technology | More Than Dodgeball

Josh GriffinMore Posts GUEST POST: Teaching the Spiritual Using the Digital

In the last decade, huge advances in technology have allowed us to do what previous generations never thought possible. We can use it to record our favorite shows commercial-free, send video instantly to the other side of the world, or to heat and cool our homes more efficiently. One school district in my area has even used technology to replace textbooks in classrooms. That’s right. No textbooks, anywhere. Every student has a touchscreen netbook, equipped with open source software and curriculum. This departure from traditionalmethods has other districts and churches in my area watching very closely. I believe that in our ministries, we can intentionally use this available technology to teach the unchanging message of the Gospel.

In student ministry, you can use technology to help busy students stayconnected. Often times, students miss Bible study due to work, sports, and even other ministry obligations in the church. You can use Facebook chat throughout the week, Skype, the ministry website, and other Social Media to keep students informed. I work with a busy student who uses the resources on the youth website and social media to have spiritual conversations with friends, applying what is being taught in youth group. It is truly a blessing to have an instant connection to provide help finding scripture about a certain topic or to simply pray for the situation.

So, how do you begin to implement this new learning style in teaching spiritual matters? How do you teach students to transition technology into spiritual tools? I am learning as I go, but here are some key principles to help bridge the gap from the digital to the spiritual:

1. Use tools that are cross-platform. A great example of a cross-platform tool is The Bible App from YouVersion . YouVersion is available on a wide variety of devices from desktop computers to Java-enabled “Dumbphones”. You have access to over 300 translations in 150 languages . The Bible App also has the ability to share and sync notes, bookmarks, and highlighted passages between multiple devices. This feature is one of my favorites. You can also post Bible verses and notes to your Facebook and Twitter feeds from within the Bible App.

We also use Youversion’s Live Event platform to distribute notes and resources. Whether it is a student or parent choice, today’s teenager is incredibly overcommitted and for many, church becomes “a casualty of the calendar”. There are so many sports, clubs, and other activities that take students’ time and attention away from spiritual
growth, so ministries must be intentional about keeping students connected. The Live Event Platform is convenient because it is built into the Bible App that many of them already use. They can also go online with a computer to get the notes and keep in touch with what is happening. In today’s youth ministries, being able to get information to students who miss Bible study is very important. It’s a way you canshow that you care about their spiritual growth, regardless of whether they are able to be at church or not.

Another tool I use is our youth ministry website . It is specifically designed for use with smartphones, desktops, and tablets/iPads. The site is also designed to be a resource in connecting with the church ministry and with other available resources. Our website includes a calendar of events and Bible studies, as well as integrating Social Media. Students can also use the site to sign up for text information alerts that we send using SYM Tools . On the resource page, we provide ways for students and parents to find out more about the current and upcoming curriculum and events. There are also links to blogs, game and idea sites, and tools that can be utilized by our church and other
ministries. Staff and students also use the site as a vehicle for sharing the Gospel with a Gospel presentation video produced in-house called “the Plan” . Links to this page have been distributed by Social Media, attached to Frisbees and water bottles, and included in candy bags handed out at local events.

2. Set clear expectations. Most of the time that I have been in youth ministry, I have expected students to keep cell phones unseen and unheard. Going from a strict “no cell policy” to embracing the use of technology in the youth room has been a change I never expected. Teenagers, like cattle, need good fences; therefore, setting expectations may be the most important principle when implementing technology into your youth group.

The device and Internet should never distract you or your neighbor from Bible study. The Bible says:

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. -Matthew 22:36-39 ESV

In our youth group, I set the expectation that the device is a tool to help the students gain a better understanding of the text of God’s Word. We use the technology to funnel spiritual material into their heads and hearts. I require silent ringers and notifications, no taking calls during Bible study, and no checking Facebook, etc.

3. Bring your own device. In the business world, Information Technology Administrators shudder when you mention BYOD. It can be challenging to support multiple devices in one network environment.

However, in a ministry setting, I encourage it. We have several students that bring their own iPod touch or smartphone. They use a Bible app and connect to Wi-Fi as needed. Truth be told, this is an area where my pre-youth ministry employment comes in handy. I have an IT background, so I don’t mind helping configure their devices. It
also gives me more opportunity for one-on-one interaction with each student. I am a firm believer that God never places you in a situation or job that you are not going to use later (except maybe advanced calculus).

4. Make the technology accessible. It is important to provide “hands on” opportunities for students to use technology to help enhance their Biblical literacy and spiritual growth. There is such a vast amount of Biblical resources at their fingertips. Not everyone has access to printed volumes of scripture commentary, but they are now available online, often for free.

Our church actually purchased a few Android tablets a couple of years ago. We have taken a “one device per table” approach. We have four students per table in our youth room so they can work together for research and discussion. They can pass their device once or twice and everyone can see what is on-screen.

