I feel like I’ve been sending a lot of prayer–related txt messages and tweets lately. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. I actually have only heard positive things from folks getting them (however please let me know if you’d rather not receive them).
I’ve found that txt messages, Twitter and e-mail have turned the traditional “prayer chain” into a rapid fire prayer blast. Within seconds/minutes folks all around the world can be updated with the latest prayer needs.
I’ve used txt messaging and e-mail for some time now. And with my new phone I love the ability to assign folks to message groups so I’m not selecting multiple people each and every time I send a message out.
But I have to wonder if there’s still yet a better way to send out rapid-fire prayer needs/requests. If more folks signed up to Twitter it could really become an informational network where folks could chose to receive updates via the web or txt messages. Perhaps an alternative Twitter feed could be setup just for prayer requests/alerts.
I wonder what it would take to build a system for churches or ministries where prayer alerts could be entered into a system and a message would be sent to Twitter, Plurk (get the most responses from Plurk), Jaiku, etc feeds (140 characters max of course), sent to those requesting cell phone updates, and then a longer more detailed message could also go directly to an RSS feed that could be subscribed to via traditional RSS readers and or e-mail.
Ultimately folks could subsubscribe, unsubscribe and also choose how to receive the prayer alerts.
Is this asking too much? Am I over thinking this? Is it already there? I bet with a little planning a system could be built using WordPress and a couple different plugins.
Hmmm…. could lead to some great possibilities.
What do you prefer? How is your church spreading news/announcements/prayer requests? Still using traditional mediums like bulletins, announcements and prayer chains? Are you on the “cutting edge” and using txt messages, or RSS?
Share you thoughts and ideas!
related ::
my twitter feed
10 best twitter tools for wordpress
SSL :: twitter in plain english
SSL :: twitter peeps
SSL :: texting in church
SSL :: twittering in the old testament
SSL :: texting the church
twitter your testimony
I think this would be a great idea, especially if it were multi-platform. I’m not sure about using WordPress as a base, seems like fitting a square peg into a round hole to me. You might be able to get it to work but probably not like you want it to work.
I’d actually be interested in helping to develop something like this, if there were others as well.
I think this would be a great idea, especially if it were multi-platform. I’m not sure about using WordPress as a base, seems like fitting a square peg into a round hole to me. You might be able to get it to work but probably not like you want it to work.
I’d actually be interested in helping to develop something like this, if there were others as well.
im open and ready – just don’t have much of the technical know-how. i do know wordpress though – which is why i suggested it.
with plugins you can have posts automatically created from tweets and/or you can have tweets automatically created from wordpress posts – with a link to the full story.
plus with wordpress and feedburner you can get RSS feeds sent in multiple ways.
the only missing piece is getting wordpress or twitter to send SMS to non-twitter users.
of course things would need to be setup/explained in a way so that signup is easy enough that my mom and dad could use it too.
im open and ready – just don’t have much of the technical know-how. i do know wordpress though – which is why i suggested it.
with plugins you can have posts automatically created from tweets and/or you can have tweets automatically created from wordpress posts – with a link to the full story.
plus with wordpress and feedburner you can get RSS feeds sent in multiple ways.
the only missing piece is getting wordpress or twitter to send SMS to non-twitter users.
of course things would need to be setup/explained in a way so that signup is easy enough that my mom and dad could use it too.
perhaps this could be the solution…
http://www.michaelyuan.com/blog/2008/01/09/let-your-readers-subscribe-to-your-rss-via-sms/
another possible part of the solution…
open source sms/wap system
another possible part of the solution…
open source sms/wap system
Wouldn’t the limitation of WordPress be that you’d have only authorized posters (i.e. a centralized system as opposed to a distributed system)
I guess I’m seeing a system where users sign-up (or maybe are given an account) and can select ways they want to receive prayer requests (twitter, email, RSS, SMS, etc…) and then they could also send out prayer requests to the list (maybe initially via the site itself, but it doesn’t seem that hard to provide other ways like email and SMS to allow posts) Having a separate system could also allow for other functionality like marking prayers as answered, updates for specific requests and tagging (some people may only want to get prayer requests with specific tags)
oh yeah gotcha. that makes sense. i was thinking more in a church community where people could submit prayer requests to one or two people who would then update the site.
that could/would limit spamming or flooding the system with repeated prayer requests etc. but i like your idea just as well.
oh yeah gotcha. that makes sense. i was thinking more in a church community where people could submit prayer requests to one or two people who would then update the site.
that could/would limit spamming or flooding the system with repeated prayer requests etc. but i like your idea just as well.
perhaps this could be the solution…
http://www.michaelyuan.com/blog/2008/01/09/let-your-readers-subscribe-to-your-rss-via-sms/
There are open source version of twitters, one of which is laconica… One fellow is already trying something along this line with opensourcefaith.org but its very very early.
There are open source version of twitters, one of which is laconica… One fellow is already trying something along this line with opensourcefaith.org but its very very early.
I believe the methods of sharing prayer requests should be whatever it takes to notify others of the needs.
I like the church e-mail rayer chain a volunteer at our church uses to keep church family and friend needs and answers updated. Urgent requests are related by phone from e-mail recipients to various groups or indivituals who may not have received the e-mail at that time,
usually initiating immediate action such as needed visitation, food, or transportation
Text messges, RSS, and SMS would be good for those who have ready access to them if it does not make a financial burden for them. (E-mail is usually not cheap by itself, either.)
However, the request and/or answer is publicized,
I believe we are told to pray at all times, with thanksging in all things, and have the privilege and responsibility of praising God in all things regardless of the answer. “Let us pray…”
I believe the methods of sharing prayer requests should be whatever it takes to notify others of the needs.
I like the church e-mail rayer chain a volunteer at our church uses to keep church family and friend needs and answers updated. Urgent requests are related by phone from e-mail recipients to various groups or indivituals who may not have received the e-mail at that time,
usually initiating immediate action such as needed visitation, food, or transportation
Text messges, RSS, and SMS would be good for those who have ready access to them if it does not make a financial burden for them. (E-mail is usually not cheap by itself, either.)
However, the request and/or answer is publicized,
I believe we are told to pray at all times, with thanksging in all things, and have the privilege and responsibility of praising God in all things regardless of the answer. “Let us pray…”