Due to the response of Twittering Church, I’ve been questioning men to get their input on how twitter could help a men’s accountability group.

My husband suggested creating “Rules of Engagement.” Obviously, since twitter is social, the opportunity to a small accountability group is available.

But before I make suggestions for “Rules of Engagement,” I want to describe how I could see twitter working for a small group.

I have a small group that can be mimicked.  My group is my family. My husband and two older children twitter along together. We set our “devices” to “on” so we can see what each other are doing when we post.

My husband may tweet something about being frustrated at work, or how he had an awesome lunch meeting with someone. My kids may tweet “About to take a hard test,” or “Not feeling so hot today.” One may say something funny. One may ask via direct message (dm) for a deep prayer concern.

We laugh making no response. We pray for something mentioned. We respond with encouragement. We direct message our love, concern, and jokes directly into their circumstances in real time. (On a side note, my honey and I send “love” tweets too. Maybe I should write an article on how twitter can help your marriage.)

“Devices” are our cell phones that receive text messages. Twitter sends their tweets to our phones as a text message and we can respond via text messages in three manners.

1. A straight forward response goes to any and all who look at your twitter page on the internet and not directly to the one you want to respond to. Okay, but has the opportunity to be confusing to others not following along in the conversation.
2. Using @twittername (placing the name of the twitterer you want to respond to after the @ symbol) sends it to your twitter page for all to see as well as a community notice of saying it to your intended person.
3. Using d twittername sends a personal message directly to your intended person without posting your message to the social network. (A glitch may accidentally happen in twitterdom. I don’t advise getting too personal here. It may be a way to say, “Hey, call me at ###-####,” or “I got your back on this one.”)

There are more advanced methods such as creating groups and using hashtags (#), but the simple texting method keeps our family digitally connected and involved in one another’s life. I believe if your group creates “Rules for Engagement” and commits to increased digital accountability, twitter will greatly enhance your group.

(Twitter just hit Time Magazine’s front cover. Twitter is changing our culture. I really think the church ought to be involved and engaged in such awesome conversations.)

Twitter “Rules for Engagement” for group accountability and encouragement.

1. Meet face to face regularly – Keep your regular meeting times. Smiles, handshakes, and the necessary “three pat” hugs shouts concern to a much greater degree than the digital connection. Twitter cannot replace this! (Incidentally, I applaud each and every man willing to invest in another man’s life in small accountability groups. My husband has been in and started several over the years.)
2. Keep the most personal discussion personal in the face-to-face meetings. Never know when you might slip and forget to “dm” that detail resulting in shouting something meant “secret” to all internet eyes. And Twitter may accidentally put a “dm” in the main stream for everybody to see.
3. Commit to be involved in one another’s life making an effort to be an encouragement. Don’t make all the tweets self-centered. Send out encouraging quotes, Bible verses, and tidbits of learning you’ve received from your life struggles, as well as the what’s-going-on-with-you kind of tweets. If you’ve read an interesting article online, send a link using the link shortening tool in TweetDeck along with a short description of the article for your group to read. (TweetDeck.com and other applications are free downloads for your computer to make Twitter even more functional.

 I welcome more input, especially from men who twitter and are a part of a small accountability group. Please respond for the edification of all.

Founder and speaker of iGETitLIFE, Robin Bryce and her pastor/husband Chuck present "He Said, She’s Sad" No wait that’s "He Said, She Said" a topic on marriage at Central Cities Church in Copperas Cove, TX in the center of the greater Ft. Hood area. If you’re in the area, come for the fun and laughs and leave with inspiration for a better marriage.

June 27-28th, 2009.

Have you ever synced with the wrong data? Or old data? It’s a pain to get rid of that we don’t need. And it can even break us, like when I accidentally Bluetoothed my Blackberry contacts to my daughter’s regular phone. Her phone locked up with all the “wrong stuff.”

Do we synchronize our faith? Do we plug our God into the USB port of our need or personal world and blend it until nothing is true, definable, or authentic? Could we be guilty of religious syncing with wrong stuff?

