Sunday, August 21, 2005

mobile theology

In my out of bounds church? book, I argue that a church committed to Incarnational mission will take seriously Incarnation within a globalised, roaming culture. I ask the question; What will it look like to fund a spirituality in a world gone 24/7? It’s a part of the book that applies Incarnation not to subcultures, but to global culture and I offer a number of suggestions including cybermonks, spiritual takeaways and postcards.

If I was writing the book now, and not 18 months ago, I pick up on a fine selection of posts at planet telex. The image of mobile phone is used to illustrate perfectly this global, roaming, 24/7 world that we live in. There is an introduction to what I would call spiriutal tourism, but what planet telex calls mobile theology here. There is a plea for interactivity here (which engages directly with material from my book).

Here’s an idea…
Send people out from your community with the task of sending you via email or via picture messaging 3 images that speak to them of God during the week. Upload each image to the website as the week progresses, use the images during worship on Sunday, swap the images as free wallpapers for people’s phones. The next week ask them to do the same thing, but with a different theme, what makes them happy, images that make them sad, images of friends, images of meals eaten…

Then there is a suggestion of mobile worship, which offers a subversive set of spiritual practices.

It’s an excellent set of resources that offers in the mobile phone a very concrete metaphor and takes seriously the questions of postcard 5; both for everyday spirituality and for worship.

Repeat of a blog post from the blog about the out of bounds church? book.

Posted by steve at 05:41 PM

7 Comments

  1. Luv the idea. We should do at Digestion 😉 By using both mobiles & dig cameras… I think people would get into it.

    Comment by Amy — August 22, 2005 @ 3:26 pm

  2. That idea of using mobile phones that way (and with the theology behind it) in a service really appeals to me. However, I realise that while I’m very comfortable with techology many others in church are not. Ah well, we’re allowed to dream!

    Comment by Jaybe — August 23, 2005 @ 11:56 am

  3. Hey Steve,
    Why don’t you try the real thing? We carry it around within us and the connection is a lot more interesting and reliable than trying to use a jolly telephone! Very universal too. Believe me I’ve seen a little bit of it and it works. The only cost is to lay down our lives (all our smart ideas and fancy beliefs) become as a little child again and from then on it’s free. Sorry Steve I couldn’t help myself from making a comment. You leave yourself wide open. Check this out.
    http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?
    search=matthew%2018:1-6;&version=65
    Brian

    Comment by Brian Sage — August 23, 2005 @ 12:44 pm

  4. Brian
    I’m not quite sure how to take your comment. Is it said with a smile, or are you having a go at me? Surely how childlike I am is best discerned by God?
    steve

    Comment by steve — August 23, 2005 @ 3:26 pm

  5. Anyone who reads this AND goes to Greenbelt this weekend, I’d love to know how the Sanctus1 text worship experience goes…. Please report back!

    Mobile worship
    In a world where we’re all connected through electrickery, what does gathered together really mean? Join Sanctus1 for an experiment in mobile worship. Messages with instructions will be sent from 12pm until 12:45 on Saturday. Limited places. To join in, text ‘worship’ to 07748 875 735.
    from here.

    Comment by Larraine — August 23, 2005 @ 4:57 pm

  6. Steve, don’t worry! Yes it’s said with a very big smile but with a touch of seriousness about it too. I have no problem at all with your motives and where your heart is, it’s great! And the same goes for your emergent blogging colleagues too. It’s the methods that are sad! Ordinary people see them as a joke and when I know what we could all have, and deserve, and the impact that would have on the world is what I find frustrating. No one would see us as a joke then – and they’d come flocking in. It’s taken me nearly thirty ‘emergent’ years to figure out how it all works and I would love to show you but it would need a face to face meeting to help re-connect you with the spirit, and each other – we’ve lost our way. We are the temple of God you know so we don’t have to go far to find it. Anyone willing? As I pointed out we all have to start like a little open-minded child again. By the way Steve did you ever receive Robin’s book?
    Kindest regards, Brian

    Comment by Brian Sage — August 24, 2005 @ 8:42 am

  7. Great ideas Steve. now how to implement them.

    Have to do a research essay for seminary on postmodernism… wondering what out of the out of bounds church? I can use 🙂

    the word tolerance comes up a lot in PMism, but is to be tolerant to turn away from God, scripture and church. Grrrr.

    blessings

    Comment by Lorna — August 25, 2005 @ 3:26 am

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