The most spectacular accomplishments are achieved in community.

By thinking, planning, and working together, the individuals and groups that make a community can accomplish great things that neither could achieve alone.

At this year’s CES, Google TV partnered with the world’s three largest television makers to shake things up in the living room media experience.

At Facebook’s F8 conference, the company partnered with more than a dozen companies to create a more personal and social online experience.

Mark Zuckerberg said:

“The basis of our partnership strategy and our partnership approach: We build the social technology. They (other companies) provide the media.”

When I think about media ministry partnership possibilities, I see two tightly clustered community groups: content producers (churches, ministries, brands) and distributors (media companies).

Imagine what could happen if producers and distributors unite to create new media pathways for digital-age Bible teaching, preaching and community.

If you’re a producer that is rendering the gospel in all media forms, your part is to remove all barriers that get in the way of people using and sharing your content.

If you’re a distributor, your goal is to build multi-device platforms with ever-expanding capabilities that will allow people to take the gospel with them wherever they go.

I see multitudes of sick, suffering, hurting, lonely, confused people in near and far places. They are searching for answers and understanding.

Let’s go at once to take the land. We can certainly conquer it! Numbers 13:30

Tech giants are partnering to shake up the living room. Major media companies are collaborating to connect the world socially.

When ordinary Christian media communities partner “to give an answer to everyone who asks you and to give the reason for the hope that you have,” one thing can happen … radical salvation.

Christian producers and distributors share a common mission. The land lies before you. Go in together and take it.

It is quite possible that we will see thousands of churches with an Internet Campus before the end of the decade.

Cross Point Church (Nashville, TN) just named Chris Surratt as their first Internet Campus Pastor.

I caught up with Chris to get his thoughts about the state of the Church online.

Chris, give us a brief sketch of your background.

Before I came to Cross Point, I was on staff at Seacoast Church for fifteen years and a Campus Pastor for five years. I am now Pastor of Ministry and oversee family ministries, groups, missions and spiritual formation.

Your brother, Greg Surratt was an online church pioneer at Seacoast. Did you get the whole internet ministry thing right away?

My brother saw the Internet as another hook we could put out there, but I was pretty wary of the idea initially, to be honest. I didn’t understand back then how people could receive care or how there could be community online. Fortunately, we had a pastor who had a long-term vision and saw what it could be.

Since then, I’ve seen online ministry really evolve from just streaming services to people being reached who probably would not or could not be reached in any other way.

How important is the role of the Lead Pastor in starting an Internet Campus?

I think it’s extremely important. It was Pete Wilson’s vision for Cross Point to do an online campus. It was his idea to do the live Q&A at the end of each week’s online service, which I think is unique.

Like any church ministry, if an online campus is not part of the Lead Pastor’s vision, if he is not a champion of it, addressing the campus in his message, then the ministry might exist but it won’t flourish.

Did something occur that said now is the time to expand the online campus by adding a pastor?

We were seeing people starting to engage in community. Needs were being shared through the chat. We were getting email and prayer requests. It was really starting to feel like a church and we felt like we needed someone to focus on the spiritual needs of those attending. I offered to step-in and help.

Some say they’re concerned about online church attenders not connecting to local churches or not being in real community.

I have seen community develop online and now I’m a believer. Chris Surratt

Our goal for most people at CrossPoint.tv Live is to connect them into a local church.

We say all the time, “We love that you come, continue to drop in on Sunday nights, but we would love to connect you to a local church.” We’ve been able to do that with a few people in a few towns, and I love it when that happens.

At the same time, we’re seeing people come into chat or send emails who have never been to church or haven’t been in years. Right now this is their church. They have nothing else. They’re looking for someone to pastor them, they’re looking for someone to pray for them.

I’m ok with serving those people and being an outlet for them to get healing, to get prayer. I think it’s great we can meet people where they are outside the walls of the church.

How are you addressing some of the core church practices?

We had a very cool moment recently where we did communion together at all our campuses including online. I came on and explained communion and asked people to get whatever they had in their house for the juice and bread. It was amazing to see people talking in chat about the fact that we were doing this together. That was an amazing ministry moment online which we will definitely continue to do.

We’re working on discipling ideas. We’ve experimented with video chatting. We’re talking to Saddleback Church about how they do their online groups. We’re looking for the best format.

I think it is definitely possible to participate in ministry online.

Is it your sense that the excitement for Internet Campus is growing or mellowing?

It is definitely growing and booming. LifeChurch.tv opened up their free church online platform just this week and I saw Bobby Gruenewald’s tweet saying over 1000 churches had already signed up for it. Churches of any size can now have an online presence. That’s huge.

Through technology we can now go out into the world to spread the gospel everywhere as Jesus commanded. I see no geographic barriers to what can happen online. As a pastor, I have seen Church happen online. It’s been amazing.

And it’s going to be fun to watch what happens next.

