Youth Ministry Geek is dedicated to offering a glimpse into the ever progressing world of technology. How can we use technology to further the advance of the kingdom of Jesus in the lives of teenagers? That is the question we are asking, and writing about. However, this morning I was struck by front page article in The Washington Post that I was reading on my iPad. The headline read: Census: Minority babies are now majority in U.S. The article indicated that in July 2010 a “watershed moment” occurred in American history. A white population (babies) in America was officially eclipsed by a minority population. The article also argued that this eclipse would continue to accelerate until a point somewhere around 2042 when the nation will become a “majority-minority society.” In other words, minority groups will constitute the majority of the U.S. population. I encourage you to read the article for yourself, but for the moment let’s consider what this means for youth ministry in America.

In the next 30 years a dramatic shift will happen. “From a Christian perspective”, as Albert Mohler put it this morning in his podcast The Briefing, “this is a very important missiological insight.” In other words, the church in America must prepare herself for this shift and begin thinking through the questions that will define Christian ministry in the next 30 years. In the same way, youth ministers must begin acquainting themselves with this shift so that is does not take us by surprise. For the majority of it’s short history, youth ministry has prided itself with blazing methodological trails that the church has often followed. Now it is time for youth workers the begin thinking about the future of ministry demographics, and how we must adapt to reach this growing population. God is bringing the nations to us, and we must be prepared to accept them into a relationship that leads us in the gospel of Jesus.

As an East Coast, “Bible Belt”, Caucasian youth worker, here are some of the questions I am asking myself:

• What are the cultural issues that concern the growing minority groups in America and how does the Gospel relate to/address those concerns?
• What are the theological influences and trends in these minority groups, and how can I be prepared to have meaningful discussion about them?
• How can I anticipate and implement the methodological changes required in becoming a multicultural youth pastor/youth ministry?
• What part can technology play in bridging the gap between these cultures in the coming decades?

These are only a few of the big questions looming on the horizon of our youth ministry world. I would love to hear from youth pastors who are already working through these questions in their context. Hopefully we can continue the open dialogue that makes the youth ministry community so exciting to be a part of.

Related posts:

1. New Youth Ministry Media Store
2. Leadership Development in Youth Ministry
3. Spin That Wheel – Youth Group Game at Simply Youth Ministry

What other 80′s sci-fi stories would you like to see get a new chapter?

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1. Philip Bloom: A London based professional cinematographer who has loads of helpful videos like this one on Vimeo, and his own personal site.

2. Caleb Pike: Caleb operates a site called DSLR Video Shooter. His site is a very practical approach to DSLR video, complete with reviews, instructional videos and the like.

3. Vimeo Video School: This is by far one of the greatest resources out there on cinematography in general. From equipment, to technique, to post production, the Vimeo Video School is a wealth of knowledge!

Do you know any other video resources out there? Share em with the community in the comments!

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1. Follow: Twitter Easter Video
2. Youth Ministry Garage Debuts Today
3. Stay Classy Music Video

One of my favorite resource websites is Free Stock Music. The title is pretty self explanatory. The site hosts all genres of stock music. From electronic, to corporate themes, Free Stock Music is a great resource. Here are a few of the projects I have used their products on:

• Opening bumpers for audio interviews
• Background music for video
• Mood music for youth ministry events (there are some great cinematic clips for setting the mood)

Is there a go-to place for music (other than iTunes) that could benefit the youth ministry community? Share it with us!

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(Original Post: When You’re Constantly Checking Your Email, You’re Putting Your Needs Behind Everyone Else’s.)

In a light hearted way it’s reminding us that the people in our lives are so much more important than our email, although in this age of smartphones where our email is always waiting for us in our pockets, it’s not always as easy as it should be to stay away from it.  I often find myself checking my email on my phone without even realizing I’m doing it.

So how do you take control of the email beast?  Here are some tips I saw over on the Harvard Business Review Blog.  It outlines a 30 minute process for tackling that inbox.  It recommends planning the 30 minute block once in the morning, midday and afternoon.  This way you are controlling your email time and you aren’t constantly being interrupted.

Here are the steps outlined in the post:

1. Send: I start my timer and begin by writing emails I had planned to send. This often includes follow-ups to meetings, thank-you notes, questions, and scheduling and other requests. I do this first so that if someone gets back to me immediately I have time to respond while I’m still in my 30-minute email period.

2. Delete: Next, I quickly glance through the “subject” and “from” lines on the emails in my inbox and immediately delete the ones I know I don’t want to waste time reading, including marketing emails and impersonal blasts I haven’t requested. This step just takes a few seconds but drastically reduces my email bulk.

3. Respond: I do my best to answer every single email that comes directly to me, even if it means just writing “Thank you.” Since picking through emails to choose which to answer first wastes time, I start with the most recent and work my way down. At this point I don’t click on any links in emails and I don’t read lengthy articles; I save that for step 5 below.

