Social networking online

Micro-blogging using Twitter and Plurk

Twitter is a ‘microblog’ service: Twitter site [www.twitter.com] (detailed background). [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter] It allows you to send very short updates (140 characters) by SMS, instant messaging, or the Web, to the Twitter website, where they are viewable by others who have signed up to Twitter and chosen to listen to your ‘tweets’. It is pften a ‘stream of consciousness’ personal commentary, far briefer than a normal blog. For some, the idea of getting yet more electronic messages may sound like a nightmare. For others, the chance to share frequent thoughts is a blessing. A Japanese [http://blog.twitter.com/2008/04/twitter-for-japan.html] version has just been launched, and is extremely popular for the same reasons that Japanese love blogging.

You can search for Twitter users on Twellow. [www.twellow.com/]

Plurk [www.plurk.com] is a broadly similar system also gaining in popularity. (Comparison) [http://chris24.ca/web/plurk-twitter]

For news and information about Twitter, follow the Twitter Blog [http://blog.twitter.com] which will give insight into the growing potential of Twitter, and ideas for Twitter ministry you had never thought of.

Normally, it will be only friends or people with a common interest who will have the interest to share tweets, Twitter is also ideally suited to passing on real-time prayer requests to a prayer support group, via SMS messages, or breaking news and other current information. It is therefore primarily another means of social networking and blogging. A similar purely Christian service is offered by GospelR. [http://gospelr.com]

Increasingly, people are finding new ways [www.nten.org/blog/2008/07/21/twitter-not-just-chatter-but-a-channel-for-your-cause] to use this tool.

Add-ons for Twitter

There are a growing range of add-ons that make Twitter very usuable:

• LiveTwitting [www.livetwitting.com] enables you to more easily send a series of messages from, for example, a live conference.
• Twirl [www.twhirl.org] sits on your desktop and allows you to read, post and reply to Twitter entries without having to visit the Twitter Web site.
• Twitterfeed [/www.twitterfeed.com] will automatically post new entries to an RSS feed or your choice.
• Tweetscan [http://tweetscan.com/alerts.php] – save your searches as RSS feeds and get alerts whenever a new tweet that matches your search criteria is posted. Twitpic [http://twitpic.com] lets you share your photos on Twitter.
• See other tools [http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/hiner/?p=770] you can use.

See discussion on the potential of Twitter from Christians: The Digital Sanctuary [http://thedigitalsanctuary.org/how-micro-blogging-will-win-converts] | Leadership Network. [http://digital.leadnet.org/2008/04/how-to-use-twit.html] | Michael Hyatt. [www.michaelhyatt.com/fromwhereisit/2008/05/12-reasons-to-s.html] Watch the video explaining more about Twitter:

Possible uses in ministry

Apart from using it to network with friends and colleagues, there may be fruitful ways to use it more interactively in ministry. It seems unlikely to develop as a directly evangelistic tool, but rather one that builds and maintains existing relationships. Here are some possible directions to consider. Please tell us of any ways you find Twitter useful in ministry or evangelism.

• In local TV [http://www.nashvilleistalking.com/node/72859] – using it to receive questions from viewers.
• Sharing ongoing reaction to a shared event with friends: for example, a group of friends could arrange to Twitter their thoughts during a TV film or show. A group of students watching, say, a set film relating to their course could also interact in real time. This could be an opportunity to share any spiritual parallels they notice.
• It also works when people are in the same geographic locaion. For instance, attendees at a large seminar or meeting can twitter their questions to the speaker, which has the advantage that other participants can view the questions (unlike when attendees send questions by text message or email).
• For instant response help from friends, Twitter is useful. As well as urgent prayer requests, here is an example from a Christian geography teacher:

  “The best tweet I sent ever was about six months ago I had to teach a geography cover lesson and twitter-requested some pointers to water cycle animations on the internet, just a couple of before the lesson. I got two responses before it started and the best most helpful actually during the lesson!

  Who to follow, and who to block (if they follow you)... I adopted a range of strategies as I worked out how the network worked. Early on I ‘followed’ people who followed people were evidently leaders. Now I tend to be interested if the other tweep is either a teacher or involved in Christian ministry, but like real life there are exceptions.”