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My Big Social Media Interview!

Aaron Brown recently interviewed me for Terminal Podcast. He wanted to talk about “Social Media’s Importance in the Church.” As many of you know, I lead the teams at Eagle Mountain Church that oversee our media, including Social Media. I’m a firm believer in the viability of social media as a way to engage people in discussions about their lives and faith.

Here’s what they had to say about the interview:

“Social Media is sometimes reduced to internet brain-drains for zombie-esque youth with some in the Church seeing it as a waste of time and energy.  But what about the segment of the Church that sees social media as a vital part of their day-to-day lives?  What can the Church do better to connect with this segment of believers? How well are we sharing the Gospel with Social Media?  That’s where Scott Allen comes in…”

Go and check out our conversation on their blog, listen to the interview and subscribe to their podcast.

You won’t be sorry.

Listen to the interview on Terminal Podcast’s site by clicking here.

A serious wake up call: "Social Media Revolution 2"

The facts regarding current culture trends and social media are astounding. They shouldn’t be ignored.

The biggest fact regarding social media: it’s *not* a fad – it’s *not* going away.

Erik Qualman’s  short video “Social Media Revolution 2″ is a serious wake up call. Our old methods of communicating are getting older every day, while the world changes around us.


Stats and facts in this video include:

  • Over 50% of the world’s population is under 30-years-old
  • 96% of them have joined a social network
  • Facebook tops Google for weekly traffic in the U.S…

    Got your seat belt on?

    The future is here. Are you ready?

    Genuine Fake Conversation… No Thanks

    A few weeks ago I followed someone on Twitter after they followed me. A few hours later I got a DM from said person; “Hey! What’s your story?” Very cool. At least I *thought* it was very cool. Seemed like someone genuinely interested in community. So… I DM’d back with details of our lives and current assignment. Still no response – weeks later. 

    Disappointing.

    It turns out that said Tweeter (no, I won’t tell you his name) set a Twitter auto reply, faking interest in everyone who follows him. He’s not a famous guy or anything, just someone who completely missed the point of social media. Social media is supposed to be just that – social. It’s conversation. It’s about networking and learning from one another. Or at least it’s supposed to be.

    I’m not mad at the guy. He’s just trying to promote whatever his deal may be. He’s just somebody who missed the point. So are many of the rest of us social media types. We like to talk about ourselves and promote our whatevers, failing to realize that there are actual people on the other end of many social media accounts. Some of them just need some encouragement or tech help or whatever… the point is there are people connected to social media. That means we need to step up our game.

    Social media is a great opportunity to love people and connect with them in community. If anybody should know this, it should be Christ-followers. Michael Hyatt posted last week about what he calls the 20 to 1 rule. Basically it’s this: focus on giving, helping and being a resource online. The ratio of times you ask people to do something for you should be the “1” – the “20” represents the times you are giving of yourself without asking for anything in return. Good thought.

    This all reminds me of what God had in mind for our relationships in-person and online:
    “The whole point of what we’re urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God.” 1 Tim 1:5 (Message)

    Let’s be givers. What do you think?

    Me? Retro?

    What’s the beauty of being a rock star at the ripe old age of 21? Being a forty-something and showing up on a retro “favorite things” blog list by a respected church leadership guru.

    During Catalyst ’09, Tony Morgan posted Things I Remember that Most Catalyst Attendees Do Not. There I was, smack-dab right in the middle of that post… well, not me exactly by name, but my band. Actually, it was my former band from my former life as a rock star. You see, for the first several years of my adult life and ministry, I was a member of the Grammy and Dove award winning travelling circus known as Mylon and Broken Heart.

    Yeah… this is me… back in the day.

    As I read Tony’s post a wave of memories, thoughts and emotions began to rush over me. First of all, it’s cool to be remembered. Then the reality of “most Catalyst attendees do not (remember)” part hit. The jury is in. The verdict? RETRO. Officially and irrevocably retro.

    Me? Retro? How is that even possible? I’m too young to be retro. But… retro IS cool and come to think of it, 20 years is a long enough time to be retro. Truthfully it seems like another life. News flash. It seems like another life because it WAS another life. That brings me to revelation #2: my “tribe” is made up of two categories; #1 Those who know me from my current life, and #2 Those like Tony Morgan who remember my former life. Perhaps it’s time to fill in some blanks to bring the two together.

    In 1997 I left my former career with Mylon to begin working with one of the largest international ministries in existence. I was hardly hidden from the world, but to those in my “rock star” tribe I probably disappeared off the radar. I have immersed myself in family and church ministry for the last 12+ years and haven’t looked back. I have continued to write and produce music, mostly congregational worship. New music should be released soon through a new distribution deal.

    By the way, Mylon and I continue to be great friends, connected to the same church and live just a few minutes from each other in Dallas/ Ft. Worth.

    Through the wonders of social media, this year my two lives and two tribes have come together. I am pleased to introduce each of you to one another!