Trendwatchers seemingly disagree on many futuristic human behaviors. But most agree on one trend that will continue to grow, develop and defy the false notion of the cocooning trend. Cocooning was a concept trend noticed a few years ago that described people in the future staying in their houses after work; barely leaving for any reason. The online, virtual avatar world was supposed to cause us to retreat into our homes and hide from the world. The ease of online shopping coupled with the connectivity of social networking scared retailers and marketing professionals. Oops! We're trend busters!
More than ever, we will continue to live large parts of our lives online; yet, we will also increase our exposure in the real, offline world. Social networking sites and mobile communication has defied every cliché about diminished human interaction in our online world.
A world in which the majority of people lose themselves in virtual worlds isn’t going to happen. The same technology that was once condemned for turning entire generations into homebound gaming zombies, is now getting people out of their homes. With more information accessible through mobile communication, people are more likely to stay out and interact with each other. What an opportunity!
Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, LinkedIn, and countless other social networking media actually help increase our interaction with each other. Social media is about connecting with others. Think about it, how many of you have connected or re-connected with friends because you found them on facebook or twitter? I have. In fact, many people I have become friends with online are people I knew years ago. How amazing is it to re-discover old friends? How else would I know how God is working in the lives of people in South Carolina, Colorado, the United Kingdom, or Costa Rica? Many of my online friends are pastors, missionaries and youth pastors. It is fantastic to read about their ministries.
We will continue to see our online and offline worlds merge. This trend gives a whole new meaning to global ministry. People in Alabama can minister to people in Ecuador, Korea or anywhere else. Because of this trend, EVERY pastor, and church should have a major online presence. It’s a necessity in today’s culture. Sermon notes, message clips, event updates and ministry opportunities need to be posted all over twitter and facebook. What an opportunity for global evangelism. Use the online world to minister to others in the offline world.
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