You may have noticed a few changes here at the DIGITAL blog as 2009 has gotten under way. The blog's catch phrase was re-adjusted to = church tech blog for non-techies. This more clearly captures our intent in the first place, and I hope you find it more inviting too.
Plus, we've invited new contributors to this blog! You may have already noticed some new names and new voices chiming in. Here's an intro to each of the new contributors. (You'll also want to view the list of all the contributors.)
Greg Atkinson lives in Dallas, where he served previously as the Director of WorshipHouse Media, after having served as a worship pastor for 11 years. Greg is now on staff at Bent Tree Bible Fellowship and continues to consult, teach and write about innovation, technology and social justice. You can connect with him through his daily blog at GregAtkinson.com.
Dawn Carter
is the Teaching Leader for the Moms with A Purpose Bible Study at
Sandals Church in Riverside, CA. She heads up
Marketing and social media initiatives for Riverside-based 360Hubs, a software firm specializing in Internet Campus and secure social networks for churches. She blogs from her personal website
about the high calling of being a mom and more. She has a passion for connecting things:
broken people with recovery, technophobes with technology, our hearts
to our doctrine-filled heads, God’s love with the unlovely.
Greg Davis has been working as an SAP consultant for the past 10 years and applying his passion for technology, communication and media in the local church for the past 4+ years. He is resides in Wilmington, DE with his wife and 2 kids. He can keep up with Greg at his Technically Speaking blog.
Matt Kerner is the pastor of creative arts and college ministry at Schweitzer UMC
and focuses on using technology to connect the Gospel to new
generations. He's worked in technology environments both in ministry
and the marketplace. He lives in Springfield, MO with his wife Sarah
and their dachshund Lucy. His personal blog is at kerner.net
Mary Beth Stockdale is the Connect Director at Suncrest Christian Church, where she oversees the Small Group Ministry and works to engage newcomers into the church family. She has recently begun to explore social media and technology as tools for keeping the Church relevant in today's culture. She is passionate about church leaders sharing their wins and working united as a true Body, and expresses this in her blog, breaking point. She lives in Schererville, IN.
Jim Walton has been involved in church technology for 5+ years in a variety of ways, both volunteering and consulting. He created and wrote at ChurchTechMatters.com for 4 years, writing about all aspects of tech in the church, both his own experiences and what he saw others doing. He can be found writing at blog.jimwalton.org .
A big thank you to each of them in advance!
You can show your appreciation for these contributors by adding your comments as they blog about practical ways to use digital technologies. Technology is an ever-developing fast-changing arena, and I confess it's hard to keep up with it all. Our hope is that the DIGITAL blog will help you keep up and understand how these tools can be used to multiply your ministry impact.
// DJ Chuang is a Director at Leadership Network, launching digital initiatives, and connecting multi-site churches and Asian American pastors.
Are we connected or socially disconnected…I personally believe that technology has reduced our social capital—the relationships that bind people together and create a sense of community. Consequences include decreased civility, loss of behavioural boundaries and increased crime. We must find ways to deal with our profound loss of social connectedness.Even though technological advances have contributed significantly to the problem of isolation, the emphasis on individualism in today’s society has compounded it.
Posted by: didier grossemy | February 16, 2009 at 07:06 AM