CVC 438
Emerging Media Ministry Syllabus
Instructor:
Email:
Phone:
John Edmiston
digitalopportunities@gmail.com
(310) 783-1510
Course Description
This is a course in digital strategy and pragmatics for those entering into Christian ministry using new media
technology and covers Internet ministry, mobile ministry, social media and Internet marketing and analytics.
Degree Program Outcomes
At the conclusion of this degree program, the student will able to:
1. Demonstrate the ability to understand and apply traditional theories and concepts of business
management and the ability to do this an in depth in one area of specialty: nonprofit management,
accounting, technology or general management.
2. Understand their vocation in business and their unique identity and role within their field in a way that
maximizes their calling and enables 24/7 Christian ministry.
3. To be able to develop and grow businesses and nonprofit organizations in a way that is socially responsible
and that reflects God’s love and purposes for the world.
4. Communicate effectively and professionally in business situations through physical or virtual presence,
writing, speaking, listening, and electronic media.
5. Interpret and analyze accounting information for internal control, planning, performance evaluation, and
coordination to continuously improve business processes.
6. Integrate and apply Biblical, ethical, legal, economic and business principles into effective managerial
decision-making.
7. Demonstrate the ability to understand and apply traditional theories and concepts of a Christian liberal
arts education, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to facilitate intellectual, spiritual, and
personal growth, pursue their advanced studies, and improve the world in which they live.
Course 438 helps students understand how to use the medium of the Internet to communicate a Christian message
effectively in order to meet program outcome 4 above.
Course Objectives
1 Communicate a general statistical and social understanding of how both the Internet and mobile
technology can be deployed as multiplying factors in Christian outreach, education and community
transformation.
2 Clearly demonstrate an understanding of how to practically focus technological solutions on specific
ministry problems using both the Internet and mobile technology as the main vectors of action.
3 Enumerate the ways in which Internet and mobile technology can achieve ubiquity of communication of
Christian moral, theological and sociological values in the service of the Kingdom of God.
4 Develop an online marketing strategy that includes paid search, organic search, social marketing,
conversion funnels and analytics
5 Develop a strategy and implementation plan that uses the Internet and/or mobile technology to achieve a
result in one of the following areas: a) Christian outreach b) Christian education c) Missiological and crosscultural communication d) Christian social entrepreneurship / justice issues.
Expectations
1. This course requires extensive engagement with the readings, the instructor and with other students.
2. Careful pacing and scheduling will be required and it is the task of the student to keep up with the work.
3. You will need good high-speed Internet access and word-processing software such as Microsoft Word or
OpenOffice. You will also need a Kindle or the free Kindle for PC or Kindle for Mac software as many of the readings
are in ebook format.
4. You will be expected to have a basic working understanding of digital technology and the Internet before
commencing this course.
5. All posting in forums will be done in a spirit of Christian love, though vigorous debate is encouraged.
6. This course is a course in strategy and pragmatics. The expectation is that you will be clearly able to demonstrate
a practical grasp of the new media, technology and how they can be applied to actual Christian ministry contexts.
7. Major written work is expected to reference and to interact with:
a) All four (4) of the required texts as well as the recommended websites.
b) At least three (3) of the recommended texts
c) The class readings and videos, MP3s etc.
Required Texts
Von Buseck, Craig Netcasters: Using The Internet To Make Fishers of Men, B+H Publishing, 2010, Nashville.
International Mission Board. Mobile Ministry Made Easy
http://mobileadvance.org/images/stories/ma/mobileministrymadeeasy09-2012.pdf
Michael Hyatt, Platform: Getting Noticed In A Noisy World , Thomas Nelson, 2012, Nashville.