Us? We’re believers, right. Worshippers of God. We couldn’t be guilty, could we?

Do we worship the institution called church? Do we give our everything to our children, spouse, or family? Do we worship our selfish interests, or “this is the way I am” and “this is the way I do things.” Could we be guilty of setting our desires and longing on stuff, yet blend all this worship with a religious nod toward God?

Do we synchronize our faith in the One True God with all these culturally acceptable behaviors?

I’m guilty.

The last part of chapter 17 in 2 Kings describes how groups from various nations were settled in Israel bringing their culture with them, blending worship of God into their life’s mix. “And though they worshipped the Lord, they continued to follow their own gods according to the religious customs of the nations from which they came” (2 Kgs. 17:33).

The people practiced a spiritual acknowledgement of God without a commitment or change in their life. How can we not be guilty of the same thing? How can we be totally given to God? Without mixture? How can we be a true, definable, and authentic Christ follower?

What insights can you share from your journey?
 

Are churches engaging the culture, making changes to spread the news and share the hope of Jesus? Or are they just twittering?

In business, I’ve tweeted quotes of conference speakers. And, when attendance wasn’t an option, I’ve watched tweets of twitterers at the conference. Their twittering created a feeling of connection with the event and gave the most impressive information almost like I was there. I’ve also taken conference notes on my iPhone and scheduled noted events in my calendar all while listening to the speaker. I’ve seen speakers reading scripture from their Blackberry and following their presentation notes from the same. Mobile devices aren’t just phones to those who utilize their great functionality. They’re cool tools!

Should these awesome devices be used during church? For a long time I’ve thought how Twitter can be used to create a community that is involved rather than spectating during church. Christ followers want to interact, make a difference, and worship. They don’t want to watch church. They want to engage. Those who use mobile devices and Twitter in their everyday life will naturally want to do so during church.

Twitterers heralded the prayer request for the shooting of Pastor Fred Winters of Maryville, IL that happened during a church service.  My husband and I received the real-time tweet and brought the request to the attention of our church meeting a thousand miles away. Real-time prayer needs. Should we twitter in church?

I wonder if the question of twittering in church could be rephrased, “Should church engage the culture?” When we send missionaries into a culture, they study it to learn effective ministry in it. We live in a post Christian culture that needs engagement for the purpose of sharing Jesus. My previous post with great video, Twittering Ministry, shows how today’s business world has changed and the implications for necessary change in ministry.

Once I had a friend jokingly tap me on the shoulder during the service and whisper, “Are you texting in church?” Me, a preacher’s wife, texting in church? I’ll admit to nothing. At that time I was only taking notes.

It seems taboo to utilize a different way of making notes than scribbling on a piece of paper. Wasn’t there a time when scribbling on paper was considered prep for passing notes in church? Now churches have fill in the blank outlines and other methods of engaging attendees with note taking. Why not the PDA? It won’t get lost or tossed as scrap.

Churches could teach their parishioners how to engage each other and their community during church with these not-so-new tools and alleviate the stigma of “not paying attention.” The fact is users may be even more engaged in worship and ministry than those sleeping or staring blankly at the wall behind the pastor. (Do you know how many ceiling tiles are in your church?)

Time magazine released an interesting article worth reading, “Twittering in Church with the Pastor’s O.K.” Certainly our world gets it, and some churches are getting on board as well. Check out a worship leader’s perspective “Using Twitter the Phone in Church.” by Chad.

 “What is Twitter?” some ask. It’s micro-blogging, or broadcast texting. You can say whatever to whoever wants to listen in 140 characters. You can use text messaging on phones, applications on PDA’s, and online computers to Tweet. For a better description of the what and how of Twitter, check out Michael Hyatt’s step-by-step posts or peruse Social Media Strategies and Tools Explained blog by Beth.

Oh, and tweet me, @RobinBryce. Let’s engage for the glory of Christ.

