Digital @ Leadership Network

Tech Tuesday: how to use Google mashup maps and apps

As tech questions are submitted, we'll feature them here on Tech Tuesdays at the Digital @ Leadership Network blog. This question is about mapping apps on the web:

"Does anyone know of a wiki or other website that explains how to do mapping -- what is a mashup? how to plot a database of locations on Google maps?"

What I found on a quick search was the Google Maps Mania blog at googlemapsmania.blogspot.com, an unofficial Google Maps blog tracking the websites, mashups and tools being influenced by Google Maps, and this list of 100 Google Map tools & mashups from Mashable, the social media guide. One mashup map I have used is called Wikimapia, an editable interactive map that will describe places and buildings around the whole world.

What do you know about mashup maps? How have you found it useful for ministry purposes?

It's a fascinating world we live in, with more mobile phones becoming smartphones and becoming location aware. A few applications (apps) are being developed and I'd imagine more are on the way.

Have a church tech question? Email them to dj.chuang[at]leadnet.org to be featured here on a future Tech Tuesday.

// DJ Chuang is a Director at Leadership Network, launching digital initiatives, and connecting multi-site churches and Asian American pastors. He joined the Leadership Network team through a partnership with L2 Foundation.

Map of Social Networking 2008 vs 2009

This map was from a post in 2008 - it showed what social networking sites dominated which countries at the time:

A year later, someone has compiled the data again, and Facebook looks well-positioned to be the dominant network in a majority of countries.

I wonder what this map will look like in 2010.  Will there be a single network to monopolize the world's social graph?  I didn't think this was possible a year ago, but now I'm not so sure...

a panel discussion on social networking

A great panel discussion on social networking was recently moderated at the Christian Web Trends Blog by Paul Steinbrueck. Three leading bloggers, Kem Meyer, John Saddington, Matt Farina and Drew Goodmanson, shared their perspectives on how they use social networking, what it means for organizations and individuals, as well as anticipate its future. The 4-part series is linked below [ht: Kem Meyer], along with a few highlighted excerpts of sound bites that caught my attention :

Part 1: Social Networking Consumption

Q: On an average day how much time do you spend reading/viewing social media? A: "...at least an hour in my Google reader alone..." "average is probably 1-3 hours..." "I directly spend about a half hour each day reading RSS feeds..." [moderator's summary] ... they read a lot.. you’ve got to listen... turn off social networking.. when they need to focus and get stuff done.

Part 2: Social Networking for Organizations

Q: Do you think every business, church, and non-profit should blog, be on Facebook, and Twitter? A: The number of social media users is up 87% since 2003 (no distinction between churched or unchurched) and now outnumbers email users for the first time. In the past year, the time spent on social networks increased 73 percent, Nielsen says." … "This new human behavior is all about developing relational collateral online. It’s one of the most important issues facing organizations today." … "The social media tools aren’t right for everyone and every organization. … key is to know how the tools that exist will help the mission..."

Part 3: Social Media for Individuals

"It is difficult to manage a number of social networks."  "…The notion of community, the desire to associate, affiliate, and belong has always appealed to the human condition." "... If people decide to un-friend me because of that I don’t take it personal."

Part 4: Future of Social Networking

"... social networking is going to get more mobile…" "Facebook and [Twitter] didn’t even exist 3 years ago. I’m not even going to try to answer this one." "… I imagine social networking in 5 years will be much more tied to the physical world. … Pictures, videos, and messages will be tied to locations… Be honest, personal, and real. Don’t strive for perfection."

Personally, I think of social networking as connecting, not consuming. I read & reply to join a conversation to connect with people. I read & post to find and share valuable resources. For me, an average day might total up to an hour, though most of that is a few minutes here, and a few minutes there. Things with technology change very fast. Things with people, not so much. I'm seeing more integration between the online and offline worlds in many good ways, and I think the church can be the best laboratory for developing how we use social networking for the good of the world.

What do you think?

// DJ Chuang, Director at Leadership Network

People searching for God on Google

This Orlando Sentinel article, "'Religion Surfers' look for God on the Web" is also titled, "Find God on Google: "Religion surfers" use search engines to find answers about God, spirituality," according to the HTML title tag on the article's web page:

An estimated 2 million people a day look for God on Google.