As a ministry, you have to find what works for you and your students. For some, there may be budget limitations. You do not always have to buy new equipment. Some universities have technology auctions, where you can find some great deals. Years ago, buying new was the only way to get a warranty. Some refurbished equipment now includes a short warranty. There are also companies such as SquareTrade that offer a warranty on used equipment for a small fee.

Your church may even be in an area without reliable Internet. One option could be a Mobile Hotspot that converts a cellular signal to a Wi-Fi connection. Costs and service plans can be tailored to your usage and budget needs. Another option might be a monthly meeting someplace with Wi-Fi, such as a local coffee shop, restaurant, or church member’s home.

5. Making sure you prepare. Where I serve, we had to increase the WiFi coverage by adding additional wireless routers. We also added an open-source Linux-based server that works as a web filter and firewall for our network. There are some great options out there that will help keep your network and students safe. Some are very expensive, while others are free/open-source. You will have to find what works for you.

Another important consideration is making sure that there are enough software licenses available for antivirus packages and office suites (if needed). Software and antivirus companies all vary in how many licenses are included in the purchase price, so know what you are buying. Both office suites and antivirus packages can also be obtained
online for free. In addition, make sure that the license covers ministry/office use and not just home/personal use.

I also recommend that you secure the devices while not in use. Keeping the devices under lock and key protects the church’s investment and deters temptation. You can lock them in the church office, buy a locked cabinet, or do like I did and enlist a woodworker in the church to build a cabinet. Our cabinet has holes for charging cables and for heat dissipation.

6. Don’t give whiplash. Although there are great benefits to using technology in ministry, it can become overwhelming if it is used in every youth meeting. If you make the decision to integrate technology, it is not a point of no return. The technology should be an enhancement of what you are already doing. You can still use Bibles,
paper notes, and other methods to reach students. Teaching using a variety of methods also helps engage students with different learning styles.

The Bottom Line
No matter how much you agree or disagree with its use, the implementation of technology is only going to increase. Whether it is employed for economic, vocational/technical preparation or personal use, technology continues to change the way our students learn and spend their time. As youth workers, we have to be willing and able to
utilize newly available tools for sharing the Gospel’s message and helping our students to grow and mature into the disciples that Christ desires for them to be.

Brent Lacy serves as Youth Pastor in rural Western Indiana. He has served in rural youth ministry for 13 years. His first book, “Everyday Youth Ministry: Rural Youth Ministry: Thrive Where You’re Planted” is now available from Group/Simply Youth Ministry and on the Amazon Kindle Store. You can check out his blog at http://ministryplace.net

Add Comment December 23, 2012

Josh GriffinMore Posts Infographic: We Love Our Phones

Courtesy of: Online Colleges

Add Comment November 28, 2012

Geoff StewartMore Posts Pushing Paper: Revisited

More than a year ago, I wrote a post called Pushing Paper where I laid out a case for encouraging students to bring a “real” paper Bible and to not rely on using one the many great App based Bibles for their phones. I felt my case of bulletproof, signed sealed delivered and the jury would be unanimous. Of course it was not that easy and lots of people had some well thought out arugments for and against the case that I laid out for using paper Bibles over electronic:

Status: I may seem obvious but in most cases, a student’s cell phone is the most expensive thing they own, its their treasure and something they have worked very hard for. I respect how important the phone is to them but I ask them to respect or request to put it away in place of a paper Bible. We do allow phones and have had students text in questions, but for the most part, we ask that they be present and resist outside distractions, allowing them to focus on God.

Less Distractions: I don’t often find students thumbing through Leviticus instead of listening to my Sermons but I know that there are tons of distractions on iPods and cell phones and if I were honest, I would be working my way through Angry Birds some nights. Limiting distractions is helpful to keeping students focused, and help to not be a distraction to those around them. After all paper Bible ddoesn’t get texts, tweets, instagrams, tumblr, facebook or any other sort of digital distraction and the battery never seems to die on my NIV either.

Bibles are Cumbersome: This is a good thing! I love seeing a student walk in with a Bible under their arm. They are distinct and beautiful, many decorated with stickers, duct tape and they are unmistakable. Carrying your bible around is a statement, it’s a stance, it shows that it is something you value and that you are willing to tote around this obvious symbol of that.

So I am bringing the issue back for your consideration because a few weeks back, I messaged our leaders and asked them to please bring their paper Bibles to youth group and refrain from using their phones. For most of the team, it was business as usual and they understood the rationale and were more than happy to not use their phone Bible App. But one my leaders; who often asks good questions, asked me if I was simply delaying the inevitable and that paper Bibles were a thing of the past and why not just accept it.

