Not a Camouflaged Soul

Category: Social Media

Orange Pre-Conference with Human3rror
One of the pre-conference sessions I attended at the Orange Conference 2010 was entitled “Developing a Social Media Strategy.” It was presented by John Saddington, known in the Twitter/Blog world as Human3rror. Click here for his extensive bio.

This is not by any means a comprehensive rehashing of every point that was made in the talk. The following notes are the points I took away from the session…
- Technology should be subordinate to ministry.
- Technology needs to be innovative, but not at the expense of the context or historicity of the church.
- A TOOL is not a STRATEGY. Facebook is not a strategy: it is a tool.
- The church leverages tools that are secular. Strategy must be tool-independent, or “tool-agnostic.” If Facebook/Twitter/other goes away tomorrow, will the overall strategy still exist?
- P.O.S.T. strategy: People – Objectives – Steps – Technology
- Make one person accountable. Do not appoint a committee to a tool.
- Determine the target customer. Who will use the forum?
- Use a sniper approach instead of a shotgun.
- Develop metrics for success. What defines an accomplishment?
- Do due diligence with technology. Research appropriate tools.
- Finally, whatever you decide to do… DO IT. Execute.
As contact with those we serve becomes more and more important in a disconnected world, it’s essential to develop organized methods to use technology to impart information in our churches. I really gained a good grasp of what our church needs to do next, and am in the process of implementing what I’ve learned. Thanks, John.
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May 7, 2010
My Orange Conference Tweets
Yesterday, our group from my church returned from the Orange Conference 2010 in Atlanta, GA. I intend to write quite a few times in the near future about my observations and musings, but I thought I would start light.

The following is the entirety of my Tweet stream for the conference, with the exception of my @ replies and a couple of double posts. Also, for those who might be inclined to follow my wife, her handle is now @jamywellman. Enjoy…

We’re off. #Orange10

8:38 AM Apr 27th via Tweetie

Coffee machine at the rest stop. Score! #Orange10

10:08 AM Apr 27th via Tweetie

Quote of the Day (thus far): “Are you going (to lunch) with your husband, or your friends?” #Orange10

12:46 PM Apr 27th via Tweetie

We’re almost there. #orange10

7:02 PM Apr 27th via Tweetie

Just saw the Gwinnett Center. According to the sign, Justin Bieber is coming soon. Unfortunately, we’ll miss that show. #orange10

7:12 PM Apr 27th via Tweetie

Our crew. #orange10 http://twitpic.com/1iypo3

7:17 PM Apr 27th via Tweetie

Stooges on the screen. Billy Idol playing. Huh? #orange10

7:23 PM Apr 27th via Tweetie

I will not b the only guy here with a man bag. They are mandatory. #orange10 http://twitpic.com/1iyuoj

7:38 PM Apr 27th via Tweetie

We’re here from STL. Where do we stop to eat? BBQ. Naturally. 🙂 #orange10

8:10 PM Apr 27th via Tweetie

In our room. Three guys, three laptops. Yup. We’re wild. #orange10

10:51 PM Apr 27th via TweetDeck

Great trip thus far. Missing @jrwellman and the kids terribly. Looking forward to tomorrow. #orange10

11:09 PM Apr 27th via TweetDeck

#Orange10 today….! Check out http:theorangeconference.com. 😉 /via @human3rror #fb

8:42 AM Apr 28th via Tweetie

Worry is merely us saying to God, “I don’t believe what the Bible says about You!” /via @perrynoble #fb

8:47 AM Apr 28th via Tweetie

Run dun – got to run with a couple of the guys from our group. Rolling out for preconference sessions at #Orange10. #fb

8:50 AM Apr 28th via Tweetie

Beautiful word.~~> I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. http://esv.to/Ps143.6 #fb

9:09 AM Apr 28th via API

So grateful for my salvation! Praying for presenters and attendees of #orange10. Let’s proclaim the name of Jesus together.

