I broadcasted live during the Weekend of Service this weekend. If you want to watch the videos or see the slide show you can:

• Go to the Neffsville Mennonite Facebook page and click on Ustream Live tab
• Go to Ustream.tv and click-through the saved videos. Each one has a new nugget of joy. (Sorry about the ads. It is a free service so you have to watch the adds. I am working on ways to fix this.)
• Go to Youtube.com (uploading slide show now)

Free live streaming by Ustream

How the internet and social media makes these three things more possible on earth as it is in heaven.

1. Invitation
   1. The nature of the internet is open and invitational. We put things on the internet so that people will come and see.
   2. It is likewise now possible to go to all nations from our living room for $19.95 a month
   3. The perceived and real anonymity of the internet makes accepting the invitation easier
      1. I am invited to come and see and I can do that without feeling exposed. This lowers the barrier of both the invitation and acceptance of the invitation.
   4. Though some sites invite persons to take on an “Avatar” or another imagined identity the social sites that are gaining the most growth are sites where people are encourage to be themselves and are affirmed for their real life identity. This would be the case for Facebook
      1. The invitation is to come as yourself
2. Inclusion
   1. Because the internet is based on one language (binary code) everything is translatable.
   2. Inclusion is “non locative.” Meaning that it is not location based. I can still be part of my community virtually anywhere and anytime.
   3. There is a real inclusion in the community that I now “belong” to.
      1. Social media community is a real community
   4. I am less likely to be excluded. I get all the discussion just like everyone else and don’t miss anything because I can see the “stream” of sharing as far back as I like.
   5. The community life is based on affirmation not critique
      1. The Like button or Re-tweeting
3. Investment
   1. The media itself encourages collaboration among the community to add to what is already. Collaborators can then invite others to see what they have invested in and to invite investment in what they have created as well.
   2. I can jump into any conversation as well and share anything I like along the way. No waiting in line to talk.

The internet is potentially making certain parts of the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus spoke about more possible on earth as it is in heaven. Why? Because it has many of the qualities that are attributed to what “heaven” will be like.

1. All the nations will be invited and will be present with one another at the same time
2. There will be one language that unites us; no language barriers
3. We will work together for the good of the Kingdom