So my question is: Is my paper Bible going the way of the Commodore 64 / Blackberry? Am I just being a thirty-year-old fuddy-duddy? Is this a hill worth dying on?

geoff -@geoffcstewart

6 View Comments November 28, 2012

Josh GriffinMore Posts GUEST POST: How to Fight Teen Tech Addiction

Whether you are a youth pastor, parent, teacher, or random person in the mall, you know that teenagers (along with several other age ranges) are addicted to technology in some form or another. It does not help that this is the most plugged in generation with iPhones, iPads, laptops, televisions, Xbox 360, and every other digital screen that you can imagine.

This has caused many people to worry. The death toll for people texting while driving in the last five years is over 16,000 people, families have transformed from Friday nights together to everyone in their own room in the basking glow of their digital device, and many teenagers are showing symptoms of withdrawal from studies that have looked at fasting from technology.

The question is, how can we as a community fight back against tech addictions? We have a few ideas for you below.

Tech-Free Church Services
What would happen if we fully turned off all tech at church and youth groups for the one hour that we are sitting in the sanctuary? This is not limited to the phones of congregation members, but includes all of the monitors in the lobby promoting the Bible studies or iPad that are used to sign up for missions trips. Retreats that have limited or no phone use (do not read “no phones” as leadership should always have a way to be contacted) can make engaging with teenagers easier.

Maybe you ease into it and only do one Sunday a month and see the success of it. It may not seem like a long time, but soon you begin to talk to church members that you sit beside. Youth pastors now can preach and know that there is one less distraction in the room. Small group leaders know that they have their group’s undivided attention. Relationships flourish and you begin to forget about that tech.
A Tech-Only Room
So many families want to know how they can reunite their families back in their homes. Teenage boys are in their room playing Xbox, teen girls are in their rooms on the phone, dad’s in the living room watching television, and mom is on the laptop in the study working.

One experiment that has seen significant success is a tech only room. It contains the only television in the house, the only place you are allowed to get on computers, and the only place you are allowed on the phone. This can cause an inconvenience at first and does not guarantee that families will even converse fully, but it ensures that you get to see family members while they are home. At the same time, for families that have concern for pornography or too much video game playing, this is easily monitored simply by proximity.
Talk About Rules Before You Have To Enforce Them
Setting up a culture within a church or school system or implementing rules at home that are established before any issues come up have shown to reduce the risk of anything happening before they should. Let your teenagers know what will happen if they text while driving, install the proper monitoring applications, and consistently check up on them. Let them know that if they break rules on computer and gaming usage or do something that is inappropriate, that they will punished a certain way.

We are not looking to “punish them with the rules” but instead to protect them from the dangers that tech brings. Know why you are putting rules into place and explain it to teenagers or others so that everyone is on the same page. If there is strong pushback, at least listen to what they have to say, regardless if you plan to take their advice. This will show respect for them and may even give you a better opportunity to speak into your teens’ lives.

When these rules are established, follow them yourself. Teens have the easy excuse right now of texting while driving because adults do it too. Be a good role model and if need be, enact the punishment upon yourself if you break it. At the same time, a reward for following the rules has shown to promote further positive-viewed behavior.

How have you seen a tech-free environment have a positive outcome?

Jeremy Smith is a youth worker at the Air Force Academy chapel, working for Club Beyond, and attending Denver Seminary for his Masters of Arts in Counseling Ministries. He has been involved in Youth for Christ for eight years — check out his blog at Seventy8Productions.

Add Comment November 20, 2012

Josh GriffinMore Posts GUEST POST: Parents, Kids and Technology

Parenting in this new millennium in the first world culture may be the most different than any other generation that has ever been before. We are in a world of being always on, teens having access to more sinful content than ever, and a culture that says it should be all about you instead of all about your children and family. At the same time, God seems to be less of a focus within the family system than ever before.

Maybe the most frequent questions I have heard as a youth worker from parents at the chapel I serve in is how parents approach technology with their children. This is a whole new world with little to no precedent established from previous parenting models. This unknown territory has initiated fear, concern and doubt in the value added to technology with their children as well as a perceived loss of family communication and values being passed on.

We want to share with you a few tips for parents to have with technology and their children. Take it if it adds value or share with us how you have done it differently down in the comments.