Church leadership consultant, Phil Cooke has a highly read article that among other things challenges leaders to “explore the media” this year. Here is what Phil said in the segment:

The latest study indicates the average American family watches TV and surfs the Internet an average of 10 hours each day. Compared to your time in the pulpit of a couple of hours each week, who has the most influence? Unless pastors and ministry leaders learn the power of the media and how to use it effectively, we’ll continue our not-so-slow slide into oblivion.

Discuss movies and TV programs with your congregation, and teach them how to properly prioritize the media. And think more about your media outreach – even the smallest church or ministry can create an effective Web site or energize their graphic design. The battle for influence in your congregation’s life has begun, and you’d better get into the fight.

While Phil’s article was written primarily to pastors and church leaders, there are applications for any Christian leader considering their next steps in the use of new media.

Big Vision, Big Goals, Big Faith 

Absolutely, if you haven’t already, make it your mission this year to review, analyze and investigate the new media universe. Discovery is essential to helping you determine where it is you want to take your organization and your people.

Next, answer this question:

What’s the single biggest thing you can imagine that will enable your organization to become a leader in the use of new media in the next 12 months?

Think about what role new media plays in your organization right now. Think about where you would like to be. Think lost souls. Think customer access to Christian new media channels.

Think Big. Ultimately, this will lead to a Big Vision, with Big Goals, requiring a Big Faith in God to accomplish.

Things are changing so fast with media now, that you cannot afford to aim for small, incremental steps. You need a game changer. You need to do something that will change the way your organization looks at media from the top down. Something that will force you and all those you influence to reevaluate preconceived ideas about media, to come up with bold ideas, and to develop new methods that make implementation of your Big Goal practical. Next, make a list of your most important steps. Start working the list today.

Young people being targeted

If you need more motivation, keep these stats in mind: Time spent with computers has tripled over the past decade among kids age 8 to 18. The bulk of this group’s time is spent on social media, followed by games, video sites and instant messaging. The average kid packs a total of 10 hours and 45 minutes worth of media content into a daily seven and a half hours of media exposure.

So that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 4:11

Youth are at the center of an exploding digital culture. Alcoholic beverage and other companies have stampeded into this Wild West environment to create an array of “advertising experiences” to glorify their products to young people

Christian leaders must also provide great online experiences to reach and equip younger generations, or risk being left in the dust.

Like Phil said, it’s vital that you “get in the fight.” This time next year you will have stories to tell of how your team moved far beyond the blackboard to create unique digital approaches.

Like others, the use of video is on my mind.

Many are saying online video will take center stage in 2012.

Online video is already proving to be a powerful way to reach and influence people.

Savvy Christian communicators recognize it as a way to connect with people’s hearts and minds.

However, I think there are some inaccurate assumptions about streaming media that could slow the adoption of valuable video platforms by religious broadcasters.

Here are eight myths and misconceptions about online video that will hopefully shed a little light on its huge potential.

1. Radio doesn’t do video

In the digital revolution, defining what you do by delivery mechanism (radio, TV, books) will be limiting. Digital technology has created an environment for incorporating a range of delivery media (audio, video, data), to reach everyone, every way. The next generation of broadcasting will increasingly give audiences more choice, including the addition of video delivered over a variety of distribution mechanisms.

2. There’s not enough content

The list of online churches with an Internet Campus or video webcast continues to grow. Church communications experts are directing leaders toward the use of streaming media platforms. Traditional media ministries and creative content producers are combining forces to launch online video initiatives. With thousands of publishers producing quality video content, there are plenty of opportunities for creating dozens of streaming media channels in multiple languages.

3. The public isn’t embracing streaming media

Millions of consumers are getting high quality video over the internet using free or low priced OTT services (Netflix, Hulu, Apple). Cable companies have joined the bandwagon with “TV Everywhere.” Telecom companies have launched IPTV services. “Virtual cable companies (Google, Apple, Amazon), among others will soon deliver linear TV (like ESPN) for the first time in select markets. Public acceptance of streaming media will continue to transform traditional broadcasting at an accelerating pace.

By 2015 online video (TV, VOD, Internet and P2P) will account for 90 percent of all global consumer IP traffic. (Cisco Visual Networking Index)

4. The discovery process is too much work

Christian radio stations are known for driving traffic to the programming content of ministry partners. Distributing and promoting online video is simply an extension of that strategy. It’s like having your own TV channel, without any radio-TV cross-ownership rules. Radio’s already captive audience gives it the capability to launch new streaming media content and develop loyal audiences for it. That’s an advantage over just about everybody out there.

5. Long-form video programming is declining

MTV moved away from showing music videos to series programming because music videos, get a rating of 0.5 percent and have a hard time retaining viewers. Long-form programming means that viewers stay with the channel for at least 30 minutes, which helps increase ratings. (Betsy Frank, Exec VP Research MTV)

6. Video distribution places you at the mercy of a few CDN’s

According to Informa Research, more than 41 Telco Carriers are reported to be in some phase of CDN deployment. The concept of federated CDNs is becoming a reality. In June of 2011, StreamingMedia.com’s Dan Rayburn broke the news that a group of telcos had founded an Operator Carrier Exchange (OCX) to formalize the process of interconnecting their content delivery networks.

