Create your own ‘social network’ for your church members, ministry, or youth group. Here’s a free service that gets it done:  Grou.ps  Or for a small fee, Ning is always a good option.

Why have your own network and not use Facebook or MySpace –after all lot’s of folks are already on those networks? It is a matter of connecting to your own group in a special way that doesn’t include a whole lot of other stuff that divert attention away from the church or group members getting to know one another better and actually sharing with one another. Also you can feature church or group activities and keep everyone informed on stuff that coming up soon.

Here’s one minister’s networking experience:

“It’s been really great getting people to create profiles, share their testimonies and post photos of church events.   We also use it to mass communicate with our members.   Many members have created their own small groups and have organized some really cool things on the network.  Most churches try to identify small group needs and invent small groups.  This social network is a great place for them to happen organically.  It definitely has been a tool to help people come together and get to know one another.”

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Found this on PART OF THE GLUE blog—some good suggestions:

“7 ways your youth ministry can use twitter effectively” :

1. Information, Information, Information….Use it as a free communication tool that can inform parents, leaders and students of upcoming information.

<<Read the Rest>>

 

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The ‘money’ quote from the article:

“So why do Youth Ministers need to be online?

The answer is simple – because that’s where your students spend a lot of their time.  The Internet is a mission field in and of itself.  You have an opportunity to connect with students in a whole new way.”

There is also a great video:

(-Play time 2:42)            *Top

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According to a MinistryToday article:

“On Feb. 1 youth groups around the world will be going on a two-week missions trip—from the comfort of their homes.”

A new ministry called ‘Online Missions Trip’ is encouraging young people to evangelize via social networking Web sites like Facebook, MySpace, and World of Warcraft. Tim Schmoyer, pastor of student ministries at Evangelical Covenant Church of Alexandria in Alexandria, Minn. talks about the new online missions ministry for youth:

“Missions doesn’t have to be limited to a summer trip where you raise lots of money and go somewhere for two weeks and then come home, Missions is an everyday thing, and with the power of the Internet it’s never been as easy as it is today to go across the world and talk to someone for free.”

“I want these kids to grow up being comfortable having those spiritual conversations with their friends … not just expecting that it’s the church’s job.”

The students who signed up for the online missions will be learning techniques for sharing Christ with their friends from the ministry’s Web site evangelism-training material for youth.  Also, there are books and videos available to teach the students how to witness to folks from various religious backgrounds. The Web site also provides a discipleship process for the students who accept Christ through the outreach.

Tim Schmoyer said that he is hoping that the missions trip will not end on Feb. 14, but that it will inspire youth to make evangelism part of their everyday lives:

“Hopefully their mindsets will start to shift, that they would develop lifestyles that are sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading as they engage with unbelievers throughout the rest of their lives.”

This really could be a natural extension for youth ministry, most young people are already on the Internet participating in social networking sites.  Internet evangelism could easily become part of every churches youth ministry program.            *Top

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MySpace has become a cultural phenomenon among teens in America and among the twenty something. Jeremy Del Rio makes a plea in this article to reach out and minister to young people on MySpace. He says:

“Perhaps what we must do first is try to understand them by inhabiting their space and truly listen to them. Then we can move on to praying for them, forgiving them, restoring them, guiding them and loving them.”

A great post for Youth Ministers and Pastors to read and consider.             *Top

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