|
A "NORTHERN
LIGHTS" MAGAZINE ARTICLE
(from Issue #507)
USING TODAY'S
"COOL" TECHNOLOGY
... new
ways of year-round camper follow-up!
by Tom Cnossen
For a long time a lot of
us involved with camp ministry have struggled with follow-up. How do
we stay connected with campers? How do we keep the door open for
ministry after the canoes are put away, and the summer staff have gone
home?
Thankfully, today's
technology has made a way for this, and more! Sometimes the Internet
is bashed as a tool of the devil -- and it can be that. But it is
also a way into the lives of young people "24/7/365" and I
believe it should be used to the max.
I have received e-mails
from kids who have been on our Higher Challenge canoe trips, or who
have been to our other Bible camps, and they've asked some pretty
serious questions. Because we have built relationships with them, they
trust us. In the past they usually had to wait for camp to come
around. Now the Net, and young people's interest in it, has opened up
new ways of year-round follow-up!
One way is through
Facebook, an Internet site that allows you to post your own personal
page, with links to other "friends" pages.
"Friends" are people who you've invited to share your page,
or people who've invited you. Because the Facebook community is so
interconnected, you soon find yourself with lots of Internet friends,
including children or teens who've been to Bible camp.
Besides personal pages, we
have a Facebook page for our Camp, and we invite campers, leaders and
anyone interested to join it. I recently posted our new Higher
Challenge promo video -- with photos from last summer's camps -- for
all our HCWA "friends" to see. We are getting some good
comments on it.
Another thing you can do
with Facebook is start "blog" discussions, which can be
serious or funny. We are finding that this is helping former campers
stay fired up about camp, and it's creating interest from future
campers. Facebook has provided an avenue for these kids to contact us
or the other staff when they are seeking spiritual help.
On top of all this, to be
on Facebook is "cool" (so I've been told) ... and all of us
aging missionaries could use a little more "cool" in our
lives! "Cool," in this sense, I believe, makes Jesus look
good and approachable which, of course, we know He is.
 Tom
& Donna Cnossen serve at Hobbema, Alberta. Through his summer
"Higher Challenge" outreach to youth, Tom combines canoeing,
an ancient First Nations mode of transportation, with modern technical
tools such as internet and satellite GPS.
Back to Northern Lights magazine
index
Back
to SELECTED Northern Lights Magazine Articles INDEX
|