Seeking spiritual guidance through search engines is so popular these days that a legion of online missionaries is being assembled in Orlando to answer the cyber-prayers.

Global Media Outreach — a ministry of Orlando-based Campus Crusade for Christ International — has formed a partnership with Northland, A Church Distributed, in Longwood to recruit and train 5,000 online missionaries by 2010.

... Global Media has more than 90 Web sites aimed at search-engine seekers of God. Type in a query about Jesus, and WhoIsJesus-Really.com shows up in the results. Type in a question about God's existence and Jesus2020.com shows up as a sponsored link.

... At the bottom of each Web site is a feedback form that asks for names, e-mail addresses and a space for comments and questions. About 30,000 people a day fill out that form and press the send button, Beeber said.

Those contacts and comments are forwarded to one of the Global Media's 2,900 online missionaries trained to answer questions of faith — or refer to someone who can.

Read the full article to learn more about the partnership and the impact that they hope to achieve.

// DJ Chuang, Director at Leadership Network

7 other church tech blogs

There are a number of other great blogs on the web that add more perspectives about church and web technology, as we do here at the Digital blog.

Here are 7 church tech blogs that are being mentioned today:

• ChurchCrunch - exploring the intersection of technology and the church
• Church Tech Matters - a site for tech volunteers
• BetaChurch -design and technology for the church's mission
• Church Technology Review -church meets Internet, websites, technology and web 2.0
• Church Tech Today - technology for today's church
• Geeks & God podcast - encouraging ministries to use technology more effectively
• Mobile Ministry Magazine -the intersection of faith and mobile technology

Of course, the contributors here are all active bloggers themselves and worthy of link love. Most of them blog about a wide variety of other topics at their own blogs. You can click-thru to see for yourself:

• Aaron Linne
• Cynthia Ware - The Digital Sanctuary
• Dawn Carter
• Dean Peters - Heal Your Church Website
• DJ Chuang
• Greg Atkinson
• Greg Davis
• Jim Walton
• Joe Suh
• Mary Beth Stockdale
• Matt Kerner
• Steve Knight - Kingdom Journalism
• Todd Rhoades - Monday Morning Insight

Any others you'd like to add? Add a comment below.

// DJ Chuang, Director of Digital Initiatives at Leadership Network

Twitter = One-Way Broadcasting?

Jeremy Liew posts some interesting snippets from a Harvard Business Review case study on Twitter.

The median number of tweets per Twitter user is ONE:

"At the same time there is a small contingent of users who are very active. Specifically, the top 10% of prolific Twitter users accounted for over 90% of tweets. On a typical online social network, the top 10% of users account for 30% of all production… This implies that Twitter’s resembles more of a one-way, one-to-many publishing service more than a two-way, peer-to-peer communication network."

I wonder if Twitter usage will always be more like blogging usage as opposed to social networking (ex Facebook) usage. 

A few years ago, it was believed that eventually everyone will have a blog.  But it's becoming clear that blogging (at least consistent blogging) will always be done by a small minority of internet users.  Those who are motivated enough to spread their ideas to their specific audience. 

As decentralized and open as the possibilities are ("anyone can start a blog!  Anyone can leave a comment on my post!"), blog usage is mostly one-to-many communication.  It is still top-down broadcasting.  I wouldn't be surprised if the median number of blog posts is also one.  There are a lot of "hello world" blog posts out there that are now abandoned...

Social networking on the other hand showed that practically everyone will get involved and stay involved.  Both in reading and producing content.  It is two-way communication.  Peer-to-peer and many-to-many.  The barriers to participate are so low that practically anyone that has an account participates at some level.

Twitter's recent explosion makes it look more like a social network.  But will the masses eventually use it like a social network and do true two-way communication?  Or will the median number of tweets always be one?

A few other data points to consider:
Only 22% of 18-26 year olds currently use Twitter
60% of new Twitter users don't come back
80% of Twitter accounts have less than 10 followers.
52% have ZERO followers

-- Joe Suh from MyChurch

Fellowship One releases API

Got a note today that Fellowship One has released an API to let 3rd party developers create applications that integrate into and access their F1 Database.

They have example apps for Iphone and Facebook (Facebook screencast is here)

It will be interesting to see how this strategy plays out for Fellowship One.  Is there already a developer community that will invest in launching web applications around church management software?  Can an enterprise application like church management software (which is really meant to be used by church staff) find viral adoption in a consumer platform like Facebook?

