Purpose
Personal story
Mike Ritter lives in East Texas. Active in his church and local community, Mike believes in lifestyle ministry and everyday opportunities to influence others.
In 1994, Mike was paralyzed during a gymnastics routine with his high school youth group. This event impacted Mike’s life greatly, offering him a unique opportunity to share his faith in light of the everyday struggles he faces.
Today, Mike’s ministry is a reflection of his decisions to embrace the life God has given him and share the blessings he enjoys from the wonderful people God places in his life.
Business philosophy
Jesus commented, “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light”(Luke 8:16 NIV). Too many ministries have hidden the light God entrusted them because they do not engage their community. That’s why Mike is helping make the web a brighter place(sm).
The internet in our lives
The internet has become interwoven in the lives of many Americans [1]. We use it for activities as simple as email to shopping. Many Americans get their news, information, and inspiration from the internet. The internet has its dark and questionable underbelly, where people use it to display and view objectionable material, take advantage of the vulnerable, or feed destructive addictions and lifestyles.
Several ministries take advantage of the internet to communicate their message. Too many others overlook the power of the internet as a ministry tool. With blogs (online journals), podcasts (audio and video), newsletters, newsgroups, and standard websites tying it all together, ministries have an amazingly versatile platform to communicate their message and meet the needs of their communities.
A different voice to a different audience
Presenting the good news to an MTV, Nickelodeon, and Web2.0 culture is intimidating for many churches. Instead of understanding their community culture, many have tried copying what others are doing across the country. Others have withdrawn so they just wait for like-minded people to come to them.
Looking at the demographics [2], one can see how each generation lives uniquely. Music alone is a great example. As an expression of culture and method of entertainment, music has evolved through the centuries of human existence. Comparing American music from the fifties and today, one may notice less inhibition to use offensive lyrics and spiritually intimate imagery. The rhythms and volume of music have become stronger. Technology has added an exceptional depth to music.
These trends play out in our society and become a standard by which we can measure our ability to communicate effectively with our audience. Are we singing an Andrews Sisters tune to a Pussycat Dolls audience? When presenting a message, we ought to try to understand our audience and communicate to them in their common language [3].
[1] http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/148/report_display.asp
[2] http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Topic&TopicID=22
[3] “Vernacular” (dictionary.reference.com)