9:20 AM Apr 28th via Tweetie

Where da coffee at? #orange10

9:44 AM Apr 28th via Tweetie

“…Learn the unforced rhythms of grace…” http://read.ly/Matt11.29.MSG #orange10 #fb

10:28 AM Apr 28th via web

“Not living in the truth is not going to release freedom for you.” @jeannemstevens #orange10

10:38 AM Apr 28th via Tweetie

Me too~~> Used to go to events & notice the few others using Macs. Now I notice the few using PCs. #macsnob #orange10 /via @KellyDolan

12:10 PM Apr 28th via Tweetie

It’s easy to hide behind a pulpit or computer screen. Real courage is revealed by one-on-one evangelism. /via @RickWarren #fb

12:19 PM Apr 28th via Tweetie

Preconference session 2 with @human3rror. #Orange10

12:45 PM Apr 28th via Tweetie

Social media + Hootie & the Blowfish next door = odd. @human3rror #orange10

1:17 PM Apr 28th via Tweetie

Getting some good ideas. #orange10

2:30 PM Apr 28th via Tweetie

Christian dining today. Lunch at Chickfila, dinner at Cracker Barrel. #orange10

4:59 PM Apr 28th via Tweetie

Almost time to start. #Orange10 http://twitpic.com/1j7c82

7:06 PM Apr 28th via Tweetie

They just brought out a number of fire extinguishers on the stage. Hmm… #orange10

7:24 PM Apr 28th via Tweetie

There are ways of doing church that no one has thought about yet. – @MarkBatterson #orange10 /via @OrangeLeaders #fb

8:55 PM Apr 28th via Tweetie

Colliding with new people challenges your subconscious biases.- @MarkBatterson #orange10

8:59 PM Apr 28th via Tweetie

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed…” #Orange10 http://read.ly/Jas5.16.ESV

9:13 PM Apr 28th via web

No offense to the speakers, but that phone call from @jrwellman and my kids made my night! 🙂 #orange10

9:20 PM Apr 28th via Tweetie

Breakfast, some reading, then #Orange10 in a few. Coffee’s flowing!

7:31 AM Apr 29th via TweetDeck

Jelly Beans http://post.ly/dwj5 #Orange10

7:43 AM Apr 29th via TweetDeck

Checking the Mac area (NICE) before Session 2 starts in 13 minutes. #Orange10

8:47 AM Apr 29th via threadsy

The MacBook peer pressure is strong. @jrwellman, help!!! 🙂 #orange10

8:52 AM Apr 29th via Tweetie

“Nothing’s gonna change destiny.” Huh? #orange10

9:30 AM Apr 29th via Tweetie

“State of the Church and Family” with David Kinnaman. #orange10 http://twitpic.com/1jeeq4

11:43 AM Apr 29th via Tweetie

So. Many. Numbers. #orange10

12:50 PM Apr 29th via Tweetie

ATL/AT&T, your 3G is officially killin’ me. Killin’ me. #Orange10

12:51 PM Apr 29th via Tweetie

#ATL #AT&T #fail

4:35 PM Apr 29th via txt

Let God rule in your life.. Don’t edge Him out. EGO= (E)dging (G)od (O)ut /via @RevRunWisdom #Orange10

5:51 PM Apr 29th via Tweetie

Since I know I don’t know, I love knowing the one that does know. – Rev Run #orange10 /via @OrangeLeaders #fb

5:53 PM Apr 29th via Tweetie

Got a text from @jrwellman. Tony got a kid out in his first baseball game of the season!

7:56 PM Apr 29th via TweetDeck

Loading up for a late dinner in Chickfila. #Orange10

8:52 PM Apr 29th via TweetDeck

Scratch that. Walked next door for a cheesesteak instead. Chickfila’d out a bit.

9:14 PM Apr 29th via Tweetie

Up doing my 3B reading before hitting #Orange10 last day. #fb

6:32 AM Apr 30th via Tweetie

“God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was NOT POSSIBLE for him to be held by it.” http://esv.to/Acts2.24 #fb

6:41 AM Apr 30th via API

Hair is sufficiently #messyonpurpose. Let’s hit it. #orange10

7:25 AM Apr 30th via Tweetie

I thought @hershaelyork‘s Jonah tweets were so funny, I put them in 1 twitpic. #fb http://twitpic.com/1jm9gq

7:30 AM Apr 30th via Tweetie from Suwanee, GA

Had some interesting #orange10 related conversations this AM. Praying for wisdom.

