When I first encountered Twitter over a year ago, I frankly thought it was a naff invasion of privacy and walked away. I’ve since done some reading, observing, and re-thinking and . . . well. . . I’m “tentatively” changing my mind. Indeed I figured that it would be useful to give Twitter a fair shake (much as I’m doing with Facebook).
Much of the reading I’ve done that links Twitter to ministry hails Twitter as a great tool – emphasising how it can point to relevant content, re-iterate current topics, and spark discussion and reflection. In relation to OC/IC use, it is easy to see these points working well – even in our smallest communities.
Twitters ability to quickly spark discussion, opening new avenues of exploring a topic, serves two useful functions in our context. Firstly it gives fodder for developing a post on the community site/blog. I’ve already had some success with this. Secondly Twittering on new or evolving points of exploration invites curious strangers into the conversation – and therefore becomes a medium of introducing people to the OC/IC world. Assuming they don’t then encounter some of our nuttier “co-religionists” some of these strangers might in time become friends and members of the living/embodied community.
Twitter is also useful for making flash announcements – for spontaneous gatherings (lunch, exhibit, discussion at coffee house that’s just so interesting people might want to stop by and join in). I’ve not tried this route yet – but would really like to hear from people who have.
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