Required Websites
Internet Evangelism Day
http://www.internetevangelismday.com/
Mobile Ministry Magazine
http://mobileministrymagazine.com/
Mobile Ministry Forum
http://www.mobileministryforum.org/
Cybermissions
http://www.cybermissions.org
Recommended Texts
Allain, Bryan, Community Wins: 21 Thoughts On Building A Thriving Online Tribe
Davidson, Cathy N. & Goldberg David T. The Future of Learning In A Digital Age, MIT Press
Szoka, Berin and Marcus, Adam (editors) The Next Digital Decade: Essays On The Future of The Internet
Miller, M. Rex. 2004 The Millennium Matrix, San Francisco, Jossey-Bass (A Wiley Imprint)
Clifford, Paul A., Tweeting Church: Good News In Only 140 Characters
Goldfarb, Sam. Facebook for Business (available for free on Kindle)
Platt, Sean and Inny, Danny How to Build a Blog: Create Awesome Content and Build Community , Sterling and Stone
(2012) available on Kindle for free
360i. Mobile Marketing Playbook (available on Kindle for free)
Mitchell, Melanie. Standing Out With SEO , Financial Times Press (a collection of 3 books available for free on
Kindle)
Course Outline
Period
Assessments
Weeks 1-2
Weeks 3-4
Mobile
Ministry
Weeks 5-6
Social
Networks
Due
Date
Est
hrs
Weight
Objectiv
e #’s
Read
18
--
1,2,3,5
Listen/View
3
--
Forum #1a Internet’s Impact for Gospel.
3
4%
1,3
Forum #1b Internet Statistics.
3
4%
1,3
Commence planning and outlining for two minor projects
and major project
2
Read
10
--
1,2,3,5
Listen/View
9
Forum #2a Mobile Ministry for Christians.
3
4%
1,3,5
Forum #2b Mobile Security.
3
4%
2,5
Minor Project #1. Internet or Mobile Strategy.
10
10%
2,5
Read
16
--
2,3,4,5
Listen/View
3
--
Forum #3a. Social Media Assessment.
3
4%
2,4,5
Forum #3b Defining Friend in Social Media.
3
4%
2,3,4,5
Minor Project #2 Social Media Strategy.
10
15%
1,2,3,4,5
Weeks 7-8
Marketing
, SEO ,
Usability
and Other
Practical
Considerat
ions
Overall
Read
9
--
Listen/View
4
--
Forum #4a Due: SEO for Christians.
3
4%
2,4
Forum #4b Due: Conversion Funnel for Church.
3
4%
2,4
Major Project #1
17
43%
5
135
100%
Final Internet / Mobile Strategy.
Total estimated hours based upon 17 hours per week for 8
weeks
4,5
Estimated Activities and Times
●
Reading is measured at reading 25 textbook pages per hour and reading 20 journal pages per hour Total
reading for this course is 60 hours.
●
Listening to recorded audio/video elements or live sessions (in-class equivalent) - 12.00 hours
●
Discussion (in-class equivalent) - 24 hours
●
Written projects - 39.00 hours
Forum Expectations
We expect that students will spend at least one hour to post one initial message, one hour to read posts from 5+
students (presumes that a student doesn't read every post), and 60 minutes to post two reply messages. Forum
grading will be based on the following items:
● Forum posts should be 150-250 words
● Students must demonstrate comprehension of the material and achievement of the related learning
objectives related to that forum.
● Students should demonstrate critical thinking and use outside material researched beyond the assigned
readings.
● The goal of course forums is to have scholarly dialog among peers combining both the strengths of inperson class discussion and providing concise, professional quality writing (similar to a well thought-out
academic or scholarly blog) and responding in a way that adds value to others writings
● For further reading on quality forum posts, see recommendations from other schools at:
http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/students/msf_guidelines/msfdialogue.cfm
The following is a sample grading rubric (from:
http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/otai/Examples/DiscussionQuestionExample.asp)
Evaluation
Criteria
Advanced
Proficient
Poor
Development of
Ideas
Well-developed ideas; introduces new
ideas; stimulates discussion (5-6 pts)
Developing ideas; sometimes stimulates
discussion (3-4 pts)
Poorly developed
ideas which do not
add to discussion (1
pt)
Evidence of
Critical Thinking
Clear evidence of critical thinking application,
analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Postings are
characterized by clarity of argument, depth of
insight into theoretical issues, originality of
treatment, and relevance. Sometimes include
unusual insights. Arguments are well supported.
