Thursday, November 08, 2007

Leadership In-Between the Facebook/MySpace Generation and Church

Food for thought, the social networking revolution (think facebook/myspace) has changed how people interact. This will also change how we do church, relate to each other, gather friends etc. This will also cause a further widening of the generations.

In the Church I pastor our youth group are all connected through MySpace, and stay in touch through the cyber realm. How will this impact the Church today? Good question. One of the ways that I see is the leveling of the leadership role. The traditional top down approach will and is changing. From leadership structures to discipleship, how things have been done in the past will not be how it is done tomorrow... This is a trend that needs watching.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good for you. I see the difference as one of changing the communications dynamic to increase asynchronous communications. Blogs and social networks have facilitated efficient asynchronous communication.

Leaders will always be sought out. Because of the increasing levels of capability for communications interactions, all of us, but especially our children, should be taught how to recognize and/or seek leadership online.

Rusty said...

Ron,

Listen to the Rhett Smith presentation at GodBlogCon. You're tracking right with him (it appears).

One point I take issue with is the leadership leveling aspect (of which Rhett speaks as well). Like Ray, I think that leaders are essential, and needed, as we equip young adults into becoming Christian members of society. Just as we would not have tolerated uncontrolled actions within the four walls of a youth room at a mid-week service so, I think, we should be wary of essentially allowing kids free rein due to the fact that their interactions are guided by the new dimension of current technology.

I agree that how it has been done in the past is not how it will be done in the future; my questions have more to do with whether we will let the new ways dictate our response, or whether we will channel the new ways in a manner which bespeaks authority on our part.

Rusty said...

Goofy me! I didn't check the link you had in your post before I posted my comment... the RHETT SMITH link! Sheesh.

Ron Ballew said...

Good responses, thanks. Yes we need leaders but I see the old rigid hierarchical system as changing. Anarchy is also not the answer.

I would also look at the Grenz model of community. The extreme individualism we have in the west, is, from my perspective unscriptural.

Leaders, yes. Teams and consensus, very much needed.

Rusty said...

Ron,

Well said. I agree that the individualism we have in the West is not found in the Biblical cultures, and I think that much of our current condition is due to that mode of thinking. I'm not sure how the facebook methodology will be able to address that.

Anonymous said...

all good points!

Ron Ballew said...

"I'm not sure how the facebook methodology will be able to address that."

I'm not exactly sure either except it does promote social interaction albeit from a distance. This could be possibly used as a first step in promoting community within a youth group and then build from there.

All these things need to be thought out.

Great replies everyone, thanks.