DanSardinas.net

Google+ Evangelism - What can we learn?

Already in just a little over 2 weeks Google+ has nearly amassed 10 million users.  Google+ is the companies newest venture into social networking.  The previous attempt (Google Buzz) is still considered a failure.  However Google+ appears to be a winner because some say it merges the best of FaceBook & Twitter in one platform.  So far I agree.

A lot of the buzz (no pun intended) from Google+ was the only way to get in was for somebody to invite you.  This was, of course, in typical Google fashion.  They normally resort to the invite only approach when releasing a new product.  For days...my Twitter & FaceBook news feeds were littered with people trying to get invites to the new social network.  

One invite opens the door for many, many others to hear about Google+.   Last Friday, while walking around Downtown Disney & waiting for my wife...I noticed that one of my friends on Twitter had some invites.  I quickly replied and was instantly invited to sign up.  In the 4 days since I joined I have invited 7 people to join me on the Google+ journey.  And now those people have also invited many others...who will invite many others.  You know where I'm going with this, right?

This got me thinking....what can we learn from Google+ Evangelism?  Evangelism is simply the "proclamation of Good News".  Google+ is growing by leaps and bounds by the multiplication of invites.  I know we've heard this before but it sounds a lot like the Great Commission is suppose to work, no?  

I tell and invite you about the Good News.  You tell others...who then share it with others...who then share it with others! Here are some of my observations.

1.  People are searching & looking to be invited on a new journey.  I asked a few times and then wound up with an invite.  I've seen several people hungry enough to ask numerous times until they got in.  Some people are tired of FaceBook.  No doubt, there are many who are searching for something better in this world.  God has called many to salvation.  Who are you looking for?  Who are you going after?

2.  People are inviting others to Google+ because they believed it to be powerful.  I believe that many times we cease to evangelize beacause we doubt the goodness and power of the Gospel.  We know the Gospel.  But how often do we practice it?  I've seen many rave about the awesomeness of Google+.  How many Christians are really proclaiming the POWER of the Gospel as Paul says in Romans 1?  Isn't the gospel a much more rewarding journey than a social network? 

What if anything can we learn from Google+ Evangelism?

You are You...live like it!

 

Deeper Devotions......how do you recapture the fire?

I've been very frustrated with my devotions lately (or lack thereof).  I have grown very lazy and apathetic towards my Bible reading.  You know what I mean, right?  You've been there before, no?  You read your "passage" for the day.....and thats about it.  You forget everything you read in mere moments.  (more on this in a few moments)

This past weekend I had the privilige of attending the Blossom Conference for Church Planters and wives.  What an awesome time.  It was a great time to connect with my wife and get refreshed and renewed.  The speaker was Bob Roberts, Jr. who is the Pastor of Northwood Church in Texas.  He is an amazing speaker.  

Anyway.....there was a small time of Q&A with Bob.  So I asked him the question that always bothers me.  I asked, "How do you handle discouragement?".   His response was quite simple...."I journal".   He even said... "I can't imagine not journaling anymore".  He said that journaling allowed him to take a deeper look at his life and be honest before God.  

So...the main thing I took away from the conference was that I needed to journal.  Not a diary....but a journal.  A more indepth look at my life through the eyes of scripture.  A time where I can read the Bible and take the time to apply it to my life more intentionally.  

So I started tonight.  I am reading in Galatians and started to write some basic questions.  Not sure if this will help you....but it helped me already tonight. Here is the outline that I wrote down in summary.

1.  What passage did I read?

2.  What is the basic summary (in a couple of sentences)

3.  What verse was I going to ponder on? 

4.  What is God showing me through this passage?

5.  What am I going to pray as a result of reading this? (a short prayer written out as the thoughts come to my head...I just write it out)

6.  What actions steps are needed as a result of reading this?

I'm curious as to who journals out there?  Anybody?  What is the best way for you to keep the fire in your time with God?  Any other suggestions?  There are a lot of great notebooks out there.  I just downloaded the "Moleskin" app for my iPad to help me.  I love it.

Can't wait for tomorrow.......