7. Video advertising is not proven yet

Video advertising is now considered by marketers a premium way to influence customers, and the rates being paid to place video spots on mass-appeal and valuable niche websites are approaching, sometimes exceeding, rates for the traditional television platform. ROI is more trackable online than on traditional media, putting the focus on real meaningful measurement of audience engagement.

eMarketer estimates that US online video ad spending will grow by a compound annual rate of 38% in a five-year span ending in 2015, making this by far the fastest-rising category of online spending.

8. Conventional radio will always do well

Radio is holding its own, but 2011 was not kind. New services and content delivered via the Internet is drawing listeners and viewers. (eMarketer study)

The question is…

With barriers to entry falling in the delivery of media, what content is the next generation of Christian broadcasting to deliver, and how can this content be tailored so that the audience continues to want us to be in their lives?

Steve Lyon, Editor-in-Chief of Moody Publishers, says we should work hard to stay on top of the opportunities technology affords us to prepare, platform, and deliver our content because it gives those we reach the greatest possible chance to connect with the Word in ways that make them more like Christ.

Could more change be in store for Christian media in 2012?

Here are six trends that take a look at:

Where we are. Where we might be going. And why it’s important.

Looking ahead is always a fun tradition.

In 2012 Christian Media 2.0 will:

1. Embrace transformative technologies

It is just over three years since LifeChurch.tv launched YouVersion in the iTunes App store, transforming the way people access and engage with the Bible online. The free Bible App is downloaded every 1.1 seconds. The YouVersion community has spent 7 billion minutes engaging in Scripture with the Bible App.

From here almost everything related to reaching the world with the gospel will be amplified through digital media and social technologies. The continued growth in digital missions will create a divide. At one end will be those who see technology as a cornerstone to 21st century mission. At the other end will be those who see it as a tool for doing things, mostly inside, and not in ways that transform lives outside, missing unique evangelistic opportunities.

2. Innovate to survive

New knowledge and technology is driving forces of change in religious broadcasting and Christian music and publishing at an unprecedented rate.

Look for an increase in those unable to adapt to the monumental shifts in technology and consumer behavior. At the same time, look for an increase in those willing to break the rules and seize opportunities created by the shifts. Expect to see more losses, more wins, and a big edge to those willing to serve their constituencies by innovating “fast.”

3. Collaborate to thrive

The good news: Ministries have realized they can own the media channel and engage with their target audiences rather than leasing space on other media channels.

The bad news: Ministries have realized they can own the media channel and engage with their target audiences rather than leasing space on other media channels.

Independently operated church and ministry media channels are being filled with rich content that provides personal, meaningful, spiritual experiences. That’s positive. This strategy increases competition for audience and resources between local media organizations. That’s not so good.

The strength of Christian Media has always been in partnerships between ministries and local broadcasters.

Ministry impact will be multiplied by partnerships designed to accelerate promotion of digital content and the ministries creating it. Traditional media companies will create digital networks and channels. They will focus on forming mutually beneficial relationships with national and local publishers through creative content arrangements.

4. Build a bridge to the future with livestream

Content creation is exploding and live streaming is an emerging viable platform. The Super Bowl will be streamed live online by NBC for the first time ever. Apple is moving ahead with plans to build its own television in 2012 that would feature wireless streaming to access content. With these elements coming together, there are fewer reasons not to take advantage of distributing Christian media in a live stream.

I am taking a risk with this one by saying, audiences for Christian content will want high-quality live streaming to any screen.  The gospel is preached in live settings. Providing the Word via live streaming playback extends that engagement to new audiences and will not (or should not) be excluded from the media mix. That’s more opinion than prediction.

5. Curate and aggregate to promote biblical fidelity

There is an ocean of “spiritual” content online but too much of it has little value to the seeker. Some of it is harmful.

We will see more curators and aggregators assembling content from teachers, preachers and the next generation of storytellers. Seekers will be directed to the most useful, theologically sound content in missional efforts to make sure no one is left behind.

6. Renew mandate to establish global witness of Christ through media

2012 is going to be a good year for those who use media to help seekers find their place in God’s Story.

It is being called the 2012 phenomenon. Some suggest that Earth and its inhabitants may undergo a positive physical or spiritual transformation on December 21,2012. Others believe that date signals a cataclysmic event or the end of the world. Many, especially in secular media will ridicule, scoff at, and parody the prophecies.

Spiritual discussions will be popping up everywhere in 2012, an opportunity not to be missed by the Christian Media 2.0 community. They will rise to the occasion in unity and work long and hard to make sure the whole world hears…

No one knows about that day or hour but God, and He loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.