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Technology Trend Study: posterous.com

What trend is this technology the result of?

This technology Posterous.com is associated with main stream of online social networks.

Posterous is the simple way to put anything online using email. It was launched in July 2008

and it has been steadily growing and adding features. It seems that it is a mix of a personal

weblog and an online social network. It strengthens the strength of weblogs, which you can

post MS word documents, mp3 files, and video files, as well as of online social networks,

which is easiness in making connection between group members. Posterous lets you post

things online fast using email (Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, and Hotmail). You email Posterous.com

at post@posterous.com and it replies instantly with your new posterous weblog. If you can

use email, you can have your own website to share thoughts and media with friends, family

and the world. Blogging becomes as easy as email

Present evidence of current impact on culture.

The Internet has brought a lot of renovations. It has changed and shaped our life styles,

whether positively or negatively, for example, how to get information, online shopping,

distance learning and meetings, doing business, and even political strategies. In particular,

according to Wikipedia, a blog (a contraction of the term "web log") is “a type of website,

usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of

events, or other material such as graphics or video” (retrieved April 30, 2010). Bloggers share

their experiences in their lives.

Meanwhile, the technology of online social networking has allowed people to find and

connect with someone and groups, which they could not otherwise reach. Especially, the

online social networking keeps us updated on what is happening around them by emails and

text messages to our cell phone. We can send our messages without worrying about whether
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the recipients got them or not.

For instance, it is a good way to express one’s thoughts and feelings. You can find 1741

hits with the search word “Christian education”, and 1078 hits with “youth ministry.” People

are willing to share their opinions and thoughts and want others to know about what they

think and how they feel about a certain subject. On the other hand, we can remind our church

members of what we’ve learned last Sunday through this. As I have attended Mariners

Church, Doug Fields preached about “Refuel” for two weeks. At the end of his first

preaching, he encouraged the congregation to join twitter so that they could be reminded of

the main idea of the first sermon during week days.

Furthermore, this was sent to my Facebook wall from Starbucks page yesterday: “We're

really excited to announce that you can now manage your Starbucks Card on Facebook! It's

easy to register your Starbucks Card, reload or check how many Stars you've earned.” Almost

every day I receive at least one message from Chick-fil-A at The La Habra Marketplace.

Since I joined those “Facebook pages” I’ve been informed from them. Sometimes they

advertise their new products and notify of events such as free coffee and free breakfast

sandwich. In other words, as a consumer I do not have to sign in another web page to check

available information. In other words, when I have something to post, I do not have to send to

everyone one by one. All I need to do is to post on my Facebook or my Posterous.com.

What are the ministry implications of this trend? i.e., strategy issues.

What I want to do in Korea is to help parents, youth pastors, and churches nurture

teenagers in God’s way. The first time when I wanted to be a youth pastor to serve youth, I

thought serving youth directly was the only way to serve them. But I realized that youth

ministry is not only about youth. It is also about parents. It is also about churches. Also about

schools. It was God who has changed my hearts and ways to serve youth through
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empowering parents, and equipping youth leaders and other youth pastors. That’s why I came

to America to study Christian education.

I have learned lots of theories and implications that I can apply to Korean churches. Not

only that, but I have also learned how to study what I need to study and do research by

myself. Moreover, although my English is still not that good, I think I can introduce and

translate good resource into Korean.

While they are doing teaching ministry at seminaries in Korea, I think there is a certain

need missing, which is diagnosis of reality of current youth ministry and suggestions that

churches or parachurches could follow. In fact, there are a number of professors who have

studied church education or Christian education. Many youth mission organizations have

emerged. Nevertheless, what they have done is to give churches a variety of one-shot events.

What really matters to youth ministry of Korean churches is to know what is happening to

youth and youth ministry and how to overcome obstacles we are facing for the sake of God’s

kingdom.

I have some good role models such as Simply Youth Ministry, Specialists Youth

Ministry, HomeWord, and Group Publishing. There is also a good example in Korea, which

was established by a pastor, who studied Christian education under Howard Hendricks at

Dallas Theology Seminary. He founded Paidion Mission for Children’s ministry. The

institution has tried to extend their educational philosophy to churches since the 1980’s.

