Earlier today I co-hosted an online webinar with Drew Goodmanson of Monk Development entitled Beyond the Web 2.0 Noise: How to use the Internet to Disciple & Create Real Community.  We had so much to cover that we didn’t exactly get as specific as we will need to in order to provide the best resources for churches to actually use the internet to disciple individuals and create & nourish online communities.

But, we got a good start, particularly for surveying the landscape and for setting the stage to interpret the additional data that will be compiled.  I remember having a conversation with WP Developer Cory Miller a couple of years ago and we pondered together “who is compiling the data” besides Pew, Annenberg, etc.?  Now I know.

Here’s how it was billed:

Are we tired of hearing about Web 2.0?  The noise of social networking and private virtual communities continues to grow. Yet, we are still very early on in understanding what churches are doing effectively online in these areas.  Are churches really able to gather people, create community and foster discipleship?  Do you want to know what is working and what is a waste of time?  Come learn from a 2009 study on “The State of the Church Online: Social & Community Networks” involving over 500-hundred respondents and numerous church-focused products and social network sites.  Learn what churches are doing effectively and what they are doing that may actually be counter-productive to being the church.  This session will equip you with practical strategies in the social & community network space.

I made opening remarks about internet values and Drew presented the earliest data being compiled about internet usage patterns among those who participated in the recent survey The State of the Church Online: Social & Community Networks.

Some key findings include:

* Facebook was the most used Church Web Media strategy.
* Of the Christian Social Networking sites reviewed 82% of respondents had no awareness that they existed.

Top 5 Requested Features/Functionality sought:

1. Ability to find, register, and/or get details for events.
2. Ability to post prayer requests or needs.
3. Ability to find serving opportunities at the church based on interest or gifts.
4. Ability to join and interact with home/bible study groups.
5. Integration with existing church website.

If you were part of the webinar and want to weigh in, please do.  The questions we are getting will shape the presentation of the next webinar.

Here is a link to the site where the pdf/results are accessible:
http://www.churchtechreview.com/christian-social-network/churches-christian-social-networking-study/

Just before I left for Innovation3, I was contacted by my friend, Drew Goodmanson of Monk Development (and elder/pastor at Kaleo Church in San Diego).  Drew is someone I really respect, both as a Christian leader and as a savvy business person.  He was one of the first people I discovered who was using the Internet (and SEO) to reach people for Christ.  You can read his story elsewhere online but I’m inviting you to help him & those who are studying social media and the Church by taking this simple 5 minute survey.  Here’s an overview….

Are churches using the internet to gather, disciple and build community?

In the last couple years a number of new private church community networks have been launched in addition to numerous social networking sites.   We are still very early on in understanding what churches are doing effectively online.

We invite you to participate in this first survey of several that examine the State of the Church Online.  This survey in particular begins by examining what churches are doing with social and community networks.  How pervasive are the use of these web applications?

Future surveys will expand to examine what Christians are doing with social networks, how churches are using their websites and other online strategies.  Our prayer is that these studies help bring clarity and guidance for churches to pursue excellence online to the glory of God.

This survey is being led by Kevin Ring.  Kevin brings years of experience from Bainbridge Consulting leading qualitative research projects – designing and executing customer/competitive research and analysis across multiple industries, focused on Fortune 500 companies including Google, Yahoo!, Citibank, Hewitt Associates, Gallup, Bank of America and others.

The survey is free and takes very little time to complete.  Feel free to leave your name here (below in the comments) if you participate.

Link to it here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=bQWu6K2vXJyKE1aGHWr8_2fg_3d_3d

iDEA NATION is a social network designed to link believers together who have a passion for creating new innovative and creative strategies for ministry endeavor.  iDEA NATION, built on Ning, is the brainchild of Josh Webb and is designed to be a space where ministry ideas are shared, explored, collaborated on, etc.

iDEA NATION invites new concepts and ideas so whether your ministry projects are tested or have never been used before, all are welcome to contribute.  Obviously, you’ve got to join to participate.

The site looks good and it’s primary drawback, at this point, seems to be lack of content & membership.  It appears that around 90 people have signed up.  Likely, since it’s a new network, membership will grow and resources accumulate.

Whether you’re a seasoned ministry leader with innovative ideas to share or a novice looking for resources, you can check out iDEA NATION at: http://www.goideanation.org.

ROOV.com Stories from Trey Tucker on Vimeo.

Thanks to Kent Shaffer at Church Relevance we’re reminded about Roov.com.

Kent posted Roov.com:: A Christian Social Network for Causes and Common Interests that should give us all a taste of the value of connecting individuals in the evolving relationship economy.  Roov is simple to join (although you must wait while they check out your church before accepting you).

It’s a great opportunity to celebrate Church Relevance since it just won the best blog of the year award from Prodigal Son Magazine. 

Congratulations Kent – well deserved!

Finally have time to blog my great experience from the Dynamic Church Conference in Dallas recently.  I loved meeting all the Fellowship Technologies staff and was impressed by their mission and strategy to serve churches.  A couple of highlights include hearing the breakout sessions by Terry Storch, Digerati Pastor at LifeChurch.tv and Joe Suh, founder of MyChurch.org. 

Terry spoke on the future of LifeChurch's bleeding edge ministry to the next generation amongst other things which I could hardly wrap my head around. He breezed through pioneer works like internet campuses, metaverse church, YouVersion and OnePrayer and then got into his real passion "what if…"  Absolute inspiration to those of us who envision tomorrow's Church.

And Joe Suh gave an excellent overview of all things social media related.  It was particularly helpful to see the evolution of social media sites and view how rapidly they are establishing new expressions of community.

What a privilege it was for me to speak alongside these experts.  You can get some of our material as PDF downloads at the Dynamic Church Conference site.

And lastly, we got to hear a closing session by Randy Draper whose resources can be found at HeartSpring Media.  Randy is a member of Ed Young's Fellowship Church and is both an excellent story-teller and a passionate communicator.  

Following my time with Fellowship, I got to visit my friends at Bent Tree Bible Fellowship.  But that's another post.