Regardless, I think its noteworthy that a ChMS product is opening up its database via API's.  And it's one of the flexible advantages that Fellowship One has as a software-as-a-service provider.

- Joe Suh from MyChurch

New service for online Ministry Training Center

Today marks the launch of a new online ministry training center called Innovative Ministry leader at InnovativeMinistryLeader.com. IML describes itself as a "complete web-based training center for today's church leaders, covering the areas of leadership, worship, marketing, culture, and technology." IML will have live video broadcasts as well as on-demand video archives with innovative leaders like Mark Batterson, Dino Rizzo, Troy Gramling, Anne Jackson, Dave Ferguson, Kevin Harney, Geoff Surratt, Ross Parsley, Efrem Smith, Carlos Whittaker, to name a few.

You can learn more about IML and its pricing plans. There's also a video tour introducing IML.

 

I was curious to learn more about the people who was behind this project, and with some help, I found out it was Sean Lewis, who envisioned this idea 4 years ago. Sean had noticed that while there were many great conferences and training events for church leaders, there wasn't someone providing ministry training with the web as a platform. IML would be a valuable opportunity for quality training and resources without adding up travel costs for every person. The heart behind the vision of IML is particularly astounding-- while operating as a for-profit business, after it reaches some level of sustainability, IML plans to be donating up to 50% of profits to missions (to organizations like Food for the Hungry).

You can get in touch with Sean Lewis on Twitter at @IMLeader and get updates about the initiative at  the IML blog. Use discount code "digital" to get 10% off the subscription fee.

// DJ Chuang, Director at Leadership Network

Live twitter feeds can now be moderated

Not only has Twitter been the topic du jour in mainstream media with news outlets, celebrities, and even athletes, it's also become the buzz for churches and church leaders too, e.g. Twittering in Church, With the Pastor’s O.K. (TIME),Should We Use Twitter During Church? (Josh Harris), More on Not Using Twitter During Worship Services (John Piper), Texting in Church (Chato Hazelbaker), Ontario church set to transmit 'Theology of Twitter' (Ontario Now), Churches use Twitter and more to connect with congregations (Orlando Sentinel), Twitter in Church (Gabe Taviano). We've had our share of conversations about Twitter here at the Digital blog too.

Now it's taking on a whole 'nother dimension. Live twitter feeds can now be moderated using a new web app called Paratweet. Paratweet was demo'd at Catalyst West this April, where it was used for live Q&A with a panel and chatter between sessions for attendees.

Paratweet was recently launched and now available for churches, ministries, and organizations hosting events where a moderated twitter feed can be projected onto a screen without the embarrassment of cuss words or inappropriate tweets showing up for all to see. (cf. more about Paratweet and its pricing info)

Can you imagine the possibilities? Could you see your church incorporating Twitter into your worship service?

Aside: See Top Twittering Pastors according to TwitterGrader.com and ChurchTweets.com for a Church & Ministry Twitter Directory and Top 10 Twittering Bishops and Clergy and Top 10 Pastors to Follow on Twitter according to ChurchWebsiteIdeas.com.

// DJ CHUANG, Director of Digital Initiatives at Leadership Network

Have You Heard of the BUG Conference?

Monday, July 13th (at Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, AL) I’ll be speaking at the BUG Conference. This is a first of its kind event for you to get hands-on training for how to use social media and social networking in your ministry setting.

Also speaking at BUG are Maurilio Amorim, Shaun King, Jeff Murphy, Lynse Leanne Stevens, Michael Trent and Guy Walker. 

BUG is put on by ARC (Association of Related Churches)  - an organization that I’m growing to love and appreciate for their Kingdom heart and passion for church planting. I’m, personally, starting to do more and more with ARC and encourage you to check them out. 

BUG is a day you can learn about church marketing.  BUG is focused on identifying, exploring and developing current trends in marketing.  Come learn how ARC pastors are reaching more people than ever before through LOW COST , high impact VIRAL MARKETING.

Our goal is to educate, enhance, and enable pastors to reach their local community through social media.

I hope you’ll come join me at this new conference. You can register HERE.

Greg Atkinson - www.GregAtkinson.com