Currently I am traveling in Southeast Asia. When I was here in 2005, just after the tsunami to assess the need and recommend relief efforts, my Blackberry didn’t fully function. I could detect a simple signal, but it didn’t allow me to do anything. This time I stepped off the plane in Bangkok and immediately received a network connection at the same level of service I have in North America.
Imagine my surprise when I arrived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and the same thing happened. I shouldn’t have been so shocked because a year ago, when I was in Nicaragua, not only was the service level the same, so was the carrier—a Canadian company! This is a digital world! Even in the rural areas of Cambodia where we traveled, I was never without a cell phone signal
The young pastor who traveled with us in Cambodia had his trusty Nokia cell phone with him, complete with GPS. His next investment will be an iPhone so he can also receive e-mail when he is on the road. He’s also on Facebook and I’m sure other social media connections won’t be far behind.
Throughout this trip, I’ve kept in touch with my wife in Winnipeg via Blackberry chat. The interesting part of the connection is that we are 13 hours apart. When I’m getting up for a new day, she is heading to bed!
The world has changed. As I write, I am sitting on an outside porch in Kao Lak, Thailand connected to the Internet through a wireless connection to my laptop.
The Lord has given us this tremendous technology to connect with the world. I’m looking forward to introducing my new Cambodian pastor friend to some of my pastor friends on Facebook.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Is it real?
Even the bad guys think digital first.
Over the years I’ve received all kinds of e-mail petitions. Some have asked me to protest the US Federal Communications Commission because it was threatening to take religious broadcasting off the air; or something of a similar nature about renowned atheist Madelyn Murray O’Hare (even after she died!). This week it was an alleged film Corpus Christi that is supposed to be released this summer. The e-mail said the film portrays Jesus and his disciples as being gay and suggested all Christians should protest.
All it takes is a quick look at www.hoaxbusters.org and you soon discover none of this is true. Even Googling the title gives you sites that say this hoax first surfaced more than 20 years ago. Here is a history of the hoax.
This is the same kind of hoax as Proctor and Gamble begin accused of using satanic symbols on its products. P&G had to hire full-time staff just to diffuse the issue!
When you discover a digital hoax, don’t resend the e-mail. Instead, reply with a link to the source of the real information.
Christians have enough work to tackle real enemies without trying to battle fake ones!
Over the years I’ve received all kinds of e-mail petitions. Some have asked me to protest the US Federal Communications Commission because it was threatening to take religious broadcasting off the air; or something of a similar nature about renowned atheist Madelyn Murray O’Hare (even after she died!). This week it was an alleged film Corpus Christi that is supposed to be released this summer. The e-mail said the film portrays Jesus and his disciples as being gay and suggested all Christians should protest.
All it takes is a quick look at www.hoaxbusters.org and you soon discover none of this is true. Even Googling the title gives you sites that say this hoax first surfaced more than 20 years ago. Here is a history of the hoax.
This is the same kind of hoax as Proctor and Gamble begin accused of using satanic symbols on its products. P&G had to hire full-time staff just to diffuse the issue!
When you discover a digital hoax, don’t resend the e-mail. Instead, reply with a link to the source of the real information.
Christians have enough work to tackle real enemies without trying to battle fake ones!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Online support
As the recession makes an impact in parts of Canada and the US, social media sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook are seeing an increase in subscribers.
LinkedIn creates important networks for professionals and so job searches among those who are also members is becoming important.
The current economic situation give us all the opportunity to provide encouragement and support to those who are facing unemployment and the family pressures that often accompany.
In a think digital first world, there are e-cards, Facebook walls, and inexpensive Skype calls we can all use.
What other ways can we provide support digitally?
LinkedIn creates important networks for professionals and so job searches among those who are also members is becoming important.
The current economic situation give us all the opportunity to provide encouragement and support to those who are facing unemployment and the family pressures that often accompany.
In a think digital first world, there are e-cards, Facebook walls, and inexpensive Skype calls we can all use.
What other ways can we provide support digitally?
Friday, February 13, 2009
Tweeters mobilized
A lot of people have talked about whether social media creates real communities. It all depends on your definition of community. We digital immigrants tend to understand community as physical interaction with those who share our values and beliefs. That’s our common bond. But can that definition be applied to an online ‘community.”
Last night thousands of Twitter users physically gathered in more than 175 Twestival communities around the world to raise money for charity:water, a development organization that provides communities with fresh water. The entire operation, the idea of a Canadian woman, was handled by volunteers, organized on line and executed locally.
There are so many layers as to why this worked. Not only was it a unique approach, but it identified a unifying cause, motivated the mostly younger demographic on Twitter, provided a tangible, defined project they could support in a short time period (one night).
What are some lessons the church can learn from this?
Last night thousands of Twitter users physically gathered in more than 175 Twestival communities around the world to raise money for charity:water, a development organization that provides communities with fresh water. The entire operation, the idea of a Canadian woman, was handled by volunteers, organized on line and executed locally.
There are so many layers as to why this worked. Not only was it a unique approach, but it identified a unifying cause, motivated the mostly younger demographic on Twitter, provided a tangible, defined project they could support in a short time period (one night).
What are some lessons the church can learn from this?
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Fun on Facebook
It’s amazing how an offhand comment can stir creative juices and bring people together.
The other day as we were preparing for a vacation in a climate a good deal warmer than Winnipeg I announced to the world on Facebook we were heading for warmer weather. My exact words were : Ian is looking forward to warmer weather for a week (could I find more alliteration??)
My Facebook friends took the alliteration reference as a challeng and so ensued some very funny, clever and witty responses. The cool thing was that two of the most active were thousands of miles apart and don’t know each other. One is in Dallas, Texas, the other in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (See the exchange on my Facebook wall...scroll down)
In days since, the interchange between these two has continued courtesy of my Facebook wall.
This is the beauty of the social media. In all, my simple reference to alliteration prompted 21 comments. A record for my page.
When I posted a comment about the Superbowl announcers using the word ‘alacrity’ a friend in Bahrain responded with a comment.
Communication without geo-political borders is amazing. It has opened a new real-time engagement within which one can establish and re-establish relationships.
Yesterday, I posted a request for prayer as my mother undergoes surgery for an intestinal problem. I received three acknowledgements, but I know many more of my friends will remember her and the surgeons in their prayers.
For me, that is community.
The other day as we were preparing for a vacation in a climate a good deal warmer than Winnipeg I announced to the world on Facebook we were heading for warmer weather. My exact words were : Ian is looking forward to warmer weather for a week (could I find more alliteration??)
My Facebook friends took the alliteration reference as a challeng and so ensued some very funny, clever and witty responses. The cool thing was that two of the most active were thousands of miles apart and don’t know each other. One is in Dallas, Texas, the other in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (See the exchange on my Facebook wall...scroll down)
In days since, the interchange between these two has continued courtesy of my Facebook wall.
This is the beauty of the social media. In all, my simple reference to alliteration prompted 21 comments. A record for my page.
When I posted a comment about the Superbowl announcers using the word ‘alacrity’ a friend in Bahrain responded with a comment.
Communication without geo-political borders is amazing. It has opened a new real-time engagement within which one can establish and re-establish relationships.
Yesterday, I posted a request for prayer as my mother undergoes surgery for an intestinal problem. I received three acknowledgements, but I know many more of my friends will remember her and the surgeons in their prayers.
For me, that is community.
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