God’s Presence Matters

Online ministry takes a lot of thought effort and energy. While it’s methods might be more accessible, this doesn’t mean that the content, and connections are easier. So, what is the top thing you are do in online ministry?

One thought keeps coming up so far in 2012, it is “BE with God.” All areas of life and ministry  seem to all spin around this idea. So, when this video popped up in my email, I knew I needed to post it.

What ways is God’s presence with you and how is it shaping your online ministry?

Prayer Wall

Welcome to 2012!

Are you ready to begin the sugar and fattening food detox? Geared up with your 2012 goals? How about spiritually? What would God ask of you in 2012?

As I thought of this, I am reminded of this verse:

Isaiah 62:6, which says “ O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls;  they will pray day and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord.” (NLT)

There is no doubt that God has called his people to pray continually.  Pray can often feel static. It seems very disconnected from the world. Yet, it doesn’t have to be!

We are in an exciting year. At the very end of 2011, we launched our GodLife prayer wall. At any time of the day or night, people can post their requests on there and also pray for others. Will you consider taking a few today, and throughout this week to pray for those who have posted something on the prayer wall? You can write them a response or simply click a button to let them know that someone has prayed for them.

Anyone can post and pray. So, feel free to invite your small group, friends, or family. The prayer wall is one way we can obey God and also stay focused on helping other’s online.

2012 Digital Goals

Goodbye 2011. Although you are still with us, Our minds are mostly on 2012. We already are making plans and goals for oh twelve.

And to you, our wonderful readers, how are your goals shaping up for this coming year? We wanted to share with you some tips in making these goals a reality in 2012.

1. Write them down! A goal not written down, is just a dream. Also, it is helpful if you can find them again, so we suggest putting them in a place that is easy to find and access again! Perhaps in note on your phone? or evernote?

2. Make the most of your digital Calendar. We suggest writing reminders to yourself in advance, and setting your calendar settings to send you a reminder. This could be as simple as emailing yourself a prayer reminder, setting a quiet time alarm, or putting in when you will take a retreat. Speaking of which…

3. Unplug. As we mentioned in this blog, there are a great many spiritual benefits from simply taking a technology break, and spending that time with God.

4. Pray. Perhaps this should be number one. But, as Proverbs 16:9 says “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” Regardless of what we may have planned, it is God who guides us.

5. Assess the technology you are using. It is easy to read good bloggers, and to think, “wow, I should start a blog.” It is easy to read a clever tweet and think” I should tweet like this!”  Others might be amazing at keeping their online calender, and you think “I really should move from paper to digital this year.” You get the point, it is easy to feel like technology has become the run away snowball that somehow ran you over. So,  really take a look at the technology or social media you are using. Do you enjoy using it? Is it actually helpful? Does it feel too demanding. Does it help or hinder you from reaching your goals? If it does not help, ditch it. No point is trying to post some encouraging word to twitter if it becomes overwhelming and not spirit filled. Pray and see what else God has for you!

We hope these were helpful! We pray that you might grow in your relationship with God even more in 2012!

photo by Archie McPhee Seattle on Flickr

Timeline.

The beauty of storytelling is hindsight. To be able to highlight events and weave a story to show draw meaning from our experiences. Perhaps this is why much of the Bible is written in a narrative form.  It highlighted what God has done.

Interestingly, this narrative story telling is going digital. Facebook has launched Timeline. Now, instead of posts, pictures, likes and comments being posted on a person’s wall, it is written out like a timeline. A person even has the option to add information on previous periods and important moments of their life.  Of course there is criticism. Are we sharing too much person information? Why would my friends what to know what happened on my 7th birthday party?

Yet, what of it’s potential in redemptive story telling? What if we marked when we became a Christian? Or highlighted moments of deeper revelation of God? What if we took a moment to see how God has been moving in us over the last year? Perhaps the timeline could be a more significant change in social media that we currently think.

How would you think to use the new Timeline feature in internet evangelism?

Open Letter from a Community Leader

I had this letter send to me today, and wanted to share it with you all! I hope you will see Marcia’s heart (the community leader who wrote the email) and join with us for our year end Million Person day!

Recently Walt Wilson, our GMO Founder said “There are 1 BILLION people who have NEVER heard the name of Jesus. There will be no hope, no future, no knowledge of  a Savior, no Christmas. It touches me very deeply that 1 Billion have no knowledge of Jesus. Most are in the 10/40 window of north Africa, Muslim/Hindu Iraq-Iran-India-China window and they will be inquiring this Christmas season who Jesus, Christmas and God are. Will you make time to answer these extra Seekers finishing December?

Circle these dates on your calendar to pray and take extra ARC. Let’s finish this year with a flood of decisions for Christ. Remaining Christmas Season Million Person Days are:

1. Dec.20 (today)
2. Dec. 22
3. Dec. 27
4. Dec. 28
5. Dec. 30- GMO Year End MPD
6. I’ve got my calendar circled and am ready to go. How about you?

