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Campbell and others in the MAF Learning Technologies team (www.maflt.org) are exploring how to take advantage of mobile phones in ministry. In Papua New Guinea, Arnhem Land and Bangladesh mobile phones are very common with phone companies providing cheap, basic handsets in order to build their customer base.  In Bangladesh it is very common for people to have more than one mobile phone!

We are researching the options for installing Bibles onto mobile phones and also ways in which learning opportunities for isolated Christian leaders can be facilitated.

In New Zealand, Australia and other developed countries life can be very convenient.  From our smartphones we can access the internet, we have applications which connect and provide us with virtually whatever information we want to subscribe to.  I subscribe to podcasted sermons – these sermons arrive on my phone without me doing a thing, so that all I need to do is listen.

They connect us in community also – communities like Facebook and Twitter send updates to our phones and connect us to our friends and family wherever we are.  The world can certainly be small for us.  My teaching pastor lives in California.

But in un-developed countries like Papua New Guinea there are Christian leaders isolated geographically, socially and economically.  If we can help remove the barriers they have through the application of sustainable technology then we strive to.

Please pray that we will be discerning in assessing the needs of isolated Christian leaders and be wise in partnering with them and training organisations so that technology can enhance their opportunities for spiritual growth and the growth of the people they shepherd.

Having a coffee and conversations about the Lord, His Word, life and technology? You might be a Digital Disciple.

I met Gabe Taviano at BibleTech 2010 and Digital Disciples is something he started up last year to inspire the coming together of like-minded Christians who are involved with digital technologies in some way. Groups are meeting across the US and also the UK. I am planning on initiating a group for Cairns in Australia once Im back in country.

Its really about meeting face-to-face in local gatherings but also connecting with other Digital Disciples through a global network.  I like that there isn’t a focus on any area within the digital world – its not just for technicians, software developers , photographers or videographers – it’s for anyone interested in meeting monthly to share some scripture, prayer and conversation about the digital world.  Another opportunity for like-minded people to connect.

If you’re in Cairns and this is of interest to you, contact me on twitter @cdsmythe

Digital Disciples global website – http://www.digitaldisciples.net/

At BibleTech 2010 I attended a presentation from Aaron Linne (from B&H Publishing) who presented the Bible Navigator X – a Bible reader for the X Box 360 – not only is it the first Bible for the XBox 360 – it’s also the first book…….

Bible Navigator X includes a complete HCSB Bible, has search and bookmarking features and can be purchased for USD$5 or 400 Microsoft Points.

Aaron demoed the app on Saturday night and I liked how it looked. The highlighted verse changes as selected by the XBox controller, the theme can be changed to different colours, the font sizes easily changed, when shown on a widescreen HD television its a great resource for a small group looking at different passages. I can see our youth in front of an LCD TV Xbox plugged in, getting plastered with scripture. Cool.

Now that the text is on – who knows what we should be looking out for next:

• incorporated games – fighting battles alongside Joshua?
• movies, images and audio enhancements?
• virtual tours or interactive fly-overs across some of the locations mentioned in Scripture?
• shared online reading and discussing of scripture?
• game level styled Bible reading plans?

Great work by Aaron and his team!

……………………no we dont have one, havent ordered one, but do we want one?  Probably, not sure yet.  It seems to be a device totally geared to consuming information. Movies, emails, friend information.  Apple’s hype and marketing department are doing a better job than Bill Gates ever did with tablet computing, seeming to focus more on how great this device will make what we do so much more of a beautiful experience.  Once the media, developers and early adopters orders are filled iPad sales will show if there is much uptake on this device for the rest of us, but I can definitely see how we as a family would use one:

Coffee table computing….

• kids jumping online to update Facebook on TV ad breaks
• quick email checks
• phone book – maps enables us to look up addresses and instantly add to contact address book
  

  Apple iPad

• LCD photo frame – scrolls through a bunch of fave photos when not in someone hands
• games – there will be some awesome games for the iPad, more space, more going on – imagine Flight Control……
• Family notepad – using Evernote family notepads sync – the iPad sits around just waiting for the next input
• Family photo album
• TV guide
• Newspaper
• Internet Radio – connect through speakers
• reading web pages
• movie player
• reading ebooks
• making Keynote presentations
• checking out the weather

Its going to make so many things we do so conveniently accessible in a great format.

But we dont have one yet………