One More Right of Passage

Posted April 30th, 2009 by admin

Last week I went through yet another of life’s rights of passage. Gigi, the name Saunda gave to our new Garmin GPS, routed me through Syracuse to the Federal Building. After parking the car, I went to pay the attendant. He motioned for me to insert my card into a machine and I could leave the ticket on the dash.

After complying with his instructions, I entered the Court House and found I had to negotiate my way through Homeland Security. The armed guard looked somewhat skeptically at the medical card which said I couldn’t go through their scanners because it would mess up my ICD. Escorting me around the scanner, he had me cover my ICD with my hand while he scanned the rest my body with a smaller hand held scanner. After careful inspection of my possessions and me, he pronounced me OK and sent me to the fourth floor where I would find the Social Security Administration.

Arriving at their lobby, I was greeted by yet another guard, a mass of people milling around and a computer touch screen. When I got close enough to read what was on the screen, I touched the button stating that I had an appointment, entered my SSI number and received a number with an invitation to sit down until I was called. Fifteen minutes later, I was called and went in to apply for Medicare. On yet another computer, the agent pulled up my whole life. When we finished the process, I told Gigi to take me home. She only had to “recalculate” twice. I got my letter of eligibility this morning.

Technology and people have certainly changed in the fifty years that have passed since this then young fifteen year old got his Social Security Card. Multiple generations have been born into our society and things are just not the same. I still marvel at the new technology becoming available, while newer generations of our young ones take it for granted and are astonished at how ignorant I am about it all.

Unknown to me, while I was pondering the generation gaps, Saunda was doing some studying about these new generations and just how we proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a generation or two who relate and communicate in ways we can’t name much less understand. Anyone “tubed” or “twittered” lately? Enjoy Saunda’s article.

ARE WE READY TO GET THE WORD OUT TO THE “NET” GENERATION?

Lynette Hawkins is a Presbyterian elder and founder of Awesome Insight, a strategic communications resource of Beyond Marketing Group, Inc. Her recent article in Presbyterian Outlook Magazine provided some thought provoking ideas.

Lynette writes, “As Presbyterian congregations seek to reach and invite people in their 20’s and younger, we must understand who they are. This generation, often referred to as “the net generation,” views technology as common as sliced bread and lives in a world with interactive community-building web 2.0 tools like blogs, podcasts, Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks. For this generation, the standard church Web site may appear more like a digital brochure with limited one-way conversation.”

It’s all about relationship, relationship, relationship for those who use the web 2.0 tools. The upshot of the article is that today, a growing number of congregations, denomination leaders, and other protestant churches are paving the way to build community on the Internet.

The article goes on to affirm that the Message has not changed but the way people are building relationships is in constant movement. Connecting by sharing ministry photos, events, and videos in settings that are comfortable and real to the net generation creates a more relevant way to reach out and invite them to come and join us.

Here are a few examples Ms. Hawkins provides in her article:

Set up your church or youth group as a group page on a popular social networking site like Facebook.

2. Blog (Weblogs). Establish a pastor’s blog that allows members as well as outsiders opportunity to be inspired, get spiritual food, or simply express personal feelings in an environment that can be anonymous and less intimidating.

3. Establish your ministry’s social network. Utilize social network services like Ning.com to set up a custom network for your congregation. This medium can allow members and the outside community to connect on common hobbies, careers, or other interests.

4. Create sermon or Bible study podcasts. Upload an audio file that is downloadable from the computer or iPod and allows people to hear a message and connect with your ministry even if they are not yet ready to visit your church.

5. Upload a video clip to YouTube or other video sharing mediums. Consider sharing video clips that help to give people a peek of what it is like to praise and worship at your church.

Get ready to take the plunge. If social media terminology sounds like a foreign language, ask a young person in your circle of friends or family to show you what this looks like. Explore the options and then move in ways that are relevant, comfortable, and allows God to use even technology to reach more people and share the Gospel.

(Adapted from an article written by Lynette Hawkins in The Presbyterian Outlook, Feb. 23, 2009, pp. 13 and 14.)

Filed under:Pastor's Message