Wed 18 Oct 2006
The United Methodists in the USA have launched an online ministry programme called “Web Ministry 101″. I checked it out, and read as much as I could before I was asked to register/enrol. Its aim is to educate churches in developing a “user-centered” presence on the www.
From what I could see, it looks like a useful programme, aiming to teach churches to talk about “why” to be online, rather than just “how”.
It is a practical course, so from what I could see there was nothing about how churches explore their own web-missiology, and it does look like it’s aim is for churches to promote themselves on the web, rather than explore online religious community. So for that reason I wonder if “Web Ministry 101″ is an appropriate title.
Check it out here.
Thank you to Stephen Webb, from the Communications Unit in the NSW Synod (Uniting Church in Australia) for the heads up on both this site, and the info about the Sydney Anglicans new site, too.
Technorati: United Methodist, Web Ministry 101
October 18th, 2006 at 17:34
Yes, it still looks like the idea of participatory media isn’t there, and it’s more a case of staking out their own corner of cyberspace to promote their “brand”. Looks like a mid-to-late 90s business course with “church” replacing “business” in the course materials.
Having said that, they seem to ask more questions about what it is that you want to do with the website and why you want one than the normal engagement in churches.
October 19th, 2006 at 06:54
And then I saw the gapingvoid cartoon here. Sort of summed it all up.
http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/003367.html
October 19th, 2006 at 18:55
Bloody funny pic there, Stephen.