A Spiritual Arsonist Among Digital Natives

I'm old.

At least any digital native would think so.

At my age I surely couldn’t become a digital immigrant—or barely even a visitor.

So I find great irony in my being invited to speak at Indigitous-Waterloo.  Indigitous is a movement passionate about connecting people to Jesus using digital strategies.Indigitous is a made-up word—I love inventing words.  Connecting indigenous  with digital yields indigitous.

Ken Cochrum, Cru vice president for digital strategies, invited the conference participants—mostly from North America—to engage with their world, to close the missional gap, to use the 24/7, total global availability of the digital world to reach the 5 billion who still don’t know Jesus. And to make disciples as Jesus instructed us.

A lot of young people, and some not so young, came together to listen and learn and to create and collaborate.

I was one of nine Live Learning “Ted” talks—15 minutes to convey purpose and strategy in using digital for “my part” in helping to grow spiritual movements.  I told about my "Kindling" blog, Facebook and Twitter efforts to “start fires in hearts and minds” across time and space.  I think the line that connected best was “I’m a spiritual arsonist.”

I loved being there, interacting with such a variety of people and getting challenged with new and creative ideas.  I look forward to Indigitous-Panama in a few weeks.I had a bonus blessing—25 Canadian Power to Change staff women from the Waterloo area gathered, asking me to talk about God’s vision for the contribution of women to Kingdom building.  The tech emphasis continued as another dozen women across Canada joined us via Google hangout.  Really beyond my grasp how that is possible.

I always tell people:  If I can learn to use social media and the internet to do ministry, anyone can.

Here are some photos from my time in Kitchener/Waterloo.

What about you?  Can you start some digital fires?