Social Networking and Unreached Peoples

[Reef to Outback News]

We'd love to hear your thoughts on social networking and missions. The following link is to an article about this topic:

Social Networking and Unreached Peoples

For more information on training and seminars related to YWAM Social Networking, please contact Rebekah Hoover ([e-mail]).

[Jeff Allen]

It sounds like .. or looks like rather from reading the social networking and unreached peoples article, that there is a real depth of understanding and knowledge and vision of the future of communications in YWAM within the base there.. It's going to take me a while to process that article ;).

I guess what I'm seeing is a fragmented (as YWAM mentioned).. "nervous system" within YWAM and most mission groups around the world, so I guess thats a common theme. I know that the IMB (International Missions Board) here in Richmond is looking to unite all of it's existing branches into one site that people could come into. It's a common theme now with the internet and technology.
I'll mention some of the caution flags I see that could occur. One is you already nailed it with trying to have "your YWAM base being seen at the top of Google" (web optimization).. It's a real danger to get into a place were your competing with other ministries within the same body.. thats probably one of the biggest hurdles we can overcome as a body of Christ is unity. Not forced unity, but unity of spirit and hearts, and this is a working of the Holy Spirit within each person and each base, so that they all have the same goal the same vision ultimately. What does God call us to do? "Go and make disciples... baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." Does everyone agree on that? I don't know I guess I'm just wondering.

As far as the tool being used internally and externally, yeah it most certainly needs to be. I was thinking whats more important internal or external?? I see them as equally important. I don't think this is that hard actually for those who know how to design certain formats and applications (I say that lightly knowing I couldnt' do it). In fact I believe it's very close, the site that is.. to incorporating these 2 functions. They may have to seperate the 2 functions more intentionally, (maybe not so much chatter on the front page about within the base- internal communication..- which I think is very important to the health and operations within the base by the way... you need a healthy body (base), so I 'm not trying to diminish it in any way), however those within the base already know how to navigate through that site fairly well or should. I would be hesitant to try navigate all external communication around the first page if you were going to go down that road of internal , external types of sfeperation within the site which I think... you probably will need to go. The site has in my opinion all the tools it's just a matter of organizing it...
To sum it up.. Your very close to being able to have communication across the board both externally and internally, but I think there may need to be more of an intentional seperation between the two, or you can look at it as more of an inviting of the 2 with purposefully trying to engage with the "outside world"-external, and purposefully engaging with the base body, ywam body for that matter,,- internal, each needs focused intentional "space".

I think on the point of how can we have our voice heard among the noise of the internet, I think the answer is unity, unity of body, unity of vision, unity of goals... so if your unified you don't come across fragmented, but strong ... and if YWAMs mission is "To know God, and to make Him known" which is essentially the same commandment Christ has given each one of us, then if everyone has that goal then that message.. "To Know God and to make Him known" will come out more clearly when unified together than a bunch of fragmented voices throwing themselves across internet land..(not saying they can't have an effect, but it wouldn't be as strong.. test it out by having the whole base yell and then having small groups within the base yell at different times.. just gong to be kinda choatic). To sum this up the answer to having the message heard is unity of body, vision, goals, etc.. unity. Thats how you get the message out strong,

[Jeff Allen]

I wrote more but it dissapeared,... oh well..it's in the site somewhere.. ;) if anyone wants it..

[Jeff Allen]

Part 2...
Alright, already wrote , write it again...

On the inviting young people to come and join the "call" and get involved with missions, and for YWAM to engage (one of those famous words) with them. it goes back to the external and internal communication.. you have to provide the space.. intentionally to invite these people in. it really is a ministry in and of itself.. so it's definitly something to consider. you spent 3 paragraphs on it.. so you saw it build.... it's important. You site specific examples of it, and no doubt there are a lot... so it needs to be a priority, in my mind. Focus again here on the external social networking communication piece. I really believe you can have a healthy internal and external social network built within one site, I believe it's doable, and your doing it.. I just feel like there needs to be more intentional focus on external social networking at this piont (could be wrong), and probably needs to be "out front".

