Mobile Ministry Magazine (MMM)

MMM has Moved

Hey folks; the old posts are now on the URL: http://archived.mobileministrymagazine.com/. The old RSS feed is there as well. The new site sits on WordPress and is accessible via the normal http://mobileministrymagazine.com/ URL. The RSS feed URL is also updated from there as well. Sorry for the inconvenience and see you on WordPress.

A Few More Blogger -Closing Notes

Just wanted to add a few more notes about what's happening with the site in the coming weeks:

• Updates to MMM will happen via Twitter (@mobileminmag) as the site will be moving to WordPress. This will be the case for a few weeks until that move is completed.
• The Archives section will appear on the bottom of the page, until that happens, the search buttons at the top and bottom of the page will work towards finding content. Also the Category link is a good resource to search for items here.
• MMM will publish via Twitter some updates about its involvement with Digital Disciples in the coming days.
• Will be looking for a suitable netbook or notebook to replace a desktop that I have so that MMM can get back into creating some unique content and following through on some research.
• Oh, MMM is a full-time gig; look forward to more speaking and appearing at conferences (as budget and travel allows).

So that's the deal with things as it stands right now. There's much that needs to be done, and at teh same time a call to me, and to MMM, that needs to be followed through with. You are invited to come alongside and help us till this digital ground together, and at the same time, if you have a need towards understanding how to engage this story of our Christian faith through this mobile lens, well, this is what we do and would like to help you see similar possibilties. A new adventure begins, and a new chapter to MMM starsts now.

Labels: blog

New Design to Close the Blogger Chapter

As just stated on twitter, MMM has just been through a redesign. This is the 3 major redesign, and probably the 20min minor one :P done since this site was conceived 5 years ago. The importance of this update was to get one last redesign in before moving to another platform - which should have the same design - and to better focus on the mission of Mobile Ministry Magazine (will update the About page hopefully soon).

The New(ish) Mission Statement: Enabling the story and His-story of the Christian faith through a mobile lens.

Its the opinion of this site that how we define and work out living out this Christian faith has signifiantly changed, in part due to the threads that various forms of technology has given us. With this new design and sharpened focus on the story as it comes from you and your engagements with faith and mobile devices, its the hope that this site will keep that story of our faith out front so that present and future generations can see how His story is continuing to be threaded throughout our lives.

The design is based on lessons learned from the Mag+ Concept Video and Project which had been posted some months ago. Some of the core lessons in this video dealt around not making digital content fit older models of reading, but to develop containers for that content which allow digital technology to take a better advantage of how digital tech is being used - specifically with reading devices. Most of MMM has been in long-form blog postings, themed content, and then interactive elements sprinked throughout. Its the hope that attention to the story instead of the various aspects of "chrome" will come to the front, and then using the tools exposed on the site, you'd be able to see just how much can be done when a story is shared.

I am totally sure that there are issues somewhere and with some posts; but being under a tight deadline and with only access to a mobile device, this step was taken to ensure that a move to a new blog/content management system will follow a similar look, but push that interactive story a good bit further.

As usual, comments are welcome and appreciated - and will be answered with a grateful heart.

Labels: blog

Wow, Mobile

Just a short post, but I did want to recommend the M3: Mobile post which was posted over at the the BibleTech Conference Blog. Not because it points to MMM - though that is humbling - but because of what was realized for a country when something as simple as a mobile was considered as part of the toolkit for a pastor.

Such moments leave me personally without many words. I would hope though, that for any who have stories of their own, that they too would find some consolation in the fact that in its right context, mobile tech is one powerful minstry agent.

Labels: BibleTech 2010, minister, tech

5 Years, Just Wow

I've been sitting on the idea of this post for sometime. To be honest, I've really had many times during the past five years where I felt that MMM needed to be let go.

