For many causes/communities/organizations there’s a [traditional] weekly, in-person connection point. For many, this is the gathering, the place to see people and the avenue where communication gets done.
This summer, my family attended our home church about 1 out of 10 weeks. Between, an out-of-town work assignment, vacation and extended family commitments (also out-of-town) we were that family that went M.I.A. for the summer.
This raises a really important issue for today’s churches (and any cause). What is your digital engagement strategy? Can someone function as a fully committed/aligned member but only be physically present 10 or 30 or 50 percent of the time? It’s crucial to realize our audiences today are transient and have a lot going on but that doesn’t necessarily mean they need to be (or want to be) absent from the mainstream of what you’re trying to do as a cause.
I’m by no means suggesting we need to get rid of the weekly connection point. What is worth re-thinking is how the rest of the tribe that didn’t make it to the connection point can stay connected without being physically present. How much friction is there in staying connected? Is the friction worth reducing?
doublederivativeca 