I am not a blogger or a tweeter, or for that matter even a regular Facebook updater. For starters, I’m not that witty or interesting. Second, I can’t seem to find time to write consistently for an audience in cyberspace.

However, I am thankful for those who do blog and regularly follow several campus ministry blogs, grateful for the ministry of writing by several brothers and sisters; but I recently have been thinking about the value of blogs, especially for short-term mission trips and other time-bound experiences as a tool in campus ministry.

This past spring break, I received emails from friends leading mission trips. Some simply sent a prayer update. A pair of others, however, included a link to the official blog of the trip. I was engaged and praying. Doing so made me think of some of the benefits of using technology this way.

Increasing Participation
Harvard Professor Christopher Dede describes the value of technology as an extension of community. Facebook, blogs, Twitter and Skype can help communities overcome the bounds of time and space. For the campus mission trip, blogs can extend the trip beyond those physically in attendance. Up-to-date accounts of what’s happening may be of interest to students unable to be on the trip, to parents and to supporters. Find a way to use technology to give them a window into the trip in ways which help them feel a part of the trip even from a distance.

Increasing Prayer
For some of us, we often realize our friends have been in Haiti for three days before we remember to pray for them as they requested. Technology allows us to inform supporters with real, immediate prayer requests. Request prayer for a sick student, for the evening meeting, for the sense of unity among the team. Give updates as they happen for prayer and praise. When these requests are part of a larger story being told along the way, people can and will pray with you.

Increasing Student Involvement
On trips I’ve led, this would not happen if I were the one needing to do it. The good news is that blogging or tweeting about the trip is not something you have to do. It’s likely you have some students already doing this. By developing an official blog, you can involve more students in the process and tap into gifts that might not have other expression on the trip. (Of course, you may want to make sure the students fully understand the audience of the official blog and how it affects what they write).

Increasing Awareness
Finally, given the socially networked reality of the students on the trip, you can increase awareness of the group by having members post the official blog to Facebook or tweet and retweet events. This will spread the word about your trip or event and share the great things the Lord is doing in the process.

Technology can’t replace the physical presence and human contact that is an essential part of mission trips; but technology can enhance our trips, allowing participants to be more involved while also allowing non-participants to follow and pray for your work.