Parents Should Look Through Cell Phones
As a youth worker, I am in the unique position between teenagers want privacy in their lives and parents wanting to protect their children. As a youth worker, we want to support great parenting and yet find ourselves also being empathetic to the teens. Yet, I constantly find myself voicing the support of a parent to have the right and authority to look through their child’s phone. If you set up an understanding with the child before you begin and explain that this is a right to have a phone with the agreement that will be monitored, it becomes less of an invasion of privacy and more about the fact that they are reminded that their phone is a privilege.
Pornography Is An Issue For ALL Students
Parents here me say this and think, sure for all other children it is a problem, but not theirs. Many statistics differ. “But my would never do that!” Some studies say that 100% of children are exposed to pornography if they use the computer more than three hours a week. That would include your child. “But my daughter wouldn’t see have an issue with it.” Unfortunately, the issue of women regularly looking at pornography is sharply rising as is an addiction to it for females. Have this talk, put necessary software on your computer, and do not assume ANYTHING.
Do Not Be Afraid of Technology
Technology can be a scary thing. The two points above are hard conversations and points of sin for many different people, but the nature of technology can be a good thing. To shove off all things technology would also be a negative approach. Instead, know that technology is a tool and if you keep that priority and do not allow it to rule over you, it can help your family. Make fun family videos to post on YouTube, find your favorite time with family to watch a television show, and communicate via text messages, just do so with moderation.
Communicate Intent With Actions
If I could communicate any one thing to parents, it would the fact that they need to communicate their intent with their children more. Sure, not every decision you do with them needs to have a briefing of why you decided what you did, but at the same time, so many arguments and battles that happen could simply be prevented if you had just communicated the love, time, and fear that goes into why you put the different rules down that you did. Will you have to repeat them because teenagers forget? Yes. Does communicating prevent all arguments with children? No. But some of my own parenting models came from when my parent explained why I was limited on television use or needed to call instead of text them.

What other parenting tips on technology would you add to this list?

Jeremy Smith is a youth worker at the Air Force Academy chapel, working for Club Beyond, and attending Denver Seminary for his Masters of Arts in Counseling Ministries. He has been involved in Youth for Christ for eight years — check out his blog at Seventy8Productions.

2 View Comments November 10, 2012

Josh GriffinMore Posts 5 Things I Like: Man-Love For My Tech Faves

I wrote a colum for the current issue of Group Magazine – if you don’t subscribe to the #1 youth ministry magazine yet you can subscribe by following this link. It is a feature on technology we’re using in our youth ministry. Might be a good takeaway for yours, too!

There’s a little bit of the geek in all of us–we all love things that make our lives and our ministries more effective and more efficient. So here are my top five “crushes” in the world of youth ministry technology:

#1 Poll Everywhere–Ever wished you could get instant feedback during a talk? Or ever wanted a cutting-edge way to fuel great interactions during youth group? Poll Everywhere is a tool that works from the Web or in PowerPoint–it displays poll results in real-time on your screen. Teenagers vote by text-message and the results appear on screen literally seconds later. It adds a whole new layer of interaction in your youth group–it’s brilliant and accessible technology. I wish they had an affiliate program, I send hundreds of people every day there from my blog–just go to polleverywhere.com.

#2 Duffled–Our ministry relies on text-messaging as our only dependable way of communicating with teenagers. On top of that we send out about a jillion text messages a month–and that’s where Duffled comes in. You can send and receive texts, make announcements, subscribe and unsubscribe from your phone, and operate using keywords. It has an easy Web interface and ties into your Twitter and Facebook accounts. It’s not cheap, since you pay by the message, but well worth the cost–go to duffled.com. One other excellent (and more affordable) option, by the way, is SimplyText from our pals at Simply Youth Ministry (go to simplyyouthministry.com/txt to check it out).

#3 LIVE Curriculum–This one may seem like a shameless plug since it was created by Group and Simply Youth Ministry–but it honestly isn’t. The only youth ministry curriculum we use is the Web-based LIVE curriculum because it’s simple and solid. And it’s pretty cheap once you get over the first year’s initiation cost. Go to simplyyouthministry.com.

#4 HighRiseHQ–HighriseHQ is a productivity tool created by the gang over at 37Signals–we use it to manage our volunteer leaders. Think of it as a place in the cloud where information about all of your contacts is stored. Depending on the size of your group it could even be a tool that manages everyone in your ministry world. Go to highrisehq.com. One note: Simply Youth Ministry just launched its Tools resource that includes a leader-management component that’s killer–we’re looking at it right now as a possible replacement for HighRiseHQ.

#5 Church Teams–This inexpensive tool helps us check in with small-group leaders. Every week the system sends out a message to each of the leaders asking them to report in their attendance, prayer requests, and other pertinent information we might need from them. It gives us a chance to spot trends in groups, troubleshoot problems, pray more effectively, and keep the communication lines wide open. Go to churchteams.com.

JG

4 View Comments June 17, 2011

Josh GriffinMore Posts POLL: Youth Group Worship Software

Got what I think is a good poll for you – what presentation software do you use in your youth group?

JG

5 View Comments October 14, 2010

Josh GriffinMore Posts Trinity Series Bumper Video

Simple series video we made for the Trinity series. Made with Motion 4 on the Mac (part of Final Cut Studio, not sure if you can buy it separately). If you want to make your own motions, might be a good piece of software to pick up!

JG