4. File: Once I open an email, I don’t leave it in my inbox. I found that when I did leave emails in my inbox, I’d re-read them repeatedly each time I opened my email, and each time I’d waste more time trying to decide how to handle it. So I either delete it or move it to another folder I’ve set up — waiting, read, someday, travel, client-specific. Every time I go through my email, my goal is to empty my inbox.

5. Read and follow up: In whatever time I have left before my timer goes off, I go through my non-inbox folders, reading through newsletters, clicking on links, and following up on emails in my “waiting” file.

End: When my countdown timer sounds, I close out my email program. Once I’m done, I don’t return to my email — on any device — until my next scheduled session.

It also gives some great other reminders about email:

As I go through this process, I try not to use email to give someone negative feedback, and I rarely respond to negative feedback over email. Email is a great tool for transactional conversations (Where should we have lunch?), sharing information (Here’s that file, there’s someone I want you to meet), or showing appreciation (You spoke powerfully in that meeting, I’m touched by your support — thank you). For anything else, you’re better off calling or talking to someone face to face. I also do my best never to go back and forth with someone on email about something more than two or three times. If it’s gone that far, it’s usually a better idea to pick up the phone.

Also don’t forget these tools in your toolbox to help get through your email:

Signatures: Most email programs have the capability to create multiple signatures that you can choose to appear at the bottom of an email. I have customized several signatures that I use as responses to common emails I receive. For example, I have a pre-written reply to people who ask about joining my company, want me to review their book, express appreciation for something I’ve written, etc. I often customize those emails based on the sender, but the bulk of my response is already written.

Rules: Most email programs also have rules in which you can automatically send emails that fit certain criteria directly to other folders. For example, when I send out my weekly email linking people to a new article I’ve written, I receive several “out of office” replies. I set up a rule that sends any email with “out of office” in the subject line directly to trash. That way I don’t have to spend any time processing it.

Click here to read the entire post to learn more about email efficiency.

What tools do you use to battle email?

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1. Email is for old people

“The adjustable mics, four-track recording and extended battery life of the TASCAM DR-40 give you the flexibility you need to record tracks anywhere.” -Tascam

The Run Down

The world of portable sound is really coming into it’s own. Units like the Zoom H4N ($299) and the Tascam DR-100MKII ($330) have been the two standards in this realm.  But for the money, this new Tascam recorder ($179) is the best entrance into professional portability out there. With live monitoring, XLR and Line out options for external mics, and 48V phantom power, the DR-40 is sure to become a hit with podcasters and DSLR video shooters alike. The recorders writes directly to an SD card making transfer a breeze. Here’s a few ideas for using the DR-40 in a youth ministry context:

• Audio Testimonies
• Sermon Recording
• “Man on the Street” Interviews
• Mobile Podcasts
• Capturing Sound for Video (Rigged with a Sennheiser G3 Pack)
• Leaving Hidden in the Church Bathroom

The Sound

Earlier today I ran a quick test to let you hear the audio quality. Both sound clips were recorded in my office (hence background noise), and were not EQ’d in post. These are raw files right off the SD card.

DR-40 Internal Mics

The internal mics on the DR-40 sound really good. The mids are crisp, and articulate. I have a thin voice to begin with, so I don’t typically sound well recorded, but I feel like the recorded sounds magnificent.

DR-40 External Mic

I used my Blue Mic Yeti Pro to record this clip. The Yeti sounds sooo good. The warmth of the lows really help give you a “radio voice”.

The Bottom Line:

For $179 (this is the price my local supplier quoted me) the Tascam DR-40 is a steal! If you have a serious need for portable recording this is the answer.

Related posts:

1. Audio Podcasting 101 (Part 2)
2. Record High Quality Audio at a Reasonable Price
3. Backup and Portability Made Easy with ChronoSync

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If you are a newbie to graphic design Before & After: How to Design Cool Stuff is THE place to begin. If you buy this book, and apply the lessons, the design of your youth ministry publications (both print and electronic) will improve almost overnight! You will see the world differently. Since reading this book I have given copies to other staff members who have also gone on to improve their own ministries. You may also want to sign up for Before & After’s newsletter. Purchase the book here, and check out their site here. You won’t be disappointed.

Out of interest:

1. What is your ratio of printed to electronic media published?

2. Which do parents respond to best?

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I have heard about these little guys for a while now, and I must admit, the novelty of the device is enticing. Here are a few ideas I had for usage, and a few concerns I have about the quality of the device:

Applications:

• Staff Meetings
• Small Groups
• Mission Trips
• Netflix in bed with the wife

Concerns:

• LED quality (I’ve seen pretty sad small LED setups)
• Sound (how effective/moving would videos be if the screen is large, but sound is small?)
• One more gadget to carry/keep charged

What are some further applications, concerns you would have about this piece of tech? Is it worth $99?

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