I don’t know about you, but I am wanting to do all I can to reach those 1 BILLION people! If you want to join us, go here!

 

Share Your Favorite Christmas Video!!

Do you remember the Claymation Christmas special with the California raisins? And the waffeling/waddleing/wasling claymation animals?  If not here is a peek:

YouTube is pretty amazing! It allows us to find bits and pieces of movies and songs and allows us to share them with others. What a fun way to stay Jesus focused during Christmas- share videos and songs with your friends and family!  You could probably share a song, memory, or video clip a day for a whole week, and everyone would love it!

We’d love to hear, what are some of your favorite Christ Centered YouTube clips?

Year End Countdown

I am the sort of person who hates it when people play Christmas music before Thanksgiving day. I don’t like that our world today seems to be rushing ahead- always onto the next thing; never in this moment.

So, please know that what I am about to say isn’t from a desire to rush us past Christmas and onto the end of this year. Rather, I wanted to give you AS MUCH time as possible to join us. So, without farther ado:  You’re Invited to join us this year in participating in our Year End Million Person day!!! 

We want to end the year well as we reach others with the good news of Jesus! There are three ways to join us:

First, through your donations. Sadly, the web isn’t free. But, one very generous donor has agreed to match funds given for this million person day!  Would you like to make financial contribution go EVEN farther this year?? Go here for more information.

Second, through your prayer. We have put together a prayer guide for this million person day. Download this FREE prayer guide, and join us to pray for people coming to the evangelistic and discipleship sites that day!

Third, join us for a LIVE broadcast. You will be able to find the live site here.  Bookmark it, then join us at 4:00pm California time as we celebrate how God is moving in the final days of 2011!

Together we can give the best gift to a MILLION people all over the world!

The Christian Growth Index

The most frequently asked question for people involved with Online Evangelism is “how do you know the decisions are real?” After all, you can’t see the person responding to you, so how can we know they are experiencing true life change? Well, we at GMO were asking ourselves the same question. So we sent out the Christian Growth Index to several of people who have responded to our evangelistic websites over the years to measure how they practiced their Christian fiath. And the results were astonding!

34% read their Bible daily.

Nearly half spend 10 or more minutes in prayer each day.

51% have shared their faith three or more times, and 37% have share it once or twice.

As Walt Wilson, our founder and chairman, said, “These findings are remarkable because they reveal that online evangelism isn’t just an in-the-moment decision, and people continue to grow in their faith after they have indicated a decision.”

Go here to read more on the Christian Grown Index. 

PS. If you want to join us at the end of the year in reaching One MILLION people in ONE day check this out! 

Merry Christmas Charlie Brown

Did you remember when the Charlie Brown Christmas special would come on TV? Did you now know there is a Charlie Brown Christmas app? It’s True!

I think the BEST part of that TV special was when Linus recited the story of Jesus birth. What a wonderful reminder of what Christmas actually is about is with the real Christmas story. Now, technology has changed, and Charlie Brown is in app form, but the message hasn’t changed. Jesus is still the reason for the season.

Have you also heard about the church who is doing a virtual christmas choir?

I remember a few years ago when a large church orchestrated a twitter play. Throughout two days they had different people tweet as if they were Biblical characters tweeting first hand experience of the birth of Jesus. Another fun way to give voice to the meaning of Christmas in the digital age.

Do you plan to use technology in sharing the Christmas story this month? If so, how?

Welcome into My Page

One of the favorite parts of my week is “(friends are) Family” dinner night. Once a week, one of my friends and I will venture to a third friend’s house to cook dinner and just Be. These times are full of laughter, questions, sometimes tears and frustrations and venting and prayer. We come in anything from work clothes to sweats.

In his article, The Cultural Need for Hospitality, Randall Neighbour, the President of TOUCH Outreach Ministries, points out that our world is in desperate NEED of hospitality. “…[H]ospitality, combined with the presence of Christ, is what turns a bunch of disconnected people into a church!”

The beauty of true hospitality is actually transformation. We invite others into our lives to be with us- not just the “together” part of us, but all of us. We invite them to see how we honestly  interact in  with God and with each other. As Jesus moves in us, it shows in the way we interact with people.

While I do not think that anything can replace the in person connection, I also am curious about how one can be hospitable happens online. How can we create a safe, open environment that invites people into our lives, and ultimately into the life of Christ?

Some of my favorite blogs “keep it real”  in regards to the content they post. It is almost like I know I could show up and be loved, even if I were in my virtual sweats. Others are wonderfully honest, with their questions, yet, they are still focused on Christ.  I am invited to linger there a moment to experience Jesus.

How about you? How do you show hospitality online to help others pause long enough to encounter Jesus?