(5-6 pts)
Beginnings of critical thinking; postings
tend to address peripheral issues.
Generally accurate, but could be
improved with more analysis and
creative thought. Tendency to recite
facts rather than address issues. (3-4
pts)
Poorly developed
critical thinking (1
pt)
Response to
Other Students
and Instructor
Interacts at least twice with other students
and/or instructor (4 pts)
Interacts at least once with other
students and/or instructor (2 pts)
Does not interact at
least once with other
students and/or
instructor. (0 pts)
Timeliness and
Mechanics
Individual message and at least two responses
posted before deadline. Standard English
mechanics and grammar were used in the initial
post. (4 pts)
Noticeable problems with mechanics or
late postings. (2 pts)
Does not meet
expectations with
mechanics or
timeliness (0 pts)
Written Work
Except for Class Forum posts, all written assignments should be double-spaced using 11-point font and 1-inch
margins, and include a relevant heading (name, date, assignment title), and subheadings where appropriate, which
can be viewed in a Navigation Pane. Multi-page assignments should also include page numbers. Please correct
spelling and grammatical errors before submitting all assignments. Spelling, grammar, and writing style will be
taken into consideration in evaluating written work. Assignments should be submitted to the Course Dropbox
within Moodle. Every assignment should carry a filename that MUST include your name (Student Name) and the
assignment number, e.g. Jan_Smith_Minor1.doc
Written work must be reflective, balanced, scholarly analysis and be well-supported by references. Deep familiarity
with the biblical text will be appreciated as will the ability to showcase extensive theological reading and reflection
and to critically examine an issue from many points of view.
Very informal or highly opinionated writing styles will be severely penalized. Do not preach.
Late Policy
Coursework is scheduled over a seven-day week to provide structure for students residing on six continents. The
weekly schedule begins on Monday at 12:01AM US ET (USA Eastern Time), and ends on Sunday at 11:59PM US ET.
●
●
●
●
Assignments submitted more than 1 week late (after the following Sunday) will lose 1 letter grade (i.e. "A"
becomes a "B")
Assignments submitted more than 2 weeks late will lose 2 letter grades (i.e. "A" becomes a "C")
All assignments and quizzes must be submitted by the week after the term ends or they will receive a
failing grade
Extensions: professors may grant an extension if the student has a prolonged sickness or major family
crisis. The length of the extension is up to the professor’s discretion.
●
Applications for extension must be submitted via the online extension request form at least 2 or more days
before the due actual date. If an extension is granted, no other courses may be taken until that course is
completed.
Week Eight is the last class session with assignments posted. All course work must be completed by the student
and submitted to the instructor by Friday of the tenth week of the course. No credit will be given for work
submitted after this date.
