Greg Atkinson

Over the next 4 weeks I’ll be speaking 4 times. Starting today at the BUG Conference in Birmingham (check Twitter @bugconference for info on a possible live webstream of the conf.). I arrived yesterday here in Birmingham and got to visit Church of the Highlands. I’ll be here through Tuesday night hanging out with Billy Hornsby and the ARC staff. Here’s what the next 4 weeks looks like for me:

1. July 13: BUG Conference
2. July 23: Church 2.0 Dallas
3. July 29-31: ECHO Church Media Conference
4. Aug. 6-8: South Carolina Worship Conference

Often when I’m asked to speak on Church 2.0 I compare the parallels between Web 2.0 and the Church. One thing that I usually point to is user-generated media (such as blogging, podcasting and uploading videos) and user-generated ministry – when people actually take ownership of a ministry, take the ball and run with it.

Over the last few weeks it’s been fascinating to watch the user-generated nature of how people are voicing and showing support for Iran on tools such as Twitter (in the picture seen above). Though the foreign press was kicked out of the country, the people have let their voice be heard via social media and social networking tools. Again, I’m amazed by it.

If you’re not familiar with it, as you can see above, many people have changed the color of their avatar or Twitter picture to one that is green in someway. Green shows support for a free Iran. Below is a blog post that documented the show of support as it started a while back. Click on the picture to read the blog.

Last night I followed the Texas Rangers baseball game via someone’s tweets. What a time to be alive. What are your thoughts on user-generated media?

Below is a post from my friend, DJ Chuang and the Leadership Network Digital Blog that I thought was worth repeating:

This weekend marks the first weekend of church worship services that will be live-streamed onto iPhones. Assuming all 5 services would be live-streamed, services at New Hope Christian Fellowship will be live-streaming on Saturday 7/4 at 5 & 7pm and Sunday 7/5 at 7, 9 & 11am, Hawaii Time. Being translated, that would be in Pacific Time: Saturday 8pm + 10pm, Sunday 10am + 12pm + 2pm. New Hope also has an internet campus with streaming video and an interactive online community.

Here’s the press release, Hawaii Church Becomes First to Stream Live Video to iPhone:

Less than two weeks after the release of Apple’s iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3.0 update, Honolulu-based New Hope Christian Fellowship (http://www.enewhope.org) has announced that it will begin streaming its weekend worship services live to iPhone and iPod touch users.

Live streaming to the iPhone was one of the most requested features from church attendees, and is now possible with the inclusion of HTTP live streaming in Apple’s iPhone 3.0 software. New Hope’s addition of live streaming to the iPhone is significant in that it is the first non-profit organization to offer this type of service. “Typically, churches are years behind other organizations when it comes to technology and innovation. We have tried to reverse that trend and pioneer new ways to spread the Gospel using the most current tools available,” explains New Hope’s Technology and Innovations Director, Michael Sharpe. “We don’t mind the long hours and stress that comes with innovating because we know that if we can come up with something useful, it can be used by other churches around the world.”

Leveraging standards-based HTTP streaming technology, New Hope will deliver high quality video over either a Wi-Fi connection or other carrier network, providing for a truly portable experience.

After successfully testing the service this past weekend with hundreds of users, the church is now planning to offer the live streaming video of its services to all iPhone and iPod Touch users starting July 4th.

The church currently streams all five weekend services live on its website for computer users and created the streaming for the iPhone as a free service for those who may not have access to a computer.

“We are always looking for ways that we can leverage technology to reach people where they are at,” said New Hope’s Interactive Developer Peter Thourson, “through live streaming video on iPhone and iPod touch, users across the globe will be able to continue to attend church regardless of where they are.”

Availability

The live stream of New Hope’s Services will be available on their website at http://www.enewhope.org beginning July 4th. The live stream requires an iPhone or iPod touch with the 3.0 software update and an active Internet connection.

About New Hope Christian Fellowship

Started in 1995, New Hope Christian Fellowship Oahu is one of the fastest-growing churches in the nation according to “Outreach Magazine,” with over 12,000 people in regular attendance at 6 locations. “Outreach Magazine” also named New Hope as one of the most influential and innovative churches in the United States.

*** What do you think of this? Can you see your church ever streaming onto an iPhone?***

Here’s a blog post from my friends at Catalyst last week. I thought it was worth passing on:

Gary Hamel wrote an article for the Wall Street Journal about how “Generation F” – the Facebook generation – will change expectations in the workplace.

Below is a post from my friend, DJ Chuang and the Leadership Network Digital Blog that I thought was worth repeating:

What the church looks and feels like is changing right before our eyes, and on our computer screens.

This article from The Gadsden Times (Alabama), “Now on your computer screen: Sunday services,” tells the story of how the Church Online of LifeChurch.tv is reaching people around the world:

And, Beliefnet blog entry “How Facebook, Twitter, and Google Might Affect the Church” links over to Mark Brown’s thoughts, How the Digital Revolution Might Affect the Church.

