| Return |

Finding Community in the Virtual World

By Stephanie Nance

There was a time when the front porch served a purpose other than as a place for the pizza delivery person to wait while someone came to answer the door. It was once a place where families and neighbors would gather to tell stories, exchange ideas, debate politics, and discuss the deep mysteries of life. The front porch was a vital place of community.

Today, backyard decks replace front porches, privacy fences keep out the neighbors, and the family unit is often split due to divorce or career. Regardless of societal changes, communities continue to form. Recently, the most popular place for communities to develop is on the Internet. The accessibility of these online communities allows everyone, regardless of technological proficiency, to be part of the virtual community. Within seconds, the Internet connects separated families, and strangers on the other side of the world become neighbors. The virtual world welcomes these families and neighbors to once again gather together on a "cyberporch" to discuss, encourage, inform, and debate.

Like physical communities, virtual communities can serve a vital role in your life and ministry. Online communities allow you to stay connected to family and friends regardless of where you are (or they are), network with other women in ministry, and discuss your passions with others around the world.

If you are ready to step out onto the cyberporch in search of community and need some guidance, here is a simple breakdown of online communities to help you navigate in the virtual world.

Group-Based Communities

Group-based communities are structured around group discussions. Examples of these communities are You Tube, Amazon, and iVillage. Group communities are formed around various topics like diets, illnesses, books, religion, politics, amateur videos, and reality television, just to name a few. For any given topic, there is an enthusiastic community in the virtual world that has embraced it. These communities are set up to be either open to the public or private and are available to members or subscribers only. Private groups are typically moderated better and provide a safer environment for members to express their thoughts and opinions.

Pros: Group communities allow people from various walks of life to come together to discuss topics of common interest. The information shared and the support offered can provide much needed encouragement as news of success or victory from another individual's life is celebrated together as a community.

Cons: As a result of the anonymity that virtual communities afford, people will often say things in the online world that they would never say in the real world. The "do unto others" rules of courtesy and kindness learned in kindergarten are often tossed out. If not monitored by a moderator, unruly participants can frustrate community members and get discussions off track.

Individual-Based Communities

Individual-based communities are built on individual membership and anyone can join or sign up in a few easy steps. Current popular social networking sites include Facebook and MySpace. These communities allow you to express your personality through the creation of a profile and then add other members as your "friends." Various group communities are then formed within these individual-based communities. Many of these sites also contain online chat tools, which is a form of communication with others in real-time.

This category also includes blog sites like Xanga and Blogger. Short for web log, blogs are Web sites created by individuals where they express their ideas, keep people updated on their adventures, and post pictures. Most blog sites can be set as private or public and comments are allowed by others if the blogger permits. Many ministries and churches have created blogs to utilize as a communication tool to minister to their church members and communities.

Pros: Such sites make it easy to keep in contact with friends located anywhere in the world and to develop a strong network with others in ministry.

Cons: These sites can be targets for online criminals, spam, and questionable advertisements.

Although this is a very simplistic overview of online communities, it should give you a general idea of where to start. If you are concerned about how to enter an online community, then find a young person to mentor you through the process. Once you get started, you will quickly be set at ease and learn your way around the virtual world.

Ministry does not have to be a difficult and lonely journey. Connecting with others face-to-face or in online communities enriches your life and ministry. The virtual world provides the opportunity to participate in communities that would be otherwise impossible due to distance and the location of members. The support and encouragement received from virtual communities can greatly enhance the communal life that God has called all believers to be a part of. With that said, if a friend invites you over for coffee and conversation on their front porch, turn off the computer and join them. The virtual world will be there when you get back.

• home
• about us
• resources
• women in ministry
• faq
• past themes
• contact us