For more academic policies, please visit: http://www.cityvision.edu/cms/cv/academic-policies
Course Content
Week 1-2
Read:
Von Buseck, Craig Netcasters: Using The Internet To Make Fishers of Men (entire book)
Meeker, Mary; Internet Trends of the Year 2012
http://www.slideshare.net/kleinerperkins/2012-kpcb-internet-trends-yearend-update
How To Evangelize The World From Your Computer (PowerPoint)
http://cybermissions.org/articles/evangelize_with_your_computer.pptx
The Future of Internet Ministry
http://cybermissions.org/articles/ICCM-Europe/The%20Future%20Of%20Internet%20Ministry.pptx
Internet Evangelism and The Unreached (PowerPoint)
http://cybermissions.org/articles/Internet_Evangelism_For_The_Unreached.pptx
The Next Billion (PowerPoint)
http://cybermissions.org/articles/CMTA/The_Next_Billion.pptx
Spend at least 4 hours browsing the enormous Internet Evangelism day website:
Internet Evangelism Day
http://www.internetevangelismday.com/
Listen/View:
Introduction to the Internet Evangelism and Mobile Ministry Course by John Edmiston (IMPORTANT)
http://cybermissions.org/articles/cityvision/Internet_Evangelism_Mobile_Ministry_Course_Intro.pptx
What Is The Internet Really (Ted Talk, Andrew Blum)
http://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_blum_what_is_the_internet_really.html
Interview with Tony Whittaker of Web Evangelism Day (audio)
http://cybermissions.org/articles/cityvision/interview_Tony_Whittaker_audio.mp3
12 Ways That You Can Use YouTube For Your Church
http://youtu.be/6xC-kXB-zVk
The Next Twenty Years of Digital Ministry by John Edmiston
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHC9wcxQpQU
Forum #1a Internet’s Impact for Gospel. How can the Internet help make the gospel ubiquitous (present
everywhere)? How can it multiply your current or future ministry?
Forum #1b Internet Statistics. Reflect and comment on the statistics about the Internet , its reach and its
potential for communication.
Quiz 1
Week 3-4
Read:
Mobile Ministry Made Easy (40 page PDF) International Mission Board
http://mobileadvance.org/images/stories/ma/mobileministrymadeeasy09-2012.pdf
Mobile Discipleship (PowerPoint, lengthy)
http://cybermissions.org/articles/Mobile_Discipleship_2011a.pptx
Tomi Ahonen : Android Won, Microsoft Lost (very long blog post)
http://communities-dominate.blogs.com/brands/2012/12/android-won-windows-lost-now-what-the-battle-ofthe-century-is-decided-microsoft-relegated-to-ever-s.html
Infographic: Why The Smartphone Isn’t Mainstream (yet) (Mashable)
http://mashable.com/2012/11/13/smartphone-infographic/
Spend 4-6 hours reading articles from Mobile Ministry Magazine:
http://mobileministrymagazine.com/
Listen/View:
The Unrestricted Mobile Future Of The Global Church
http://www.visualstorynetwork.org/video/mmf-2012-the-unrestricted-mobile-future-of-the-global-church
Mobile Security Webinar (1 hr)
http://www.mobileministryforum.org/mobile-security-webinar-update-resources-links
Discipleship and Theological Education Using Mobile Devices
http://cybermissions.org/articles/gcia/index.html
Mobile Ministry Issues With Implementation
http://cybermissions.org/articles/gcia/index.html
Mobile Strategy (from Biola Digital conference)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhRyEgEF1Pw
Antoine Wright: The Future of Mobile
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P90T_u2Hrmk
Ken Bringas: How Mobile Technology Is Changing My Role As A Pastor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV_lHk_OiU8
Mobile Ministry Technology
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJhGHxR4aOU
Clyde Taber: Why Mobile?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg-85QdnKHM
Dave Hackett: Mobile Ministry and Global Missions Strategy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb9yg3LbLwc
Forum #2a Mobile Ministry for Christians. What are some of the potential uses of mobile devices for Christian
ministry in the developing world OR for social justice issues?
Forum #2b Mobile Security. What are some of the security issues facing Christian workers using mobile devices
in hostile areas?
Minor Project #1. Internet or Mobile Strategy. Develop an Internet or mobile ministry strategy to solve a
problem in Christian education and/or Christian discipleship.
