How to Build your Community using Free Technology
by Paul Prins at 5:23 pmWelcome to a new series that will be rolled out over the next few weeks where we’ll highlight the community building power of technology.
Everyone hopes that the ministry they lead will have an effect on influencing the lives of those they are ministering to. It is at this point that the church holds up the importance of community to bring about these changes. More and more we are learning empirically that intimate friends improve ones health and well being. This then becomes our goal; building communities of intimate friends.
With so much technology out there, how should we go about utilizing these tools for those we are ministering too?
I want to start by displacing a common marketing myth, that it is all about branding. While I don’t discount the importance of branding (just one journal article on the effects of branding on consumer behavior – Chicago Journals) we are beginning to experience a huge shift away from the traditional model.
The Two Marketing Models
The traditional model has revolved around getting their logo/brand (not always synonymous) in front of your customers. This has led to the advertising industry which has heavily focused on print, television, and product placement to create interactions with their customer. While this model will likely never completely go away, it is on the decline.
The new model acknowledges the root of the traditional model of an interaction with their customers. With the advent of truly interactive mediums, mainly on the Internet right now, we can return to that root and create meaningful interactions with those we are ministering too.
The Problem
There is always a hesitation when it comes to the Internet. The fear that the relationships are superficial and that change can be faked. While those are valid concerns, they are (I believe) out weighted by anyone who is genuinely desiring to be closer to Christ. Our job is to be focused on those people in any work we do online.
Upcoming Posts
When talking about platforms to use the list seems endless, and it is growing everyday. Our series will touch on the major players in this online realm:
- Blogging
- Podcasting
- Video Sharing (YouTube, Google Video)
- Facebook/Myspace
- Twitter (micro blogs)
- Photo Sharing Sites (Flickr)
We’ll also look at a few relevant concerns about extending your ministry onto the web:
- Managing your Online Identity
- Healthy Relationships/Boundaries
- Time Management
If you aren’t subscribed to our feed get signed up now to make sure you don’t miss any of the coming articles in the series.
November 21st, 2008 at 3:35 pm
[...] terms of building community this is probably the least effective method of those listed in the original post for the series. I make this statement because the main purpose of these sites is entertainment. For [...]