I just got out of my last ever seminary class! 

I still have 1 paper and 4 exams to go, but I can see the finish line…

Last night, Kim and I went out to dinner. As we stood up to leave, I saw a copy of the Wall Street Journal technology section. There, on the front page of the technology section, was an article labeled “How to Be a Star in a YouTube World.” Instantly, I was intrigued. In it, they evaluate the success of sites such as LonelyGirl15 and Ask A Ninja as well as Grammar Girl, a former teacher who does a weekly podcast on proper grammar.

In the article, Michael Totty evaluates what caused these people to “become bona fide online stars.” He lays out six keys for others who would seek to do the same…

1. Be Consistent – Regularly scheduled programming allows people to expect when there will be new content.
2. Get in Early – YouTube is so big, this will be hard now. But what twist can you offer that no one else is?
3. Find a Niche – Is there a niche that is empty and you could fill?
4. Work Your Network – Best way to create interest in your content is to get interested in others – post comments on other blogs/videos, interest with their content. Totty notes that by doing this, LonelyGirl15 had 200 subscribers on YouTube BEFORE releasing their first episode.
5. Act Like a Pro – Good writing and editing/camera work that match the story are important.
6. Beauty Sells – Do I really need to elaborate?

So again the question is, how can we do this? How can we as Christians leverage this medium to create new means of sharing the great story that Christ is King over all and that in His love, He has made atonement for sin?

I recently wrote an article entitled “No More Top-Down Leadership” in which we saw the typical leadership structure being turned upside down as the leaders become the servants.

I’d like to get more specific with a Biblical example of leading from the bottom. Consider these words that James uses to open his epistle…

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.

Notice how James describes himself? As a servant. Here is James, the half-brother of Jesus and the head of the church in Jerusalem. But he does not appeal to his authority as the brother of Christ or to his position as the head of the church in Jerusalem. Most of us appeal to our position to justify our authority. But not James. He calms himself a servant. And because has both Christ and the Church, they listen.

Notice how Paul does the same thing in verses 8-9 of his letter to Philemon concerning the runaway slave Onesimus…

Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I appeal to you on the basis of love.

Paul goes out of his way to say to Philemon that “you owe me and I could demand you to listen” (many believe the Philemon came to faith through the ministry of Paul, thus Philemon would be spiritually indebted to Paul). But he does not . He appeals “on the basis of love.”

As leaders, we are called to be visionaries, self-starters, encouragers and so much more. Yet, as leaders, we need to guard our hearts from pride. We have been entrusted with an amazing task, to take the gospel to the nations. But we are to do so not as prideful, arrogant dictators, but as loving servants.

I’ve written and thought a lot recently about the Church and Web 2.0.  But I thought one specific story might highlight the opportunity that the internet affords to us as we seek to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations.

<context>This is several years ago while I was in college.  Long before Web 2.0.  But this was the first time I ever seriously considered internet evangelism. </context>

Tom, a friend of mine, was on staff with Young Life.  One night, after club, he jumped online to check his email when he received an instant message from one of the girls at the high school.  She had been at club that night and had some questions about what it would mean to follow Christ.  After some discussion, she asked Tom how she could become a Christian and then, right then through instant messenger, Tom led her to Christ.

That is so cool!  What I particularly like about that story is that there was a real relational connection so that follow up was possible.  But like this girl, there are many people every day on the internet desperately in need of the love of Christ.  Will you be the person to tell them?

Tim Challies, by way of his interview by Adrian Warnock, makes a few observations on things that Christian bloggers are doing well, and a few areas where he thinks that Christian bloggers could improve.  Of those, one in particular stuck out at me as a astute observation.

Under “Areas Where Christian Bloggers Need To Improve” he states…

Replacement — don’t find your sense of community online rather than in a local setting — don’t neglect the church and family.

This is a great warning.  But it also recognizes something that is becoming more and more true.  While we certainly, as believers, need to be actively living in relationship with people, there are many non-believers that it is their first, not their second, lives that they live online.  It is their primary place for meeting people and developing relationships.

Biblical mandate requires Christians to be part of a local worshiping community.  But if non-Christians are living online, how can we meet them online and move them into the pews?  In many areas of life, that is the big question.  You meet someone at a restaurant, how do you get them to visit your church? You have a non-Christian friend at work, how do you connect them with your Christian friends?  As more and more people move their lives online, how can we reach them with the love of Christ?  But it won’t be enough to just share Jesus with them.  No, even more, we need to connect them to the Church, the Body of Christ on earth.  How can we do that?