Social networking online

Micro-blogging using Twitter and Plurk

Twitter is a ‘microblog’ service: Twitter site [www.twitter.com] (detailed background). [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter] It allows you to send very short updates (140 characters) by SMS, instant messaging, or the Web, to the Twitter website, where they are viewable by others who have signed up to Twitter and chosen to listen to a friend’s ‘tweets’. It is usually a ‘stream of consciousness’ personal commentary, far briefer than a normal blog. For some, the idea of getting yet more electronic messages may sound like a nightare. For others, the chance to share frequent thoughts is a blessing. A Japanese [http://blog.twitter.com/2008/04/twitter-for-japan.html] version has just been launched, and is extremely popular for the same reasons that Japanese love blogging.

You can search for Twitter users on Twellow. [www.twellow.com/]

Plurk [www.plurk.com] is a broadly similar system also gaining in popularity. (Comparison) [http://chris24.ca/web/plurk-twitter]

For news and information about Twitter, follow the Twitter Blog [http://blog.twitter.com] which will give insight into the growing potential of Twitter, and ideas for Twitter ministry you had never thought of.

Normally, it will be only friends within an online community who will have the interest to share tweets, Twitter is also ideally suited to passing on real-time prayer requests to a prayer support group, via SMS messages, or breaking news and other current information. It is therefore primarily another means of social networking and blogging.

There is a service called LiveTwitting [www.livetwitting.com] which enables you to more easily send a series of messages from, for example, a live conference. There is also range of other tools [http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/hiner/?p=770] you can use.

See discussion on the potential of Twitter from Christians: The Digital Sanctuary [http://thedigitalsanctuary.org/how-micro-blogging-will-win-converts] | Leadership Network. [http://digital.leadnet.org/2008/04/how-to-use-twit.html] | Michael Hyatt. [www.michaelhyatt.com/fromwhereisit/2008/05/12-reasons-to-s.html] Check the video explaining more about Twitter:

Please tell us of any ways you find Twitter useful in ministry or evangelism.