Mark also explores other issues affected by the digital revolution, namely, church governance, church leadership, and the institutional church as we know it. Read the full article.

From my vantage point, I’m guessing that changes to how we live out our faith as the church is only beginning. More changes are yet to come. Technology is only a part of what’s ushering in the change. (Aside: there are at least 27 churches with Internet campuses offering church online) What do you think?

// DJ Chuang, Director at Leadership Network //

I just returned from spending the weekend at LifeChurch.tv in Oklahoma City and got to witness this first-hand. It’s amazing what God is doing through them.

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.

Thursday I leave for Miami. I’ll be leading a Church 2.0 Local Forum there and can’t wait to meet so many new friends. If you are in South Florida or know someone that is, you/they can register HERE. 

Some have asked what goes on at these gatherings (this will be the 15th one I’ve led). The Church 2.0 Local Forum is a true unconference and is very informal/casual, but I’ll give you a little overview of what the day will look like. We’ll go from 10am to 2:30pm. 

• First hour: We’ll discuss new media/technology – specifically Twitter and Facebook and how they can be used for ministry purposes. I’ll share 4 key realities of these new technologies. *** I’ve added a 4th since the last one.
• Second hour: We’ll dive into a huge discussion on the topic of innovation. I’ll share 5 ways that innovation is born and what God is teaching me about innovation. 
• We’ll then break for lunch and encourage people to go eat somewhere close by with someone they don’t know and get to know them over lunch.
• The post-lunch part we’ll discuss social justice/what breaks my heart and the heart of God – as well as have time for Q & A.

Sponsors for Church 2.0 Miami are:

• Church Teams
• EasyWorship
• Fellowship Technologies
• National CineMedia
• Integrity Music
• Planning Center Online

Today I leave for Denver. I’ll be leading a Church 2.0 Local Forum there and can’t wait to connect with old friends and meet new ones. If you are in Colorado or know someone that is, you/they can register HERE. 

Some have asked what goes on at these gatherings (this will be the 14th one I’ve led). The Church 2.0 Local Forum is a true unconference and is very informal/casual, but I’ll give you a little overview of what the day will look like. We’ll go from 10am to 2:30pm. 

• First hour: We’ll discuss new media/technology – specifically Twitter and Facebook and how they can be used for ministry purposes. I’ll share 3 key realities of these new technologies.
• Second hour: We’ll dive into a huge discussion on the topic of innovation. I’ll share 5 ways that innovation is born and what God is teaching me about innovation. 
• We’ll then break for lunch and encourage people to go eat somewhere close by with someone they don’t know and get to know them over lunch.
• The post-lunch part we’ll discuss social justice/what breaks my heart and the heart of God – as well as have time for Q & A.

Sponsors for Church 2.0 Denver are:

• Church Teams
• EasyWorship
• Fellowship Technologies
• National CineMedia
• Integrity Music
• Planning Center Online

Yesterday I met with my new friend, Boyd, from ChurchTeams.com (a great resource for your church – I encourage you to check them out).  We were talking about the future of the Church, technology and ministry and we talked about the reality that in the not too distant future, churches may not need internal servers. 

I was sharing my thoughts on the Church IT world and how quickly it’s changing. How most IT departments are not keeping up with the rapidly changing world around them and how I believe that we’re just on the edge of all the change coming to our Church tech and IT worlds. 

I talked about how North Point doesn’t use Microsoft Exchange – they’re all Google. Many churches are following in their footsteps. Think about it: North Point is a huge church with a large staff – if they can do it, you can, too.

I talked about how churches are using resources like Unifyer, 360Hubs, Arena, Fellowship One, Planning Center Online, ChurchTeams.com, etc., etc. – all web-based resources. 

Today I had lunch with the Emerging Media professor at the University of Texas Dallas. He started talking about this very reality without knowing I had already written most of this post. He talked about the new reality of sharing information via the cloud. I already collaborate with many people and writing partners via Google docs. 

Some of you may think I’m crazy and disagree with me strongly, but I’ve always been an early adopter and I believe you’ll look back on this post 3 years from now and think differently. In your own church world, how many programs that you use are web-based? How big of a stretch would it be to think of doing away with servers in your situation?

My blog, my Twitter profile… my life: What I LOVE is when technology, innovation and social justice come together – it’s a beautiful thing. Innovative leaders use and leverage technology for good. That’s what my friend, Shawn Wood, is doing with 5 Days in May. Maybe you’ve seen or heard some of the buzz on Twitter and/or Facebook. Let’s make a difference!
 

Here are some facts to consider:

• 1 in 6 people on the planet don’t have access to clean drinking water.
• The Church could eradicate this problem, Why don’t we?
• What if we all just gave up non-water beverages for 5 days, May 1-5 and donated the savings to www.5daysinmay.com
• All money will go directly to (100%) www.watermissions.org
• Follow on twitter @5daysinmay
• Join the conversation on Facebook (http://ow.ly/3vyD)