Week 5-6
Read:
Michael Hyatt, Platform: Getting Noticed In A Noisy World (entire book)
How to Get Thousands of Twitter Followers by Peter Guirguis (NotAshamedofThe Gospel)
http://notashamedofthegospel.com/welcome-twitter-guide/
The Simple Secret of Why People Share Your Content:
http://socialfresh.com/sharing-content/
How A Top Social Media Marketer Gets Results
http://t.co/anAL6yhN
25 Things That Make You Look Dumb On Facebook
http://blogs.constantcontact.com/product-blogs/social-media-marketing/25-things-that-make-you-look-dumbon-facebook/
8 Indispensable Tools To Improve Your Social Media Efficiency
http://www.businessesgrow.com/2012/11/01/8-indispensible-tools-to-improve-your-social-media-efficiency/
Infographic: The Psychology of our Obsession With Social Media by Tina Cook
http://www.tinacook.tv/socialmedia/infographic/psychology-of-our-obsession-with-social-media/
Listen/View:
How Social Media Can Make History (TED Talk, Clay Shirky)
http://www.ted.com/talks/clay_shirky_how_cellphones_twitter_facebook_can_make_history.html
Digital Humanitarianism (TED talk, Paul Conneally)
http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_conneally_digital_humanitarianism.html
Create a Church Facebook Fan Page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdRk9J8Cdn4
Becoming Social Media Savvy Without Losing Your Soul, Brent McCracken (Biola Digital 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0fGGpYzzD0
Social Media For Non-Profits: 19 ways non-profits can use social media to connect with donors
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0qhxej2wdA
The Future of Social Media (Mashable Media Summit)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhOwWeS7FT8
Forum #3a. Social Media Assessment. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of social media for
Christian ministry? Which forms of social media would work best in your ministry context?
Forum #3b Defining Friend in Social Media. What is a “friend”, and how does that affect how we can share the
gospel online?
Minor Project #2 Social Media Strategy. Evaluate the various social media strategies available to your church or
ministry and how you could create a powerful platform for the gospel in your particular ministry context.
Week 7-8
Read:
Jim F. Kukral, Internet Marketing For Business Answers
Benchmark Email: Quick Start Guide To Email Marketing (an ebook available from Kindle store for free)
20 Best Tools for SEO
http://www.netmagazine.com/features/20-best-tools-seo
13 Easy Steps to Optimize your Website for SEO
http://bhgrealestateblog.com/2012/12/07/13-easy-steps-to-optimize-your-website-for-seo/
The Power of Everything (free e-book on Mobile Marketing by Jay Bear)
http://t.co/jepX2vki
How to Use Google Analytics to Improve Your Social Media Marketing by Brian Reilly
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/google-analytics-custom-campaigns/
What Is a Conversion Funnel?
http://www.webics.com.au/blog/conversion-tracking/conversion-funnel/
Project Analysis Worksheet (to help with Major Project)
http://cybermissions.org/icafe/cd/icafe%20manual/small%20business%20training/Project%20analysis.pdf
Listen/View:
Practical Usability, Matt Perman (Biola Digital 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcx0KcaduUA
Content Strategy for the Real World, by Georgia Joseph (Biola Digital 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q0Pphvqqgc
The Online Conversion Funnel (Podcast on YouTube: audio, not video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr2OIPcGiA8
SEO for Startups (by a Google spokesperson)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El3IZFGERbM
5 Most Common Mistakes in SEO & 6 Good Ideas (by a Google spokesperson)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AmRg3p79pM
Building The Right Web Strategy for Ministry, Drew Goodmanson (Biola Digital 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPwdWrik_U8
Forum #4a - SEO for Christians. Why does SEO matter for a Christian web ministry? How can it be implemented?
Forum #4b - Conversion Funnel for Church. What would be a typical conversion funnel for a church website of a
medium-sized (300 member) church?
Major Project #1
Final Internet / Mobile Strategy. Develop a strategy and implementation plan that uses the
Internet and/or mobile technology to achieve a result in one of the following areas:
a) Christian outreach
b) Christian education
c) Missiological and cross-cultural communication
d) Christian social entrepreneurship / justice issues.
Part 2 should be 15-25 pages for Master’s students and 12-20 pages for Undergraduate students.