What I want to do with this technology is to share my thoughts and opinions on youth

ministry in Korea with those who are interested in the next generation and eager to help

teenagers become true disciples of Jesus Christ without limitation of space and time. This

technology will help me do this.

Strength.

1. Accessibility.
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People can get messages on their own Facebook wall as soon as the messages are posted

on Posterous.com. There is no limitation of space or time. Especially in Korea, almost every

area is covered under Wi-Fi. People can access to the Internet no matter where they are.

In addition, the emergence of smart phones like iPhone, Blackberry, and Android,

remove the barrier of time. Internet has brought a lot of renovations. It has changed and

shaped our life styles.

2. Sense of Ownership

This technology enhances the sense of ownership among registered members. It is

mainly because they can participate in posting and commenting, making our blog vitalized.

Once, where they already logged onto, people are informed that new posts have been made

and are able to respond to them, people are much more willing to be part of interactions.

3. Convenience

In addition, they do not have to log onto Posterous.com additionally to post something.

To post on the blog, all they need to do is to send an email to post@posterous.com. Whether

photos, MS Office files, pdf files, audio files, or video files, if you attach the file that you

want to upload, no more effort is necessary.

Weakness

1. Still need to encourage people to use email.

I know this sounds awkward. However, it is still true that some do not have an email

account. Even they do not know how to send and, even read, text messages. They think they

have been doing well so far without such “new” technology. For example, my parents bought

their cell phones, which have only the function of making and receiving calls. No messaging.

No Internet. Therefore, even though Posterous.com is a very wonderful technology which can

be used for my ministry, it may result in a limitation in age.

2. Still need to move the hearts of people.

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I have seen many web pages of churches die out even after they were renewed by new

designs and new format that resemble web pages, which have countless visitors as well as

participants. Whether or not the blog is successful does not depend on graphics or on

technology. What matters is the hearts of people. They need to be encouraged to participate in

interacting. They always need reasons to investigate their times and efforts. There is no one

who wants to spend times and energy in nothing.

3. Facebook or Cyworld.

Although my technology is Posterous.com, it has a big connection with Facebook to

make the blog effective. Everybody knows what Facebook is. Even those who do not join

Facebook know what it is. I am not sure, however, whether Koreans do Facebook because

they have their own social network, Cyworld, which is not linked with Posterous.com. I have

to convince people to join another social network. Unless I convince them that it is valuable,

that will not happen.

Strategy

1. Beginning with those whom I already know.

Just like almost every business does, it would be better to start from those whom I

already have relationship with. They are already friends on Facebook with me. Furthermore,

they may have passion about youth ministry or Christian education. They can be encouraged

to join Facebook page Home, Church, & School, which is connected with my blog of

Posterous.com so that if I post something on Posterous.com, they will see what I have posted

on their Facebook.

And I believe that there must be other people who are friends of my Facebook friends

and interested in youth ministry or Christian education. They may have the same or, at least,

similar vision as mine. They will join my blog of Posterous.com willingly.

2. Contents.
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To draw those who are potential friends, contents must be good to use and apply. I know

there are many pastors who want to do a great job with youth but, at the same time, do not

know how to do it. They are hungry for high-quality resources that they can adapt and apply

to their fields. This is what I really want to do: helping other pastors and youth workers do

youth ministry well. I believe that this is also a way of serving youth. Good contents are

irresistible.

3. Building a community.

As I mentioned as a weakness, people still long to be connected with others. They need

someone who they can share their experiences with, whether good or bad, positive or

negative. Just like a blog is not about technology, youth ministry is also not about information

or contents. It was very impressed that very famous youth workers have a certain group in

which they pour out their ideas and feelings. Sometimes it seems to me that the group helps

them grow in wisdom.

The Bible puts it this way: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend

themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ec. 4:12 NIV). Everybody has

different talent from Jesus, who is very creative. It is impossible for one person to have every

talent. That is not how God works. God wants us to support one another according to the

given talents. I hope, pray, and believe that the blog will be rich in and filled with the sense of

community through encouraging, praying for, sharing with, and commenting.

Conclusion: High Tech, High Touch.

We are living in the world of high technology. It seems that the potential possibility of

technology is endless. What is more important, however, is human beings who creates and

deals with technology. People who live in the digital era still long to be connected to

someone. As a Christian educator I would like to touch hearts of people deeply with high
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technology.