Collective Muse - Social Networking for College Leaders

Rhett Smith, has been the college director for the last many years at Bel Air Presbyterian Church.  Over the course of his tenure he has been dreaming and thinking a lot about the desire for, and need for connecting those involved in college ministry (i.e. pastors, directors, volunteers, etc.).  Rhett says that although there are lots of college ministries, there is a certain disconnect among this particular age group as well as for those in ministry to this age group.

So, after a season of praying and thinking about it, Rhett created and launched a social networking site devoted to these people.

"I hope this site can be a hub that brings us together, helps us promote events, share ideas, meet, pray, etc. It is a place where we can bring together the work that we are all doing, and hopefully be energized and encouraged by what is taking place out there."

You can check out the site at Collective Muse.

Or you can visit the Facebook group here at Collective Muse's Facebook page.

"It's a work in progress," Rhett says.  "I wanted to do a slow and gradual roll-out and just fix, edit and redesign things as they happened, and were needed, rather than trying to have everything perfect.  It's really my experiment in using some of the new, free and easy tools for connecting.  I think part of the new media is also about taking risks, making mistakes, failing, etc, and trying again.  You can do that because the costs have collapsed as Clay Shirky would say.

The site is "An open and collaborative network for those engaged in thinking creatively and relationally about college ministry."

Collective Muse can be used to:

Connect
We desire to connect those serving in college ministry.

Engage
We desire to engage those involved in college ministry on issues regarding theology, ministry, praxis, etc.

Collaborate
We desire to collaborate with those serving in college ministry on projects that bring innovation and new ideas to the study and practice of this field.

Innovate
We desire to be a community that creates and welcomes innovative ideas in the field of college ministry.

Gather
We desire to gather together in order to form relationships and grow from our interactions with one another.

Prayer
We desire to be a people that continually seek the direction of college ministry through time in prayer.

Diversity
We desire to be a community that spans the breadth and depth of Christianity, interacting on this site with those involved in serving in college ministry in the various denominations, non-denominations, and traditions of Christianity.

Resource
We desire to be a resource for those serving in college ministry, as well as students who are a part of college ministry.

Rhett says, "By creating this site, I hope to bring people together/connect, by creating a platform for them to share, eventually cooperate and then do some collective action for the good of college ministry."

See similar article: Tuggle - Social Networking for Ministry Leaders