Integration- talked about... I would rely heavily on the people who imbed themselves in technology day in and day out, in knowing whats going to take place.. seeing the trends, staying ahead of the curve , so to speak.. it's really a substitute leadership model.. were you allow the people with the knowledge of the field to lead.. it's fancy business term for "let go of the reigns" when it comes to making decisions based on trends in technology.. doesn't mean you dont want to know and question at times ..were are we going? In fact thats healthy.. it just means you decentralize , and you guys operate from that so that should be natural..you've got some gifted people within technology there that know whats going on. We hope anyway ;) jk.. really. Sounds like from the article people have some indepth knowledge about whats going on.

Serve the Local Base- for this .. your doing it right now.. making it easy for bases to apply.. it's good that it's happening there because you don't want this to happen at each base.. wouldn't be pretty. Yeah just keep moving forward like your doing.. praying all the way..

Serving the Staff and Students- dont' see any problems or delays in this area either. Seems to me you guys are good, maybe not quite were you want to be on the internal communications and such, but it's definitly getting there, I would say the missing element is not the staff and students at this point but the external communication with the "outside" world.. thats just my opinion on that. once again I think you can have both,, external I see as needing to be more intentional at this point..I mean it's a great idea with the training and having the instructors being able to guide the students via internal communication.. yeah awsome,, I'd just plug that further within the website at this point.. (students are going to know how to use it.. I would think).

Affordability- hmmm. yeah sounds really good, probably doable, don't know how, but probably is... (3$ per base... over a thousand bases..jk.) I know it's a ministry tool. Keep it free..or at least affordable and that means free in many cases (as far as money is concerned, can always barter ;)

Open Developement- that's kinda down the road, but it's probably going to happen and I really love the concept.

Well thats all ..except to say that "man makes his plans, but the Lord directs his steps", important to understand cause the best laid plans sometimes fall through, but God is faithful and He is good.

[Jeff Allen]

Last comment I'll make on this I think ;), but my gut feeling on the subject when all is said and done is that nothing can substitute a persons presence, their voice, their touch, their empathy, their love, and I don't think Gods desire is that anything would... so people - there's really no substitute for Gods hands and feet. Technologies great, and it can support (and thats its function) ministries in a lot of ways, but it doesn't have the Spirit of the Living God within it, people do. Just my gut feeling on it.

[Bill and Tamara Hutchison]

Social networking is great for the places where such technology can exist, but what about the developing nations where people are so isolated? For example...how does the new version of the International YWAMer (the e-zine format) reach the unreached people groups?

[Bill and Tamara Hutchison]

...or how does the new e-zine YWAMer reach the YWAM bases in developing nations is what I meant to say.

[Rebekah Hoover]

Well, there are two answers to this questions.

For one, the internet is growing fastest in these very developing nations. In fact, as you'd read at the link above, over the past 8 years, its grown by 1000% percent in the Middle East and Africa. This makes sense, since they rapid technology growth in many developed nations occurred in the last decade, but still it shows that internet access is becoming readily available to the world at a very quick pace.

As far as the e-zine, there is a similar thing happening here with technology growing and more and more centres being connected through the internet. However, to my understanding, switching to the e-zine format also required thinking about those who would have trouble accessing it. I know that we as a centre were asked to mail a printable copy to a country which - even though they have internet access - only has electricity on a sporadic basis. So I'm sure that the IY folks are thinking the through the ramifications of relying more and more on web/electricity based technologies and taking appropriate steps for those with limited access.

[Aaron M]

Only 21% of The Middle East and 5.4% of Africa have internet access, and that accounts for over a billiion people. So... 8 years ago only 0.54% of Africa had internet access... it's gone up 4.9% in 8 years... about 50 million more people in Africa have internet access, then...

[Bill and Tamara Hutchison]

I based my questions from reading an article where several YWAM bases in developing nations were concerned as to how they would now receive it. Thanks for all the stats though. Of course technology is growing in these areas, but these people still had valid concerns.

[Rebekah Hoover]

Yeah - its great that the IY, even though in ezine format is still committed to getting paper copies out where needed. Props to them for sure!

[Aaron M]

Hmm, my thought is that overall, it depends on who you are targeting, right? I mean... say if we wanted to see students come out of Africa... it would be more effective to use a print medium instead of the web.

[Bill and Tamara Hutchison]

Excellent that they are still doing paper copies. It didn't come across that way when they announced the launch of the ezine format. Hopefully the YWAM bases will be delightfully surprised then when their paper copy arrives. Hopefully they deliver quicker than Australia Post. Ha, ha!