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The Technical Language of Ministry and Missions

This book examines how technology has shaped the history, practices, and outreach efforts of the church, and explores the role of technology in modern ministries. It also discusses the emerging field of cyberministry and the challenges and opportunities it presents.

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The Technical Language of Ministry and Missions

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  1. The Technical Language of Ministry and Missions Ben Kelley, Ph.D., P.E. ECS Professor & Dean ECS Scholars Day, 1-Feb-08

  2. Technology Influences History Statement of Fact • Fire • Wheel • Bronze Age • Industrial Revolution • Internal Combustion • Digital Electronics • …

  3. Technology Influences the Church • Fishers of Men • Water Wells • Gutenberg Printing Press • Circuit Riders • Radio Sermons • Televangelists • …

  4. ECS’ers Have a Vocabulary • IEEE, ACM, ASME, SWE, NSBE • ΧΣ, ΗΚΝ, ΤΒΠ, ΠΤΣ, • VLSI, ASTM, LVDT • Moore’s Law, Wolf’s Law • Coulomb, Watt, Maxwell, L'Hôpital, Pascal Newton, Doty, Gaitros, Thompson, Farris • My favorites: Franklin & Edison , ABET

  5. Baylor, ECS, and the Church • Judge REB Baylor • BGCT, BSM, RUF, FBCW • Chapel • Christian Scriptures; Christian Heritage • Engineers with a Mission • Appropriate Technology • “…with a Christian worldview.”

  6. Technology Affects Our Lives And so also the church • iPod • iPhone • FaceBook • MySpace • YouTube

  7. We Are Technology We Are The Church Technology is a part of the Church

  8. e-Commerce, e-Mail, e-Learning… • e-Missionaries • Coined by Saddleback’s Rick Warren • Access to dangerous regions • Communications through e-mail, web sites… • e-Discipleship • Bible study course online • Self paced; Advantage of web attributes

  9. e-Everything/Anything… • e-Bible • Searchable online bibles • Available for mobile devices • eBible Teacher adds PowerPoints & SS lessons • e-Vangelism • or Internet Evangelism • Reach un/underserved populations

  10. Cyber… • CyberSitter (internet filter) • CyberAngels (virus protection) • CyberDefender (anti spyware) • CyberShot (SONY camera) • CyberCheck (remote PC control) • CyberGuys (online hardware and software) • CyberErotica (movies) Seven of Nine Species: Human; Cybernetic

  11. Cyber… • CyberChurch • Virtual church • “Meets” in cyberspace • Members minister to each other • Takes advantage of internet (geocities, yahoo, MySpace, Second Life, Cell/Smart phones…) • Operates across vast physical/geographic platforms

  12. Cyber… • CyberMissions • Taught in seminaries • “front-line use of computers and the internet as tools in achieving the Great Commission.” • “reaching the next billion internet users that will come online in the next three years.”

  13. Cyber… • CyberEvangelist • First as non-Christian term promoting www • Significant portion of ministry is online • Position held by Jeremy Ciaramella at Portland International Church of Christ • CyberMinistry • The activities Of a CyberEvangelist • Lots of community/connection advice on internet

  14. Other New Staff Titles • Pastor of Technology • The individual who decides what “… technology investments are essential to achieving our goals of communicating the Gospel.” Tyndall Wakeham, Ecclesia Church, Houston • PastorPreneurs • Entrepreneur pastors often involved with church plantings and transformations and that have responsibilities for managing many elements of the church business and ministry.

  15. Other High-Tech Vernacular • MegaChurch • 2,000 or more weekly worshipers • Some simulcast to branches • LifeChurch (20k members, 11 locations) • Online Outreach • Al-Anon • Newsletters, web casts, blogs • Web Missions • Examples are exhaustive & some robust

  16. “Academic” Conferences • ICCM • International Conference on Computing & Missions • AC4 • Association of Christian Computer Centers • IMC • Internet Ministry Conference • CEEC • Christian Engineering Educators Conference

  17. Interesting Thoughts • Risk Management: in dangerous regions • By 2010 internet evangelism will represent majority of decisions for Christ– Campus Crusade • One-to-many and one-to-one • Asynchronous and Archived • Wide geography; Low cost • Particular niches; Seeker driven

  18. Other Vernacular Quips • The Geek shall inherit the earth. • Give me that on-line religion. • Christianity is not a theory; its a life.

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