My Digital Life

I tend to spend a lot of time on the www. I'm trying to reflect on the usefulness versus the time consuming nature of digital connections. The following is simply a brain-dump of the time and effort I put into the internet. It's my attempt to consider whether one activity or another is a waste or a value to (a) my life and (b) my ministry. I welcome your thoughts on each of the entries.

1) This Blog: This is more about me than about you. This is simply a forum for me to share my thoughts and opinions. If it brings edification to the reader, bonus. Not that I mean it for meaninglessness, in the end I hope the writing and the reading are cathartic for both. Based upon the fact that I tend to write in spurts and then to be absent for long periods, I'd say that in life and ministry this is really a net zero proposition. It doesn't contribute in a productive way to either, nor is it so time intensive that it takes away.
Personal = (0) , Ministry = (0).

2) Google Reader: I read a lot of blogs. I use Google Reader as my RSS feed burner to aggregate the blogs so I can read them more quickly. I think I gain quite a bit from these blogs. The range in topic from church leaders and thinkers, to sports writers and food critics. I think the time spent on these is worth it. Lately I've deleted a lot of the blogs that weren't meaningful or useful so I would say that the time is even more valuable. Personally, it grows the diversity of what I am reading. As for ministry, it is invaluable for sermons topics, ministry ideas, and leadership advice. Overall I think it is time well spent.
Personal = (+) , Ministry = (+).

3) Facebook: I have told anyone who will listen that this is the greatest time waster on the net. Facebook is a black hole from which many never return. That said... I love it. I have limited myself to only reading and responding to status updates and direct messages. But I learn more about you through Facebook than I do on Sunday morning passing conversations. Facebook affords an opportunity to connect with people I don't see often and to support the people from church who dare to friend their pastor. All pastors ought to see this as a valuable tool for ministry. (Just stay away from farmville and mafia wars.)
Personal = (+) , Ministry = (-).

4) Twitter: The jury is definitely out on this. Our church members have not adopted this very widely. I'd have to say that the ministry aspect of this is only to grow my connection to ministry resources beyond my normal contacts. There are some people who I try not to miss what they twitter. Most I only read if they happen to have twittered at the time I'm reading. This means that I'm still not sure how to grade it. I think the jury is still out for me about whether I will continue to be a user. (But I did win a $25 gift certificate from Zona Rosa, and $500 of web services from our current web provider. So... bonus.)
Personal = (+) , Ministry = (0).

5) E-Mail: Indispensable. Managing it is a key. I think I've learned how to control it and not let it control me.
Personal = (+) , Ministry = (+).

6) Texting: I'm too old for this. Texting is a technology that I use only because it's become as common to some people as a phone call. I even got a text from a "more mature" church member that I would have guessed would never in their life text. I guess I'll keep it up. I do offer up praise to God that phones have qwerty keyboards now.
Personal = (+) , Ministry = (+).

7) Google Wave: I've tried to get several pastors to join me on this so we could do some collaborative work on sermon series. Either they've all figured it out and I am missing their posts or they haven't gotten to it yet. I think it will become a communication piece for the future. (or some perfected form of it.)
Personal = (x) , Ministry = (x). Too early to grade it yet.

Your thoughts?