Then tonight, I was visiting with some friends, and it hit me just how important it has been for MMM to be here for the past 5 years. Yes, I can make the suggestion that it was needed for all of you who have come here over the years and gained insight towards life at the intersection of mobile and faith. But really, it was for me to see just how much God values the gifts that we have, and how those gifts are to be used in the Body.

In the course of 5 years, there has been a number of PDAs, smartphones, laptops, and a few tablets that have passed through here. This site has gone through 5 major redesigns, and countless tweaks. Its been on Blogger the entire time, but took nearly 8 months or so for it to find a stable server to call home.

There have been guest posts by journalists, students, pastors, and evangelists. MMM has been noted at the BBC and ABC. Its seen life on Jaiku, Twitter, Mippin, and Mobify.Me.

There has been reviews of devices, devotions, themed series, and the content that started it all - the issues.

This has been one heck of a ride. And I know that there are not many websites out there which can say that they have gone for 5 years on no budget. But man, God has shown me and Mobile Ministry Magazine a whole lot of favor.

I owe Sammy at Palm Addict a big thanks for his encouragement to just start this online, and his countless posts letting people know of MMM. Thanks to the host of folks who are represented in the links section - its amazing what your encouragement has meant over the years. And a huge thanks to LJ over at Trailblazin Ministries - dude, I love you in Christ and because of Christ. Thank you immensely for your words of wisdom, encouragement, and straightening up.

Now, there are some people who would say that they saw MMM going this far. There are some who are wondering still how we made it this far. I have no idea except to say that it has been God's grace. A whole lot of grace.

Lord willing, before Blogger's FTP service gets shut down, we'll get another redesign up and then some stuttering of things as the move to another blogging system has been a lot slower than hpoed for. God, I really wish that I could have done a lot of things faster, better, with more clarity of the impacts etc. This site has been one heck of a learning experience, and I hope that for you visiting, reading, or just checking to see if MMM has finally found an editor, that you can understand that we are only moving forward because of the grace afforded to us.

Its been 5 years, and there are over 1700 posts here of stories which talk about life at the intersection of faith and mobile tech. Wow. Just wow. If God gives this site another decade under my watch, I wonder what the impacts and stories will look like then.

A new mission statement therefore for MMM: Enabling the story and His-story of the Christian faith through a mobile lens. How this is done has been stated for 5 years, but in this next stage of life for me and this site, we dig into this further. Hope you will come and share your story with us.

Labels: 5yrs, commentary, tech

Internet Evangelism Day on April 25th

Internet Evangelism Day is an annual focus day for churches. This year, it is scheduled for Sunday April 25. It's an opportunity for any church to explore with its members the exciting opportunities for sharing the good news online. Ready-made free downloads – PowerPoint, video clips, handouts, drama scripts and music can be easily built into a presentation of five minutes or 50.

2010's focus day will be the sixth to be used by churches around the world since the initiative's launch in 2005. Over this period, digital media have developed dramatically, with the advent of YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, and the growing use of mobile phones to access online services.

IE Day's website is also a one-stop resource covering many subjects including: how to build a church website that is 'outsider friendly', using Twitter in evangelism, and ideas for effective blogging.

Perhaps surprisingly, you do not need to be technical to share your faith online. And you can volunteer to be an email mentor to inquirers with several large online outreach ministries.

Internet Evangelism Day is an initiative of the Internet Evangelism Coalition, based at the Billy Graham Center, Wheaton. It is supported by a wide range of Christian leaders and groups. "I am glad to commend Internet Evangelism Day," says John Stott.

For more information visit the Internet Evangelism Day website.

Post submitted by Internet Evangelism Day

Labels: internet evangelism day

How Has Being (More) Mobile Changed Your Outlook On...

Much time these days is spent looking at the landscape of internet and mobile and asking about its effects on me personally, spiritually, professionally, etc. Besides the excitement (and financial highs and lows) of seeing mobile evolve, I've also seen my own perceptions and core uses change. How has being more mobile - or even just more aware of what mobile has become around you - changed or challenged your outlook on life personally, professionally, and spiritually?

Labels: community