iPhone, I couldn't share them with someone that I wanted to refer them to, and I couldn't share the sermon video on Facebook. The irony is overwhelming that one can't share truth because the media format isn't compatible with the over 51 million iPhone users. (Tech Crunchies, April 2010). iPad sales are a modest 3.27 million (July 2010)
Likewise, because the navigation of the web site (and links to the content) were rendered with Flash, I couldn't use the web site on the iPad.
With YouTube, Vimeo, and many other excellent, low-cost options for video sharing. The church in general has no excuse not to be talking to the world in a way the people of the world can understand and access.
Churches, kiss Flash goodbye. Be brave, and arrive at the party early. Embrace technology that doesn't raise barriers to people who are desperate to know the Truth. Or to find an email address on your web site.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Let's keep it simple: Less management, more relationships
Here are some observations from the front lines of service:
There's a distinct difference between the ministry Christ had, and how he managed his disciples, and how churches conduct ministry and manage ministry.
Christ had clear, direct lines of communication between himself and the disciples. There was complete clarity on what needed to be done (even if there wasn't complete understanding of his teachings). He kept the counsel of his father, because his companions had some unusual or no understanding of what God's plan was.
Church communications today don't seem so clear, even with email and phones. Leadership by texting is not uncommon, and highly ineffective. As a business professional, I would never consider conducting business with clients by text, yet it seems to be an acceptable way to conduct relationships with ministry leaders.
All church leaders can't be completely aware of what's happening at the serving level, unless they are in continuous dialog with observers and participants in ministry. Too often valid observations are perceived as complaints; things that a professional organization would consider for continuous improvement are perceived as annoyances. There is little room for true innovation, because the model for innovation are the "best practices" of other churches or what is currently popular in church ministry circles (ie, copying what others have done) instead of solving a problem to create transformation.
Dave Browning at Neue states it very well: Less is more.
Less management, more relationships. Focus on the relationships, and management will be easier. Relationships are what create loyal followers and affinity for the cause.
Fewer distractions, more focus. Embrace it!
There's a distinct difference between the ministry Christ had, and how he managed his disciples, and how churches conduct ministry and manage ministry.
Christ had clear, direct lines of communication between himself and the disciples. There was complete clarity on what needed to be done (even if there wasn't complete understanding of his teachings). He kept the counsel of his father, because his companions had some unusual or no understanding of what God's plan was.
Church communications today don't seem so clear, even with email and phones. Leadership by texting is not uncommon, and highly ineffective. As a business professional, I would never consider conducting business with clients by text, yet it seems to be an acceptable way to conduct relationships with ministry leaders.
All church leaders can't be completely aware of what's happening at the serving level, unless they are in continuous dialog with observers and participants in ministry. Too often valid observations are perceived as complaints; things that a professional organization would consider for continuous improvement are perceived as annoyances. There is little room for true innovation, because the model for innovation are the "best practices" of other churches or what is currently popular in church ministry circles (ie, copying what others have done) instead of solving a problem to create transformation.
Dave Browning at Neue states it very well: Less is more.
Less management, more relationships. Focus on the relationships, and management will be easier. Relationships are what create loyal followers and affinity for the cause.
Fewer distractions, more focus. Embrace it!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Embracing your call to service
Do you find that there are times where God has called you to serve, but you haven't embraced it?
Aren't they the same thing? Not entirely.
It's easy, in the moment, or over time to accept God's calling to serve in a specific area (such as with youth or children or homeless or fill in the blank), but to embrace it means to live it. To dive in fully, and to be completely engaged in it. To fully surrender to serving in that area and to following the lead and call of God, even if the area of service isn't one that you entirely want to do, but it's one God wants you to fulfill.
It's not the obvious places of service that need embraced: it's the ones that are placed in our lives that we resist committing to. Our churches emphasize service overseas or on the mission field or to our communities, but in our lives there are areas of service we overlook, we ignore, we resist – until one day we realize that our calling is right under our noses.
We need to learn to recognize the opportunities to serve in our families, our homes, or places of business, our schools. The places where we spend the most time and with the people who surround us every day.
If we don't embrace those opportunities, why will God entrust us with bigger ones? Perhaps these are the big ones, and every other opportunity we are hoping and praying for are deceptions or intended to blind us to what's been placed before us. We're so easily distracted by the allure of "purpose" and "calling," that as we look beyond our current circumstances to where we think God is calling us to, that we fail to hear His voice where we are.
Serve well where you live, and other opportunities will follow. To embrace is to love, to love is to serve.
Aren't they the same thing? Not entirely.
It's easy, in the moment, or over time to accept God's calling to serve in a specific area (such as with youth or children or homeless or fill in the blank), but to embrace it means to live it. To dive in fully, and to be completely engaged in it. To fully surrender to serving in that area and to following the lead and call of God, even if the area of service isn't one that you entirely want to do, but it's one God wants you to fulfill.
It's not the obvious places of service that need embraced: it's the ones that are placed in our lives that we resist committing to. Our churches emphasize service overseas or on the mission field or to our communities, but in our lives there are areas of service we overlook, we ignore, we resist – until one day we realize that our calling is right under our noses.
We need to learn to recognize the opportunities to serve in our families, our homes, or places of business, our schools. The places where we spend the most time and with the people who surround us every day.
If we don't embrace those opportunities, why will God entrust us with bigger ones? Perhaps these are the big ones, and every other opportunity we are hoping and praying for are deceptions or intended to blind us to what's been placed before us. We're so easily distracted by the allure of "purpose" and "calling," that as we look beyond our current circumstances to where we think God is calling us to, that we fail to hear His voice where we are.
Serve well where you live, and other opportunities will follow. To embrace is to love, to love is to serve.
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