At NorthWood Church in Keller, TX

Partnership with Wild Works, a division of Leadership Network.

http://www.glocal.net/turbo

((sigh))   :0(

This has been a week of “Who am I?” Who really cares that I’m churchless, feeling homeless, and evidently Super Bowl Party-less?

Last Sunday night being our last at our great church, we left to answer God’s desire for us to start something new. While driving home, I felt a complete loneliness. Who will bring us chicken soup when we are all sick? Who will sit with us when we endure serious hospital stays? Who will call saying they miss us and love us? Who will care for us now?

What was I thinking? Why would God want this for us?

Isolated.

Alone.

Amongst herds of people, but lonely.

Like one living and working in New York surrounded by masses, but without community? Could this be . . .?
Is this how some people live?

 Not feeling loved. Not having anyone who really cares?

Is this the reason God wanted us to leave? To make a community where people will feel loved. Where through us, God will show love those who won’t go to church.

Within the last few weeks, Chuck and I made a “Not To Do” list, solidifying what we felt was God’s leading in our lives. We made a commitment to obey the call–go out of the church. Since he called us out of a great pastorate, it would defeat our obedience simply to join another. Even if we felt lonely or the need for fellowship, we were to keep to our task. We also listed that this was our call, and would allow our children to join any youth group’s activity of their choosing. (They have lots of friends in various groups, and have their Super Bowl Party invitation.) To a certain degree, we released them from supporting our call so they may follow God’s plan for their lives. This is all very strange and new territory to us.

God’s called us to live authentic Christ follower lives amongst those who need love the most. Maybe we needed to feel as those we are to reach.

A person without a home (feeling), without a community of genuine people who care, and without an invitation to a Super Bowl Party.

This week my song has been from an old sitcom, Cheers, where lonely people gathered, “I just wanna go where everybody knows my name . . .”

Where is the Super Bowl Party?
Where is our “Cheers”?

In the middle of this drifting feeling, I’m certain of God’s faithfulness and his promised gift–his love and presence. We have a home in him and really aren’t alone. He leads us and will help build our “Cheers” community.

This party will be a Super Party!
Do you wanna come . . . where everybody knows your name?
 

Staying means comfort, risk-free, known terrain, but going …

I hate change.
No I like change.
Uh-uh, change is disturbing.
No, it’s exciting. (there’s nothing like inner conflict!)
Gosh! I hate my life.
No, no. I really love my life, but these decisions are killing me.
Should I stay? Or Should I go?
 

While the beat of that song plays in your head, I’ll tell you we struggled. We struggled within ourselves. And we struggled with God. Then my husband and I finally came to the conclusion.

“Okay. We’ll go.” We’ll give it all up and follow God. (not like we weren’t totally given to ministry already!)

“It could never be better to stay once He [God] determines otherwise.” Streams in the Desert January 14th.

That may be right, but it doesn’t help the fear of the unknown, the uncertainty of the future, the misunderstanding of others placed on us.

“He [God] goes on ahead of [us]” John 10:4

That’s more comforting. God is leading the way, going in front of us, and showing us the way.

F. B. Meyer states, “All the tomorrows of our life have to pass through Him before they can get to us.”

Now that’s a shield in which I can get behind and forge ahead.

Maybe going is the best answer when God says, “Go.” (check Matt. 28:19-20)

So we find ourselves taking an Abrahamic call. My husband resigned a great pastorate of over eight years. We don’t know where we are going. We are unsure of what we’re doing. We simply answered the call to go.

We didn’t come to this decision lightly. The struggle took a while and we often switched places with one sensing the call stronger and the other not. We never struggled with each other. But were united in intense struggle to do only what God wanted. My security was challenged. His identity challenged. This was all so new, and well…challenging!

Our last Sunday is January 25th. Then . . .

I have no more to write. I don’t know anything more. Going . . . with eyes wide open!

Can twitter give your ministry’s effectiveness a step up? The church could learn alongside businesses that social media matters, because word of mouth can build or destroy a company or ministry’s PR impression, how people view them. Word of mouth is, after all, the way in which the gospel is spread—one beggar telling another where to find the Bread of Life.

