How the Digital Transition Effects You
Jan 14, 2009 Technology
Its pretty obvious by now that “on February 17, 2009 all full-power broadcast television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting on analog airwaves and begin broadcasting only in digital” (taken from dtv.gov). While we don’t normally sit around the church and watch analog television, there is another aspect of this transition that may effect some of the non-TV equipment that you use at your church. Youth Specialties has a great post about this on their blog. Here’s an excerpt from it:
“…as devices come out, microphones using the UHF/VHF bands (basically every wireless mic on the market) may begin to pick up interference. (static, buzzing, etc.) Additionally, if you use older 700 MHz microphones you may need to replace them in the near future.”
Tags: church, digital, lwin, television, transition, tv, youth specialties
Should My Church Start a Blog?
Jan 9, 2009 Blogging
The most appropriate way to answer the question on whether or not to start a church blog is to sit down with your church staff and ask more questions.
- Is it a tool or a toy?
- What problem are you trying to solve?
- What is the return on ministry?
According to The Blogging Church, a so-far great read by Brian Bailey and Terry Storch, you shouldn’t start a church blog until you are satisfied with your answers to these questions. I think the hardest one of these to answer is number three – What is the return on ministry?
The answer is likely going to be different for nearly every church. Bailey visits a few possible answers:
- Casting the vision of the church again and again
- Connecting volunteers with each other and church staff
- Knowledge sharing and the support of other church leaders
- Make a big church feel small (by providing honest insights)
Bailey also points out that there is no other technology that can provide the benefits blogging can with the same minimal investment in training, time and money. Ultimately, Bailey finds no reason why blogging is wrong for any church. On that point, I definitely agree.
Great Thoughts on Church Technology from Erwin McManus
Jan 5, 2009 Technology
It’s highly likely that as a youth worker, you’re multitasking at your church. And it’s also likely that you play some role (if not THE role) with technology in your church. Yesterday I came across an incredible article from Collide Magazine that I couldn’t help but share with my readers. Collide sits down with Erwin McManus, pastor of Mosaic in Los Angeles, and talks about technology in the church. Mosaic holds nine different services across seven locations, and doesn’t use a video feed for any of them. Interestingly, McManus speaks more about creativity than technology itself.
I’d like to point out a few very interesting quotes from the piece, with a few of my thoughts.
The first quote comes on the topic of video feeds when he says, “I’m a huge fan of technology. The challenge is when you start using technology to advance something in this moment that may actually slow it down for the future. So while putting me in nine venues helps us today, it doesn’t necessarily help us in terms of raising up a generation of world class communicators tomorrow.”
McManus makes an excellent and valid point here. If we can be face to face with one another, we should be. While technology can extend the reach of the church in many ways, that doesn’t always make it the best option. It makes me wonder how the church would be different today if we didn’t have technology. Would we be more vibrant and outspoken if we didn’t rely on technology to be heard?
McManus views technology in relationship to people in a very unique way. He says, “…technology is a medium that serves the giftedness inside of the people.”
I love how eloquent this is – and brilliant. We too often think of using technology as being creative in and of itself, rather that understanding how it can magnify the creativity that God places within us.
The article is full of great quotes and thoughts from McManus. While I’d love to list them it here, it makes more sense for you to read the article here or in a nifty flash-based magazine form here,
Tags: church, erwin mcmanus, mosaic, quotes, tech
