Comments on: Virtual Missions http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2007/05/14/virtual-missions/ Let's give the Commission back to the church. Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:47:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: The Fourth Option « the upstream collective blog http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2007/05/14/virtual-missions/comment-page-1/#comment-39364 The Fourth Option « the upstream collective blog Mon, 10 Oct 2011 21:11:48 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2007/05/14/virtual-missions/#comment-39364 [...] Virtual Mission trips. Churches are sending cybernauts with a purpose as missionaries to the virtual world. There are full-time internet missionary church planting teams operating among hundreds of internet-connected people groups around the world.They connect through social networking websites, and use tools like message boards, Skype, instant messenger, and Twitter to share the gospel. [...] [...] Virtual Mission trips. Churches are sending cybernauts with a purpose as missionaries to the virtual world. There are full-time internet missionary church planting teams operating among hundreds of internet-connected people groups around the world.They connect through social networking websites, and use tools like message boards, Skype, instant messenger, and Twitter to share the gospel. [...]

]]> By: Strider http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2007/05/14/virtual-missions/comment-page-1/#comment-879 Strider Wed, 23 May 2007 10:14:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2007/05/14/virtual-missions/#comment-879 No comments enabled on your Docker's post? But you asked a question? How can I attack you and liberal anti-establishment ideas if you don't enable comments? Did you know Jerry Rankin wears dockers sometimes? You don't respect him? <br/>But in my culture many wear suits. Do I have to wear a tie? I became an M so I didn't have to wear a tie. If I didn't know you better I might conculude that you think we should lay down our rights even to what we would like to wear in order to share the Gospel. Surely you don't mean it? No comments enabled on your Docker’s post? But you asked a question? How can I attack you and liberal anti-establishment ideas if you don’t enable comments? Did you know Jerry Rankin wears dockers sometimes? You don’t respect him?
But in my culture many wear suits. Do I have to wear a tie? I became an M so I didn’t have to wear a tie. If I didn’t know you better I might conculude that you think we should lay down our rights even to what we would like to wear in order to share the Gospel. Surely you don’t mean it?

]]> By: stepchild http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2007/05/14/virtual-missions/comment-page-1/#comment-878 stepchild Sat, 19 May 2007 10:33:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2007/05/14/virtual-missions/#comment-878 CCMS,<br/>Thanks for your comment, and thanks for reading!<br/><br/>Guy,<br/>I didn't realize email correspondence ministry was being used effectively by many of our people. Thanks for letting me know.<br/><br/>Strider,<br/>Thanks for your honesty. I admit that "virtual" relationships somehow don't seem as real as, um "real" ones, but I think that's changing. <br/><br/>When I was growing up, our church put us unto "accountability groups." These were usually small groups of an older, more mature person and a couple of younger folks. That's where I learned to lie about having read my Bibles and witnessed to five people each week. <br/><br/>People tend to participate in online relationships voluntarily (without a lot of peer-pressure, shame, expectations) and therefore often feel free be more honest than they would be in a face-to-face interaction. I do believe, however, that virtual relationships should supplement, not replace "real" interaction and fellowship. CCMS,
Thanks for your comment, and thanks for reading!

Guy,
I didn’t realize email correspondence ministry was being used effectively by many of our people. Thanks for letting me know.

Strider,
Thanks for your honesty. I admit that “virtual” relationships somehow don’t seem as real as, um “real” ones, but I think that’s changing.

When I was growing up, our church put us unto “accountability groups.” These were usually small groups of an older, more mature person and a couple of younger folks. That’s where I learned to lie about having read my Bibles and witnessed to five people each week.

People tend to participate in online relationships voluntarily (without a lot of peer-pressure, shame, expectations) and therefore often feel free be more honest than they would be in a face-to-face interaction. I do believe, however, that virtual relationships should supplement, not replace “real” interaction and fellowship.

]]> By: Strider http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2007/05/14/virtual-missions/comment-page-1/#comment-877 Strider Fri, 18 May 2007 06:49:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2007/05/14/virtual-missions/#comment-877 Truthfully my first reaction to this is pretty negative. I believe in real community and feel that the biggest challenge we face today is the lack of community that we experience in our society and societies world-wide. But when I think about many Asian cultures and how they have already created an online community in many respects maybe it is time for me to stop grumbing about it and start trying to engage it instead. Go for it Stepchild! Truthfully my first reaction to this is pretty negative. I believe in real community and feel that the biggest challenge we face today is the lack of community that we experience in our society and societies world-wide. But when I think about many Asian cultures and how they have already created an online community in many respects maybe it is time for me to stop grumbing about it and start trying to engage it instead. Go for it Stepchild!

]]> By: GuyMuse http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2007/05/14/virtual-missions/comment-page-1/#comment-876 GuyMuse Wed, 16 May 2007 02:10:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2007/05/14/virtual-missions/#comment-876 About six years ago we began something similar through the <a HREF="http://www.teleamigo.com" REL="nofollow">Teleamigo</a> ministry in Guayaquil. Over the years it has fluctuated between 1200-1500 weekly subscribers who react to the messages sent out and will write back. During its peak years several people were working to dialogue with all the people responding. A lot of email counseling was also done. To give you an idea of how much email is generated through this kind of thing, in 2005 alone (the last year I have documented records) there were 139,224 contacts made through this ministry. That's a lot of internet correspondence! <br/><br/>All the above to say, it is definitely something that is worth the effort and will reach people than you otherwise would never touch with the Gospel. Go for it! About six years ago we began something similar through the Teleamigo ministry in Guayaquil. Over the years it has fluctuated between 1200-1500 weekly subscribers who react to the messages sent out and will write back. During its peak years several people were working to dialogue with all the people responding. A lot of email counseling was also done. To give you an idea of how much email is generated through this kind of thing, in 2005 alone (the last year I have documented records) there were 139,224 contacts made through this ministry. That’s a lot of internet correspondence!

All the above to say, it is definitely something that is worth the effort and will reach people than you otherwise would never touch with the Gospel. Go for it!

]]> By: CCMS http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2007/05/14/virtual-missions/comment-page-1/#comment-874 CCMS Tue, 15 May 2007 17:11:00 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2007/05/14/virtual-missions/#comment-874 This ministry is underway already in at least one company that I know of.<br/>Although it seems to an, ahem, older person like myself more foreign than most "foreign" cultures, the idea inspires me to pray for my children and their friends to run with it. I love this blog! This ministry is underway already in at least one company that I know of.
Although it seems to an, ahem, older person like myself more foreign than most “foreign” cultures, the idea inspires me to pray for my children and their friends to run with it. I love this blog!

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