It’s time for beggars to unite and network with others socially, offering something of value. For goodness sake, don’t enter the networks with a, “ya’ll come now, you hear?” attitude. This isn’t a place to issue blanket invitations to a church service or gathering. We’ve got to enter into a relationship with those we want to reach. Offer ourselves, friendship, a listening ear, an encouraging word, a big kudos for a job well done. Offer helps, tips, whatever, as long as it’s of value.

Should a church or ministry have a social media minister? Since businesses find great potential in social media as a cutting edge way to do business, it might benefit ministries as well. A ministry can make relevant connections and impact lives through social networks. I’m not saying all ministries or churches should engage social media as a method of reaching and touching people, but it’s a great way for ministries to engage and relate with those they want to reach and give them something valuable.

Here’s a video worth looking into. It’s Laura Fitton’s, @Pistachio, keynote address about twitter titled “Twitter for Business.” If I could rewrite the script, I would title it “Twitter for Ministry” and have every mention of business rewritten as ministry.

Think of

• the ways a ministry team could benefit with instant communication,
• the knowledge and understanding of the people you work with and those you want to reach, and
• the opportunity to share your vision and keep focus on your mission.

After watching the video, please share your opinion of the benefits social media can have on your ministry. Have you seen a social network ministry be effective, build relationships with opportunity for life change?

To view @Pistachio’s power point presentation.

I look forward to hearing your ideas.

Ever wrestled or roughhoused to the point where it got out of hand and were told to take it outside?

Some issues are not delicately struggled with indoors. We have to step outside and take care of them.

Read about real faith in "Morning Coffee" where my good friend, writer and newspaper columnist, Renae Brumbaugh, posted "Take It Outside."

Living free, quite frankly, is no fall cakewalk. Fear binds me all up – binds me to expectations, religion, and sure-fire failure. I can never measure up to other’s expectations, religion’s rules, or perfect pastor-wife’s position. But I‘ve found a secret to living free from all that.

It’s really a one step process: Take love and be filled to overflowing. As I’ve learned through difficulties, God is all I need, all I want, and nothing else can fill that place.

It’s love, true love that’s the key to living free and casting off cords that bind. My life verse is “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”(2 Tim. 1:7) Out of love comes power and self-discipline; timidity and fear melt away. I pray this verse when fear strikes.

Perfect love comes from personal relationship with God. Freedom to live as a Christ follower doesn’t come from religion’s rules, but flows out of love for God. Ironically, this freedom requires more of a commitment. It’s about relationship with God and proper relational etiquette rather than rules of “churchianity.” A self-discipline. See previous verse. We have to mind all the checks the Holy Spirit gives. That’s way beyond a set of rules handed down from generations of church going people. The only way to receive the promptings and checks of God is to have personal dialogue with God – a personal relationship.

I offer a personal introduction to God as well as a set of communication exercises in iGETitLIFE with Purpose. The exercises are not set in stone. They are only coaching exercises to get your dialogue with God started on a personal level.

But first comes the introduction. We must realize we don’t measure up and see our need for God. That’s called sin. No matter how big or small, we all have it. But if you don’t feel the need for God, it won’t do any good to introduce you to him. If you desire an introduction, after realizing your need, you simply tell God you need him. “God, I’ve made a mess. I’ve sinned. I need you. Please come into my life, change my heart, and become my master giving me prompts and helping me follow them. God, I need you. Thank you for listening.”

If you talked with God like that and meant it with everything that’s in you, you are a Christ follower – one who is committed to following Jesus. At this point you have all the love you need to live free, but . . .

You have to live it out. It’s harder than living up to expectations and rules, but it’s freer. Fear will push you back into expectations and rules. Love will draw you deeper into the sacred relationship. Every moment is a choice, love or fear. One is freedom the other bondage.

Choose well, my friends. God’s grace will cover you in repentance.