pinteresting

Disclaimer: This isn't a post about "pinterest"; but an idea to utilize the interest in the latest "hot" social media application as an interactive tool for a relevant message at church.

I've watched the pinterest world from afar. Creeping up all over facebook.

Honestly, I not an overly girly, girl. I wasn't “pinterested”. But, I am interested in the impact of social media on our society at large. Obviously there is something that appeals to people (mostly women) about pinterest.

According to Wikipedia: “Pinterest is a pinboard-style social photo sharing website that allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections such as events, interests, hobbies, and more. Users can browse other pinboards for inspiration, 're-pin' images to their own collections and/or 'like' photos. Pinterest's mission is to "connect everyone in the world through the 'things' they find interesting" via a global platform of inspiration and idea sharing. Pinterest allows its users to share 'pins' on both Twitter and Facebook.” 

So, I started thinking...

This year we have been focusing on love God, love others, serve the world...

This would really make an interesting message for “serve the world”. But, obviously it would need to be less girly. Maybe we could use knives. LOL.

An interactive bulletin board, when people would “pin” or “knife” what they are already doing to serve the world and/or where their interest lies in serving the world. Actually it would be a reflection of both what we are currently doing and what we dream of doing.

serving the world...

What is interesting is that service is really in our DNA at Cross Current Ministries. We are currently going through a search process to find a new pastor. We have hired consultants to come in to evaluate where we are as a church. I remember during an interview with the consultants, the asked so what does that mean? It's in our DNA.

What does it mean?

It means that we announce a need in the morning service for lots of backpacks that are are needed at the middle school where we meet, and by 4:00 the cars start rolling up and we have ALL the needed backpacks that day.

A school contacts us because they have 80 children that needs clothes (socks, underwear, sweat suits and all). We create boards with cards of all the needs. Every single card is taken and we have to scramble to find more needs...

As long as I have been here, I have never seen an announced need go unmet. It is just the way we roll. It has been very interesting to say the least.

The consultants concluded that Cross Current ministries expressed an extreme passion for mission. They had never seen a church that is as passionate about mission as we are.

About getting our focus beyond our walls, into the world.

So, the idea is to create post-it like signs: poverty, hunger, orphaned, foster care, justice, water...

and have people come up and “pin” what they are doing and dream of doing.
But, to take it a step beyond that.

Link these people together, create teams that would do service together.

Now that would be “pinteresting”!