One unbelievable gentleman, software expert Jonjon has given as server space and the assistance to make this leap.

We’ll still be doing there what we’ve been doing here but we hope to be able to integrate other features not possible on this wordpress site.

See you there!

Thank you to all who joined for making it such a good time!

Technology is bringing about new social, political, and business orders. It is affecting how governments, organizations and people interact.¹

And it is probably already affecting the dynamics of your youth ministry. For young people are the most likely group to make use of new technologies.

Take cell phones: although people of all ages use cell phones, young people are much more likely to use the text messaging and other data services on their mobile phones than their elders. One reason being that younger users are more willing to adopt to new forms of communication and technology in general. What has this to do with our youth ministry? If we are able to harness technology in our ministry, it will be one way of meeting young people where they are.

Also, we would be able to enhance the way we minister. Video and computer presentation programs help to convey a message to the youth in ways impossible before.  Cell phones, E-mails and communication software make it easy and cost-effective to talk and coordinate over long distances.  And the Internet has an excess of useful information for youth ministry.

Indeed there are already a multitude of tech tools already available that we may be overwhelmed in choosing what to use amongst a multitude of options. Therefore, even before we integrate new technology into our ministry we must already have a picture of what we want to do and where we want to go in our ministry.

Here are some ways that youth ministries have made use of new technology for its purposes:

1. Go Beyond the Classroom. Technology allows you to engage your teens’ learnings beyond your regular meeting time. If your teens have easy access to the Internet (this may not be true for every youth group) build on what you teach to them through electronic mail, online discussion sites and social networking sites. You can even build a website for your youth ministry. If every youth in your group has a cell phone, make use of games, surveys or questions to engage teens through this medium. Many mobile phone services have ways to make this easier or cost-effective. Doing so will help your youth apply the biblical principles they learn in your teaching times to the world they walk and live in.
2. Cultivate Community. Through social networking programs such as Facebook, Friendster and Twitter, we can now connect, interact and know the details of each other’s lives like never before. This will give your teens an avenue to connect with their peers and also allow you to know your young people. Better still, by allowing them to know some of the daily activities of your life, your thoughts, hobbies and interests, it will let them know you better. Says Abraham Piper,
   

   “These are the things that make you the man that leads your church. They’re the windows into your personality that perhaps stay shuttered when you’re teaching the Bible. Sometimes your people need to look in—not all the way in, and not into every room—but your people need some access to you as a person.

   … It will give you access to your people’s minds and hearts in a unique way by giving them a chance to know you as a well-rounded person. You will no longer be only a preacher and a teacher, but also a guy who had a hard time putting together a swing-set for his kids last weekend. People will open up for you as you open up like this for them. Letting people catch an honest glimpse of your life will add authenticity to your teaching and depth to your ministry.”

3. Create Contemplation. Steve Andres points out, “A teen in an internet café has access to 1,000,000 times more information than was ever amassed in the greatest library of ancient times. Yet such information forces people to read quickly, skim over main points and summaries and then continue on with the next piece of information that catches their eyes.”² Many young people today have not exercised their capacity to think deeply and critically which will be important as they make life choices. As youth leaders we can help them develop in this aspect. One way is to incorporate the use of advertisements or pictures from popular youth culture in your teaching times and help them to analyze what these advertisements are conveying through a Christian worldview.
4. Awaken Creativity. Even if you have an aversion to technology you don’t necessarily have to rule out the use of technology in your ministry. It is usually the young in your group who can readily adapt to and have the time to dabble with new technology anyway. Tap those teens that show natural talent for it (some youth may already have incorporated technology into their lifestyle). Video editing and working on special effects for example will awaken the creativity that many youth have. Some teens have even converted these hobbies into lifelong passions. Still, it will be up to the youth leader to show them how these tools can be used to point others to God.

Now for a warning: The use of technology will have an effect on your life and your ministry. It affects how we process and discuss information, how we relate and interact with others and also how we use our time.³ Making a video for example can help us effectively communicate to teens but it will also require more preparations. The cell phone is great for long-distance communication but in many circumstances it distracts people from face-to-face conversation. Therefore, as we use these tools or are already applying them to our ministry, it is helpful to widely assess how these tools are affecting us. Some key questions for us:

“Are the use of these tools helping us towards our ministry objectives?” and “Are the results we get worth the financial cost, social impact and time investment?”

One well-known youth worker, for example, assessed his ministry and let go of the use of a technology tool so that he could focus on the most important goals of his ministry.

Still, for better or worse–technology is here and will continue to shape the very nature of our society, affecting everyone. Yet it also has great potential for the good of your ministry and you as a youth leader are in a unique position to use the emerging technology for God’s glory.

References:

1. David Rothkopf quoted by Thomas L. Friedman in his book The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty First Century
2.Lecture given at Asian Institute of Youth Studies, “Understanding Youth Culture: Pointing Toward Meaning in the Noise” by Steve Andres
3.“How to Become a ‘Technological Idiot’ in One Easy Step: Think Like a Christian” by John Dyer

Also: GYMN Africa has a blog!

Readings from the world of youth ministry.

What would Jesus do on spring break? – ‘undercover’ guy goes evangelizing …and he’s not a Christian, which makes Greg Stier ask the question: “Does Street Evangelism Work?”

Blooming where you’re planted is also good advice for us here in the Philippines – When Bigger Isn’t Better (therebelution.com)

Matt Cleaver ponders “Do We Really Need To Study Youth Culture?”

Smalltownyouthpastor.com shares some thoughts on guys in the youth group – Youth Ministry Male Mentorship

Center for Parent/Youth Understanding offers a free issue of their journal Engage (I love the article on parenting) – Summer 2009 Issue

And for us utilizing the internet for ministry: Mark Ostreicher’s last post – The End of YSMarko and Greg Stier’s thoughts on this-  The Seduction of the Web in Ministry (see also comments section for great discussions).