8:07 AM Apr 30th via Tweetie from Suwanee, GA

Glowsticks. #orange10 #fb http://twitpic.com/1jmzbm

9:15 AM Apr 30th via Tweetie from Georgia, US

That was my favorite thing so far. “There’s Tabasco in my Coke.” #orange10

9:39 AM Apr 30th via Tweetie from Georgia, US

Up next, @perrynoble. #orange10

9:59 AM Apr 30th via Tweetie from Georgia, US

Just lost ALL of my notes when @evernote crashed. #fail #orange10 @perrynoble

10:45 AM Apr 30th via Tweetie from Georgia, US

Follow @perrynoble and check http://www.perrynoble.com for more. Podcasts from NewSpring Church PN Leadership on iTunes. #orange10

10:47 AM Apr 30th via Tweetie from Georgia, US

On My Knees http://post.ly/eEoL #Orange10

12:44 PM Apr 30th via Posterous

Got out of “Community Is Messy” with @heatherzempel. Almost time for last session. #orange10

4:05 PM Apr 30th via Birdhouse

Heading into the Gwinnett 3G Black Hole. Catch y’all on the flip. #orange10

4:09 PM Apr 30th via Tweetie from Georgia, US

What if life is not meaningless? What if just YOUR life is meaningless? -@donmilleris #orange10 /via @danscott77

5:17 PM Apr 30th via Tweetie from Georgia, US

“It isn’t necessary to win for the story to be great. It is only necessary to sacrifice.” @donmilleris #orange10

5:25 PM Apr 30th via txt

<Scratching head at music choice> #orange10

5:54 PM Apr 30th via txt

Picture of our group from FBC Fairview Heights, IL (@FBCFH) #orange10 #fb http://twitpic.com/1jr7oj

6:45 PM Apr 30th via Tweetie from Georgia, US

Signing off from #orange10. Taking a social media break until Sunday.

8:22 PM Apr 30th via Tweetie from Suwanee, GA

Breaking my Twitter respite to say this… my wife @jamywellman is AWESOME! Carry on… #fb

10:34 AM May 1st via Tweetie from Suwanee, GA
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May 2, 2010
Red Velvet Concrete
I tweeted this morning about something I saw on the way to work…

Sign on the custard shop on the way to @FBCFH: "RED VELVET CONCRETE." Yum. #fb

— Jon Wellman (@jonwellman) March 1, 2010

I was later told by a friend on Facebook that “red velvet concrete” is a DQ Blizzard-like dessert, and that the terminology is a local reference that could better be explained by a native to Southwest Illinois. I had never heard the terminology before, and I get it, but it still doesn’t sound very appetizing.

It made me think about the words we use in church. There are some things we say in church that are familiar to the unchurched, but there are other terms we use that, to the uninitiated, might tend to exclude rather than include.

Without including Biblical terminology (which we are called upon to teach to people), here are a few that I thought of…
- “Fellowship Dinner”
- “Alter Call”
- “Bulletin”
- “Sanctuary”
- “Prelude/Postlude” (thanks to Mark Warnock for that one)
- “Small Groups”
- “Praise and Worship”
I’m sure there are more, but, as a life-long church attender, I’ve just about heard them all.

The point is that we need to intentionally make our churches as welcoming, inviting, and non-mysterious as possible. Why go to the trouble of inviting people to our respective fellowships if they feel left out once they are there?

I’m not saying we need to drop every phrase that might seem obscure. We just need to be aware of what we are collectively prone to do: use jargon to identify within a group. It is easy to assume everyone that darkens our churches’ doorsteps has been to a church sometime, somewhere before. As we become an increasingly pagan society, we can’t afford to continue to make this assumption.

The Gospel is good news. It is vital. It is alive. It is life-changing. And it needs to be communicated with the understanding that Jesus showed the doubters and scofflaws that desperately needed the salvation faith in Him would provide.

It might take more time. It might take some patience. It might require stepping out of our comfort zone. And it may contribute to a sin-sick soul beginning a walk with Christ and avoiding eternity in hell.

What can we do, short of compromising Biblical doctrine, to encourage non-believers that attend our churches? What are some other non-Biblical terms we use that unbelievers may not understand?
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March 2, 2010