ministry with "myspace"

sometime last january i was listening to two of the girls in my youth group talking and it sounded like 'blog talk' with words like 'comments' and "did you read what they said?" so, i asked them "do you two blog?" they looked at me with a puzzled look, "what's a blog?.. it's our myspace" to that i said, "what is myspace?" i didn't get a solid answer, but they were excited that i would go to their 'myspace' and leave comments. since that day i have come to find that youth ministry extends into 'myspace.'

for those not familiar with "myspace" it's an online community, some 2 million people who have these elaborate profiles of blogs, pictures, groupings, and comments linked by being 'friends.' it's certainly not a holy place, it actually could be a dirty place (ie. not all the people there are with the purest of intetions like myself), it's much like the society we live in. what is neat though is how the kids come to this place build their little friends networks and talk among themselves.

i met with two friends back in may when we realized the impact this myspace has on our kids. we discussed how to handle this with the kids and how we can use this for the ministry of Christ with them. we all created youth group 'groups' mine was tennessee methodists. since coming to hfumc one of the youth created a hendersonville group. we exchange ideas, give schedule stuff, i throw in news from around the church, etc.

some of the ministry happens through the commenting and emailing. i chronicled my conversations with a youth who was struggling with suicide, but some are more simple. this was a communication by a hfumc youth this past week & sunday night.

hey dude!!!! i will b coming to youth on sunday!!!!! (u dont know me, but everyone says ur so awesome!!!!! jonathan to b exact! lol   see ya sunday! peace, "youth"

i don't know about "awesome!!!" but we'll be glad to have you at youth on sunday. "gavin"

hey, youth was so much fun tonight!! who do i need to see if i want to be on the design team for warmth in winter? would i be able to if im only in 8th grade? write back, "youth"

as ministers of the church i encourage you to check the kids things out, this is a place that they are hashing out many aspects of their crazy lives. you will read profanity laced stuff or highly dramatic stories. we shouldn't freak about it, but we should be aware that they are going through life and they are living it out in this community too.

Comments

[David]

Gavin,
It has been an eyeopener in many ways, and a great way to find some old friends, make new ones and learn about one another.
It is interesting to me to see how many folks are on myspace, nearly 28 million last i looked. The funny thing to me is just how many can't follow the rules, which makes me wonder if they are going to change the rules and what my role is in reporting the rules (namely the one that says there is not to be anyone on myspace who is under 16 years old)
Peace,
DC