iPod locations
We're a multi-site church--one church with multiple locations. We meet in the the movie theaters @ Union Station and the movie theaters @ Ballston Common Mall. We'll add a third location in January @ our coffeehouse on Capitol Hill. We're targeting fall of 2006 for another theater location in NW Washington, DC. And our vision is to meet in movie theaters @ metro stops throughout the DC area.
But I had a thought yesterday. Everyone who owns an iPod and subscribes to our podcast is a multi-site location.
Then I was reading Shawn Wood's blog last night. Shawn is the creative pastor at Seacoast Church in South Carolina. He cites a WSJ article that quotes new Disney CEO, Robert Iger. Iger was talking about the way Disney is reinventing itself by rethinking how they distribute their message. Iger said, "If we sit back and rely on old technology, the consumer is going to pass us by."
The church needs to take that to heart. I have a simple rule of thumb: if it's worth preaching it's worth podcasting. The church needs to redeem technology and utilize new distribution channels.
What happens when Apple comes out with a video version of the iPod?
Why not vidcast messages?
Here's the bottom line: I'm rethinking multi-site! Instead of a handful of locations in physical buildings, why not hundreds of thousands of podcast or vidcast subscribers carrying iPod nanos.
Thinking out loud.
But I had a thought yesterday. Everyone who owns an iPod and subscribes to our podcast is a multi-site location.
Then I was reading Shawn Wood's blog last night. Shawn is the creative pastor at Seacoast Church in South Carolina. He cites a WSJ article that quotes new Disney CEO, Robert Iger. Iger was talking about the way Disney is reinventing itself by rethinking how they distribute their message. Iger said, "If we sit back and rely on old technology, the consumer is going to pass us by."
The church needs to take that to heart. I have a simple rule of thumb: if it's worth preaching it's worth podcasting. The church needs to redeem technology and utilize new distribution channels.
What happens when Apple comes out with a video version of the iPod?
Why not vidcast messages?
Here's the bottom line: I'm rethinking multi-site! Instead of a handful of locations in physical buildings, why not hundreds of thousands of podcast or vidcast subscribers carrying iPod nanos.
Thinking out loud.
18 Comments:
Our worship leader wrote a great post, based on Columbus Day, that fits that type of outside the box thinking. Too many churches still think "the world is flat!"
http://springschurch2.blogspot.com/
That reminded me of a short post of mine from back in April of this year:
http://johnnyleckie.blogspot.com/2005/04/pspcasting-and-now-for-bleeding-edge.html
Hey Mark, I follow your posts pretty regularly, as a 'fellow planter/pastor, and love the way you push the envelope. Planning on coming up there soon w/another planter/pastor....as soon as DC begins to warm! :-) I am sure you are thinking thru this, but my concerns are deep on what I potentially see coming, that being the death of 'one another' community, contributing to the community of faith. Help me link how this would/could happen with what seems inevitable with the digital revolution. The tidal wave is here, we want to ride it, but, how to not just foster more individualism/pure consumer mindset....thinking with you....
BL www.bobbylepinay.com
PB- As the Pastor of Discipleship at NCC, I absolutely have similar concerns. I am talking with a potential leader right now about the possibility of starting some "on-line" small groups for our podcast listeners and evotional readers. Not sure exactly how I feel about that because I believe so much in the power of community. But I know it's something we have to start thinking about. Would love to continue thinking about this along with you!
Vidcasting will happen. In fact, it is already happening and will explode when the handheld video players peak. We all need to be on that bandwagon.
http://www.pimpmychurch.com/2005/10/03/what-is-the-future-of-church-blogging/
Here'sanother question: Being a member of this generation, I know that we 20 somethings can be lazy and would love to use technology as a way of supplanting the Biblical mandate that we not "forsake the assembly of believers." How do you ensure that something like vid casting does not supplant the experience of fellowship and of being in the presence of the Holy Spirit that comes when people are physically present and in agreement with each other?
I am so glad we are wrestling with these issues of the role of technology and the role of community and how the face of community might change over the next decades. As we make decisions about discipleship and how we utilize technology to do that, I would love to hear from anyone-- NCCers, those who are thinking about it, those who already have it figured out :)-- that might have some thoughts.
Heather,
I don't know if you guys have ever heard of
a site like www.MeetUp.com,
but they're a social networking site with the goal of helping
people to meet face to face.
Just thinking out loud, but...
You could create a site like this for NCC, so that podcast
listeners and evotional readers in different areas could
meet up and start small groups.
Just a thought!
Scott- I love you man! (in that macho sort of way of course)
I definitely have followed MeetUp for my job from the political perspective of candidates getting people together for their campaign, but this is an interesting concept for mixing online and offline community.
Nathan,
I'm here for you man!
If you guys perfect this and it becomes HUGE and copied everywhere I just
want credit by having you guys calling them "Scott Groups"
and the site ScottGroups.com. :)
That's all I ask!
As a former NCC-er, who is no longer in the area to attend church, I have to say that the one thing I have missed being away from NCC is the Sunday service -- seeing other believers, hearing the word, but mostly -- worshipping together. Being out here in SoCal on the 'church search' circuit, it is hard to find a church that has the presence of God dwelling there -- to the point that when you walk in the door, you know that you are among family, without having to speak to anyone at all. I've had that experience before, and I recently experienced it on my own 'church search' here...just wanted to point out that even though technology is making it possible for me to avoid joining communities out here and just lean on NCC further (from 3000 miles away no less), I am longing beyond words for true fellowship (not the food kind, but the deep kind). I can't think of a way to digitally replace that.
Another thought -- praying over email was something I did back in the late 90's, and in an e-community, I'm guessing that would catch on. It's nice, b/c you have a written record of the prayer, but it is lacking the personal-ness of being prayed for in person. I think we just need to pray that those who became involved online or through podcasting would deeply desire physical community with other believers...even regularly encouraged (maybe through a semester system)?
~SW
Scott- love the idea of using MeetUp or something similar to start podcasting small groups. And don't worry-- we will definitely give you credit. Maybe we go beyond just "Scott groups" and have "Scottcastst" instead of podcasts!
I like it! Can I have that name proposal written up for my lawyer
to look over? :)
No bad ideas. Great creative thoughts!
I don't want anyone to freak out... but imagine what this could do for the church of the future should Christianity become a major problem in our society... looked down on... driven underground... End times stuff....
What an amazing way to keep spreading the gospel!
Wow. I didn't have internet access all day today :) Came back to some great comments.
One thought.
I'm a both/and thinker. I think we need to be "high tech" and "high touch." One without the other isn't good enough.
It's like grace without truth or truth without grace.
Both/and.
I think that Podcasting and Vidcasting (simply hitting play on what was just recorded) is only half way there. Instead of just replaying what's been talked about - why not take the time to edit the content into action items?
Thinking through this, what would happen if the podcast/vidcast were tied back into a discussion and/or teaching Blog. Sort of "choose your own adventure" options for working out what's been taught. This leads to devotionals, study groups, online real-time chat sessions...etc.
So in essence, you are accomplishing several things at once:
1) Re-purposing the content for people who can't/didn't hear it in person;
2) Placing a tool in the hands of those who were in person who need a way to flesh out what they heard and experienced during the message on the weekend:
3) Expanding the community-building aspect of the message through technology.
Like Mark said, it's not either/or but and/both. I think that most 'sermons on demand' are good as archival material. But to give practical, click-here-to-take-action takes the podcast/vidcast to another level.
Just thinking out loud...
Keep thinking out loud Anthony :)
Mark
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